Basita Michael Tells VP Jalloh: Citizens Need Income, Not Comparisons
Political commentator and civic advocate Basita Michael has challenged recent assertions by Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh that essential food commodities such as rice, flour, onions, and cooking oil are cheaper in Sierra Leone than in neighboring countries.
Michael argued that government officials often overlook a critical reality when making such comparisons: citizens purchase food with their incomes, not with regional statistics.
According to her, a population grappling with high unemployment, low wages, and limited economic opportunities derives little comfort from being told that conditions are worse elsewhere in the region.
“People are not asking the government to outperform the worst examples in West Africa,” she noted. “What they want are sustainable sources of income that enable them to provide for themselves and their families.”
Michael maintained that Sierra Leoneans have a legitimate expectation for improved living standards, stronger economic opportunities, and a quality of life that steadily improves over time. She stressed that affordability should not be measured solely by comparing prices across borders but by assessing whether ordinary citizens earn enough to meet their basic needs with dignity.
She further highlighted the challenges faced by residents in remote Chiefdoms across the country, many of which remain poorly connected to major district headquarters and urban centers. In some cases, she said, neighboring Guinea is more accessible than parts of Sierra Leone itself.
The poor state of road infrastructure, she argued, has left certain communities isolated, making it cheaper and easier for residents to obtain basic goods across the border than to travel to markets within their own country.
“For some communities, accessing necessities such as drinking water and soft drinks from Guinea is less costly and more convenient than navigating dangerous and often impassable roads to Sierra Leonean towns,” she explained.
While acknowledging that regional comparisons can serve as useful tools for economic analysis, Michael insisted that such assessments should not overshadow the everyday realities faced by citizens.
“The real test of affordability is not whether prices are lower than elsewhere,” she concluded. “It is whether ordinary Sierra Leoneans can earn enough to live decent and dignified lives.”
