4 Comments
The latest release of the World Happiness Report, which classified Sierra Leone as one of the world’s unhappiest countries, has caused debate about how happiness is defined and what it genuinely means to Sierra Leoneans.
Honorable Chernor Bah, Minister of Information and Civic Education, has responded to the research, questioning its methodology and how happiness is measured around the world.
Speaking on the subject, Bah said that while Sierra Leone suffers economic issues, its people are persistent and proud.
“I just came from Kambia, and while our people are poor, they are not sad,” Bah said.
He questioned the index’s standards, claiming that worldwide happiness rankings frequently associate poverty with sadness, ignoring cultural and societal aspects that impact well-being in various circumstances.
Bah, whose family came from Bonthe, spoke on the country’s awareness of national pride and community unity.
“We share what little we have with strangers. “There is a sense of dignity and belonging that cannot be measured solely by economic signs,” he said.
He also denies that Sierra Leone has surpassed Afghanistan as the world’s unhappiest country, calling such statements false. While acknowledging the country’s economic challenges, Bah said that the government is addressing key concerns like education, infrastructure, and poverty alleviation.
He made reference to the Free Quality School Education Program as an important program aimed at improving citizens’ lives.
“I’d rather focus on tackling our society’s basic challenges. Our people demand access to schools, better roads, and more possibilities. “These are the things that really matter,” he stated.
Bah advocated for a more complex definition of happiness that goes beyond economic rankings, claiming that comparing Sierra Leone to wealthy nations like Norway without taking context into account does not reflect reality.
The argument over Sierra Leone’s rating raises questions about how global indices assess well-being and whether they adequately reflect people’s actual experiences around the world.
While economic challenges endure, many Sierra Leoneans draw strength from their communities, traditions, and national pride.
That statistics on happiness is a poor one . I agree that we Sierra Leoneans are struggling financially but happy. There is no war , we are not running helter skelter seeking refuge for our lives. To put it in a nut’s she’ll we are a happy people
We do not dispute the fact that majority of us are poor. Yes we are poor but our kids are going to school, traders are running their businesses, the sick are taken care of at our hospitals, salaries though are paid on time, our country is not only calm but peace, the farmers go their farms in peace and return home in peace. They rate our country poor yet the Americans, the British, the Chinese, the French etc leave their wealthy countries to this our “poor country” to not only live with us but also take our very rich minerals away to their wealthy and happy countries and give peanuts to our government in exchange of our minerals.
We agree with them that we are poor but what are the tangible things have they done to alleviate our poverty?
Mr Minister Bah, we are very proud of you bro.
We are happy because you*leap before you jump”. You have the exact answers for them bro.
Keep the fire burning.
With all this write up and u can’t define happiness. And who told you salaries are paid on time? Did you think the business people are happy of these price fluctuations? This government has suppresd it citizens even our local lanterns and other are ban which most sierra leoneans find happiness. If this government is doing well they are not the ones defending themselves but things will manifest themselves.
So tell me what things we are happy for? Water and electricity they can’t provide not to talk of peace and free speech. I don’t understand why some of u are having this type of mentality.
Bah, is not trustworthy!
I can say that with every sense of seriousness. How on earth will you expect someone who could bearly secure just a single meal per day to be happy? Let me educate you Bah, on why we are ranked to be among the unhappy individuals on earth. We hv no justice for the poor, no price control, no jobs, bad governmental policies, police intimidating, painting our country badly (drugs cartel) and taking away the only source of happiness that keeps us together, a well celebrated cultural practice, like mask devil and lantern celebration.
All of such are very much enough reasons, for us to be rated as very very unhappy people.