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Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has stated that the prices of key essential commodities in Sierra Leone – including rice, onions, flour, and cooking oil – are currently lower than in neighbouring Guinea and Liberia.
Speaking at the London edition of the Civic Day Series on Thursday evening, the Vice President said the price trend reflects government efforts to stabilise the economy and improve the availability of basic goods despite global economic pressures.
“If you look at Sierra Leone today, rice, flour, oil and onions are cheaper in Sierra Leone than in neighbouring Guinea and Liberia,” he told the audience, which included members of the Sierra Leonean diaspora.
During the town hall engagement, which was organised by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, VP Jalloh outlined major reforms undertaken by the government over the past eight years in areas including energy, trade, and healthcare.
On energy, he detailed plans for the $480 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact, which he said his leadership helped secure. “When I came, President Bio gave me the task of getting the MCC, today we’ve won it and that money will be invested heavily strengthening our energy sector,” the Vice President said.
He also noted that electricity access has doubled from 17% to 36% under the current administration, and highlighted American investment in the sector, with Nant Power constructing a facility expected to help address electricity challenges by 2027. Last week, President Bio commissioned a 40MW solar farm in Newton.
On trade, the Vice President spoke about reforms implemented through the National Investment Board, established under the National Investment Board Act of 2022 to facilitate and protect investment. He stated that these reforms have attracted over $800 million in investment to the manufacturing sector alone.
VP Jalloh praised President Julius Maada Bio for his leadership, saying his vision had ensured stability with pricing and availability of critical commodities at a time when the world is facing various challenges.
During the engagement, he answered questions on health, the economy, and land reforms, and encouraged Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora to return, engage, and invest in the country.
Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor Bah, who was also present, said the London event was the first edition of the Civic Day Series in the UK and that more engagements for the Sierra Leone diaspora would be held across the world.
The Vice President’s comments on regional food prices come as public debate continues across West Africa over rising food costs and household affordability, with President Bio previously acknowledging economic challenges, including high food prices, in his 2024 Independence Day address while outlining government measures to address them.
