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It has come to the notice of the public that Poverty has increased in Sierra Leone by 2.1%. This was disclosed in a Poverty Trend Presentation held at the World Bank Office in Freetown to mark End Poverty Day 2021.
It was disclosed that the Poverty rate which was in 56.8%, increased to 58.9% as a result of the impact of Covid-19. The result of the Poverty Trend Presentation shows that the greatest increase was in Freetown area; from 11% to 17.7% but with this great increase, Freetown still remains less poor than other parts of Sierra Leone.
Back then when Sharanya Ravichandran conducted a Research on the Factors of Persistence Poverty in Sierra Leone, he discovered many factors that contributed to the persistence of poverty in Sierra Leone, but one of the most basic factors he discovered causing poverty within Sierra Leone, lies within the Government.
In his report, he said that the Government was extremely incompetent in providing its Citizens with the most basic needs, because those needs were usurped for Government Officials themselves, adding that Funds, both from within Sierra Leone itself and from Assistance given by Donor Nations, were taken away from projects that could truly benefitted the people and brought them out of poverty but Instead, those funds were used to serve the specific and inordinate needs of Government Officials and the Urban Elites, who happened to be Government Supporters.
But now this sudden increase, is confirmed to have been as a result of the outbreak of covid-19 which led to the disruption in global trade, travel restrictions and domestic restrictions on mobility. Many people lost their jobs due to this impact of covid-19.
Sierra Leone’s Economy was already in a bad shape, now that there has been an increase in poverty, we cannot imagine how weakening it has become. Will Sierra Leone continue to be like this? The people are tired of suffering. The government is expected to do something about this, if not, am afraid Sierra Leone will perish in poverty.
