Basita Michael Challenges VP Jalloh on Food Affordability Claims

Basita Michael Challenges VP Jalloh on Food Affordability Claims

Prominent lawyer Basita Michael has challenged recent claims by Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh regarding the affordability of food in the country.

During the London edition of the Civic Day Series, the Vice President cited lower prices for essential commodities—such as rice, onions, and cooking oil—compared to neighboring Guinea and Liberia as evidence of successful government economic stabilization efforts.

Michael dismissed this comparative framing as disconnected from the daily realities of Sierra Leonean citizens.

“People do not buy food with regional comparisons; they buy it with their incomes,”

she argued, noting that official comparisons provide little solace to a population contending with high unemployment and low wages.

Instead of benchmarking performance against neighboring nations, Michael emphasized that citizens prioritize the pursuit of stable incomes and improved living standards.

She further pointed to structural challenges, particularly in rural infrastructure, where poor connectivity to domestic urban centers often makes neighboring countries more accessible than parts of Sierra Leone itself.

Ultimately, Michael contended that economic health should be measured not by relative prices, but by the ability of citizens to sustain themselves with dignity.

This exchange fuels the ongoing public debate concerning the cost of living in Sierra Leone, contrasting government reliance on regional economic data with civic emphasis on local income and infrastructure constraints.