POTHOLES CRISIS
…SLRA, RMFA Face Mounting Accountability Calls
By Ibrahim Alusine Kamara (Kamalo)
As Sierra Leone’s roads crumble under the weight of neglect, public frustration has reached boiling point, with citizens demanding accountability from the very institutions tasked with safeguarding the nation’s infrastructure—the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) and the Road Maintenance Fund Administration (RMFA).
Billions of old Leones have been pumped into road maintenance and rehabilitation over the years. Yet, across the country, the reality is one of deepening potholes, broken streets, and dangerous commutes. For many, it is no longer just about bad roads; it is about broken trust.
SLRA and RMFA are mandated to deliver safe and reliable roadways, funded by a combination of budgetary allocations and a fuel levy paid by every citizen at the pump. Instead, they have presided over what many describe as a complete collapse of road infrastructure—with little explanation and even less action.
“The question is not just where the money went. It’s also: who is responsible, and why are they still in office?” demanded a civil rights advocate during a recent town hall in Freetown.
Old Road, one of Freetown’s once-busy thoroughfares, now stands as a glaring symbol of this failure. Massive potholes turn every trip into a gamble, risking damage to vehicles and endangering lives. Business owners, commuters, and transport workers alike have all voiced their anger, citing years of unfulfilled promises and cosmetic repairs that do little to address the core problems.
Despite the growing outcry, RMFA and SLRA have largely remained silent, offering only vague statements about “plans” and “future interventions.” For many citizens, this evasiveness is no longer acceptable.
“This isn’t about delays anymore; it’s about accountability,” said a commercial driver plying the eastern routes of Freetown. “They have collected our money, they have made promises—and they have failed. Someone must answer for that.”
Civil society groups are now calling for independent audits of both RMFA and SLRA to trace how road maintenance funds have been spent over the past decade. Activists are also pushing for parliamentary hearings to investigate what they describe as “a grand betrayal of public trust.”
Without consequences, many fear the same cycle of decay and denial will continue.
“This is not just a pothole problem. This is a governance problem,” said a university lecturer specializing in public administration. “If institutions can waste billions with impunity while citizens suffer, then no amount of funding will ever fix our roads—or our future.”
As Sierra Leone prepares for another rainy season, the urgency for real answers—and real accountability—has never been greater.
The roads are collapsing. And so is public patience.