Dr. Doma: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 05 June 2026:
Sometimes the truth is bitter but if we refuse to face it, we can never solve it. A recent survey on the economic situation in Sierra Leone paints a very worrying picture. The findings show what ordinary Sierra Leoneans already know from daily experience: life is becoming harder and harder.
According to the survey, 48% of respondents described their financial situation as extreme hardship, while another 33% described it as severe hardship.
In simple terms, more than 8 out of every 10 Sierra Leoneans surveyed say they are struggling badly to survive. This is not about politics. This is about the reality on the ground.
When people go to the market, they find that prices are going up on a daily basis. Transportation costs have gone up. Electricity costs have gone up. Fuel prices remain high.
Yet salaries and incomes have not increased at the same pace.
The survey also reveals another painful truth. More than half of workers say their salaries are finished before payday or within one week after getting paid. More than 80% say their salaries are gone within two weeks.
Think about that. A salary that is supposed to last one month is not even lasting half the month.
This means many families are forced to borrow, depend on relatives, reduce meals or simply go without basic necessities. It is not because people are lazy. It is because the cost of living has become too heavy for many households.
The hardship is visible everywhere. In the markets, in the communities, in the transport parks and in the homes of ordinary citizens. Young people are struggling to find jobs. Business owners are struggling with high operating costs.
But there is another dangerous issue we must speak about honestly. As economic hardship increases, drug abuse among young people continues to grow.
Many frustrated youths are turning to dangerous substances as an escape from unemployment, hopelessness and daily stress. Instead of solving problems, drugs are destroying lives, families and communities.
The drug issue has now become so serious that Sierra Leone is attracting negative international attention.
Recent reports indicate that the Dutch Government is pushing for the European Union to reconsider development assistance to Sierra Leone over concerns linked to international drug trafficking and the presence of a convicted Dutch drug kingpin believed to be connected to the country.
Whether one agrees or disagrees with such actions, the fact that Sierra Leone’s name is being discussed internationally in connection with drug trafficking should concern every patriotic citizen.
International confidence is important for investment, aid, tourism and economic growth.
The hard truth is that hardship, unemployment, corruption, crime and drug abuse are all connected. When opportunities are scarce, desperation grows. When desperation grows, society becomes vulnerable to dangerous influences.
This is not the Sierra Leone we want. Our nation is blessed with hardworking people, rich natural resources and talented young men and women.
But potential alone cannot put food on the table. What people need are jobs, stable incomes, affordable food, better economic management, stronger institutions and a serious fight against drugs and organized crime.
The survey is more than statistics. It is the voice of the ordinary market woman, the bike rider, the teacher, the civil servant, the trader, the unemployed graduate and the struggling parent.
The message from the people is clear: Life is hard. Salaries are not enough. Prices are too high. Drug abuse is destroying our youth.
And Sierra Leone cannot afford to ignore these realities any longer. The sooner we face the truth; the sooner we can begin to build solutions. Because a problem that is hidden can never be solved but a problem that is acknowledged can be confronted and overcome.
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