by Chernor M. Jalloh
Lecturer of Governance, Public Policy & Development Studies
IPAM – University of Sierra Leone
“Development Is a National Imperative, Not a Regional Appeal”
For decades, Sierra Leone has spoken eloquently about inclusive development, decentralization, food security, and national cohesion. Yet, beneath these noble aspirations lies an uncomfortable reality: development has not reached every part of our country with equal purpose or urgency. While some regions have witnessed sustained public investment and expanding economic opportunities, others continue to wait—year after year—for the most basic dividends of nationhood.
Nowhere is this paradox more evident than in Koinadugu and Falaba Districts. These two districts are among Sierra Leone’s richest in natural endowments. They boast fertile agricultural land, abundant water resources, thriving livestock, breathtaking tourism potential, and a strategic border with Guinea that positions them as gateways for regional trade. Yet, despite these comparative advantages, they remain among the country’s most underserved regions in terms of roads, healthcare, education, potable water, and public investment.
This is not merely a regional grievance. It is a national development failure.
The recent debate in Parliament has finally brought this uncomfortable truth into the national spotlight. Members of Parliament representing Koinadugu and Falaba lamented what they described as years of neglect, highlighting deplorable roads, inadequate health and education facilities, and the absence of basic social amenities. One MP posed a question that should resonate across Sierra Leone: “Are the people of Koinadugu and Falaba not deserving of progress and opportunities?”
That question deserves an answer—not only from the Government, but from Parliament, local authorities, development partners, and indeed every Sierra Leonean.
The irony is difficult to ignore. While the Government rightly emphasizes agriculture as the cornerstone of the Feed Salone initiative, one of the country’s most productive agricultural belts remains constrained by poor infrastructure. During the parliamentary debate, MPs observed that despite announcements of over 420 kilometres of road construction to support agricultural productivity, Koinadugu and Falaba were conspicuously absent from the list. Yet these districts produce rice, vegetables, livestock, and dairy products that contribute significantly to national food security. Even the vital Makeni–Kabala highway continues to be described as a “death trap,” making it increasingly difficult for farmers to transport produce to markets before it perishes.
Development cannot flourish where roads end. Nor can economic transformation occur when communities remain physically isolated from markets, investment, and public services.
The challenges extend beyond transport. According to findings presented by the Institute for Governance Reform (IGR), supported by the World Bank, Falaba ranks among the four worst-performing districts in access to quality healthcare, while both Falaba and Koinadugu also rank among the poorest-performing districts in education service delivery. These are not merely statistics; they represent mothers travelling long distances to access healthcare, children learning in classrooms without adequate furniture, and young people whose aspirations are constrained by circumstances beyond their control.
The Deputy Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Augustine Foday Ngobie, perhaps captured the underlying challenge most succinctly when addressing stakeholders in Falaba. Speaking in Yalunka, he described corruption as “fei-funa”—an unjust act against society for personal benefit—and argued that poor roads, weak healthcare, inadequate schools, and the absence of essential services are, in many respects, manifestations of failures in accountability and public resource management. His message reminds us that underdevelopment is not always the consequence of resource scarcity; it is often the consequence of governance deficits.
This brings us to an equally important question: what is the responsibility of elected representatives? Representation should never be reduced to occupying a parliamentary seat or participating in political debates. Members of Parliament are elected to advocate for their constituents, scrutinize budgets, influence public policy, and ensure that national resources are distributed equitably. Their effectiveness should ultimately be measured not by speeches alone, but by tangible improvements in the lives of the people they represent.
Citizens therefore have every right to ask difficult but legitimate questions. How effectively have our representatives championed development projects for their constituencies? How vigorously have they defended equitable budget allocations? What oversight have they exercised to ensure that approved projects are actually implemented?
These are not partisan questions.
They are democratic questions.
Yet responsibility does not end in Parliament. District Councils, Paramount Chiefs, civil society organizations, the private sector, development partners, and ordinary citizens all have indispensable roles to play. Development is most sustainable where communities themselves become active participants rather than passive observers.
It is for this reason that I make a special appeal to the sons and daughters of Koinadugu and Falaba, both at home and across the diaspora. Our districts possess extraordinary human capital alongside immense natural wealth. We must organize, advocate, invest, mentor, and speak with one constructive voice. Around the world, diaspora communities have transformed their regions through strategic investment, policy engagement, philanthropy, and knowledge transfer. We can—and should—do the same.
However, this conversation must never be confined to Koinadugu and Falaba alone.
Every district in Sierra Leone deserves equitable development based on need, opportunity, and national interest—not political convenience. A nation cannot claim inclusive development while opportunity remains determined by geography. Regional equity is not charity; it is smart economics. When every district is empowered to realize its productive potential, the entire country benefits through stronger food security, increased employment, expanded domestic revenue, greater social cohesion, and more balanced economic growth.
The debate has begun, and it must continue.
But let us elevate it beyond emotion, beyond partisan politics, and beyond personalities. Let us challenge our leaders with evidence, demand accountability with civility, and contribute solutions with sincerity. Above all, let us remember that development is neither a privilege nor a political favour. It is a constitutional obligation, a moral imperative, and the foundation upon which national unity and prosperity are built.
Sierra Leone can no longer afford to leave Koinadugu and Falaba behind—not because they seek special treatment, but because their progress is inseparable from the progress of the nation itself.
