As neighboring Liberia’s President Joseph Boakai takes a bold step to align with the struggles of his people by taking a 40% pay cut, his Sierra Leonean counterpart, President Julius Maada Bio, faces criticism for extravagant spending.

President Boakai’s salary reduction is seen as a gesture of solidarity with the Liberian populace amidst economic challenges. In stark contrast, Sierra Leoneans are increasingly concerned about President Bio’s financial practices, as detailed in the Annual Financial Statement of the government of Sierra Leone.

Over the past five years, the office of President Bio has recorded significant expenses under three different categories:

State House and State Lodge Expenses:

2019: 11.185 Billion Leones
2020: 5.035 Billion Leones
2021: 125.278 Billion Leones
2022: 236.671 Billion Leones
Total: 377.170 Billion Leones

Expenses Office of President:

2019: 52.846 Billion Leones
2020: 63.241 Billion Leones
2021: 56.028 Billion Leones
2022: 232.672 Billion Leones
Total: 404.787 Billion Leones

Special Warrant to Office of President:

2019: 331 Million Leones
2020: 2.156 Billion Leones
2021: 14.739 Billion Leones
2022: 23.672 Billion Leones
Total: 50.918 Billion Leones

The cumulative amount spent over these four years raises significant concerns among Sierra Leoneans, who struggle with poverty and economic hardship. The lack of transparency regarding the President’s earnings further fuels the debate on government expenditure and accountability.

As Liberia’s leader sets an example by tightening his own belt, the question remains: why is so much money being disbursed to the President of Sierra Leone, and for what purpose, while the majority of the population continues to live in penury?