CIVIC DAY SERIES US EDITION 2025
TUESDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 2025
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
By: Zacharia Jalloh Ministry of Information and Civic Education
The Ministry of Information and Civic Education, under the leadership of Minister Chernor Bah, continues to deliver on President Julius Maada Bio’s vision of bridging the information gap between government and the people. Weekly government press conferences, monthly civic engagements in the provinces, and now the historic hosting of the first-ever Civic Day Series in the United States on 30th September 2025 demonstrate the Ministry’s ambition to engage Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad. This historic U.S. edition of the Civic Day Series showcased Sierra Leone’s development progress across key sectors, while reinforcing the government’s commitment to engage with citizens everywhere. The following are the key highlights:
Chief Minister’s Keynote
Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, delivered the keynote address, thanking the Sierra Leonean diaspora for their longstanding contributions to the nation’s health, education, and agricultural sectors. He urged them to deepen their engagement by becoming problem-solvers and active partners in addressing Sierra Leone’s challenges, while assuring them of President Bio’s unwavering commitment to supporting the diaspora.
Economy & Finance
Minister of Finance, Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, reassured Sierra Leoneans in the U.S. that the economy is on a strong footing. He highlighted the drop in inflation from 54% in 2023 to 5.8% in August 2025, reduced prices of key commodities like rice, fuel, flour through increased competition, and a stable exchange rate for over two years. He also reaffirmed cordial relations with development partners, noting that IMF, World Bank, and EU programs remain on track.
Justice & Legal Reforms
Attorney General and Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay Esq. highlighted the new Criminal Procedure Act, designed to fast-track investigations and court proceedings. He also assured citizens abroad that diaspora voting rights are part of ongoing constitutional reforms and reaffirmed that dual citizens can aspire to any position except the presidency.
Health Sector Progress
Minister of Health Dr. Austin Demby reported significant gains, including a 76% reduction in maternal mortality, increased vaccination coverage to 95%, and major investments in solar-powered health facilities. Out of the 1600 health facilities across the country, 330 is fully solar-powered. Additionally, Connaught hospital now has 1.2 megawatt of solar electricity to support clean energy at the hospital. He announced the construction of new hospitals in Moyamba, Pujehun, Kerene, and Kerry Town and the opening of an ultramodern hospital in Kono in October 2025.
Transport & Infrastructure
Minister of Transport and Aviation Alhaji Fanday Turay spoke about the success of the Waka Fine buses, transporting 35,000 passengers daily, reducing congestion and promoting fast movement, the introduction of pedestrian bridges and bus terminals with 24hrs electricity, Traffic lights at major intersections and plans to reintroduce the railway system through a new National Railway Authority. He also noted that government is reviewing the $25 airport security tax.
Technology & Innovation
Minister of Communication, Technology and Innovation, Salima Monorma Bah, highlighted investments of over $200 million in ICT infrastructure. She reported the expansion of the fiber backbone, from 8 districts to now14 out of 16 districts, growth in mobile sites, from 798 mobile sites, to 1,405 mobile sites across the country today, the launch of Starlink and a 5G open access network, as well as innovative platforms like PResTract, which monitors pregnant women and Wan-Gov Application which is a one-stop shop platform for government services like ID cards, licenses and passports. She also announced the Felei City Tech and Innovation Zone and the Sierra Leone Innovation Investment Fund, a vehicle to mobilize resources for the growth of the sector.
Gender & Women’s Empowerment
Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs Dr. Isata Mahoi cited new legal frameworks such as the GEWE Act, Child Rights Act, and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act. She praised the growing participation of women in governance, noting that women now make up 36.5% of Cabinet. She also outlined financial inclusion initiatives such as the Bank of Sierra Leone 30% Loan with low interest rates for women in small and medium enterprises, and services for survivors of sexual violence such as the 116 toll free line for victims of Sexual Gender Based Violence (SGBV) and one-stop shops across the country with support from Rainbow Initiative to give care and support to rape victims. These initiatives have led to the increase the reporting of rape and SGBV cases.
Water & Sanitation
Deputy Minister of Water and Sanitation, Ing. Alpha Kallon, announced two transformative projects: the Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Project, which is 65% complete and set to benefit over one million people, and the Sierra Leone Water Security and WASH Access Improvement Project, a $180 million World Bank-funded initiative to provide clean water to five million citizens nationwide.
