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Tonkolili District Member of Parliament, Hon. Jawah Sesay, has voiced strong criticisms of the 2025 national budget, accusing the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) government of neglecting his district despite its significant contributions to the country’s revenue.
Speaking during the parliamentary debate on the budget on Thursday, November 21, 2024, Hon. Sesay argued that the Ministry of Finance has consistently marginalized Tonkolili in successive budgets, leaving the district grappling with severe underdevelopment.
“Year after year, we contribute massively to national revenue through our mining operations and the Bumbuna Hydro Electricity Dam, yet Tonkolili receives little to no investment in return,” Hon. Sesay lamented.
The MP highlighted the dire condition of infrastructure in the district, particularly the deplorable state of the Magburaka-Bumbuna road, which also serves as a critical link to the Sambaya area.
“Our people are enduring unimaginable suffering due to the lack of basic amenities and infrastructure,” he said, describing the district as a hub of natural wealth but a victim of government neglect.
Tonkolili, home to 19 chiefdoms and abundant in natural resources such as iron ore and gold, remains one of the poorest districts in Sierra Leone.
Hon. Sesay criticized the government for failing to reinvest in the district, leaving its communities to suffer from unemployment, lack of health facilities, inadequate educational institutions, and an absence of clean drinking water.
“Our youth are jobless, and the chemicals used in mining activities pose significant health hazards,” Hon. Sesay emphasized. He further argued that the lack of proper roads and infrastructure exacerbates poverty and deprives residents of opportunities for economic empowerment.
Hon. Sesay underscored the frustration of Tonkolili’s residents, who feel excluded from the benefits of the resources they generate. “It’s as if we are cooking the rice but cannot taste it.
This is wrong,” he said, adding that the district has lost faith in the SLPP government after seven years of unfulfilled promises.
The MP also criticized the insufficiency of surface rents and community development funds (CDA), stressing that capital-intensive projects like feeder roads require direct government investment.
He urged the Ministry of Finance to address these issues in a supplementary budget.
“What have we done wrong in Tonkolili District to deserve this neglect?” Hon. Sesay asked, calling for greater attention to the district’s needs.
The debate on the 2025 budget has reignited discussions about equitable resource allocation in Sierra Leone. For Tonkolili, Hon. Sesay’s appeal represents a broader cry for justice, as the district struggles to reconcile its wealth of resources with the persistent poverty and underdevelopment its residents endure.
