By Alpha Amadu Jalloh
On August 7, 2025, President Julius Maada Bio delivered his address at the State Opening of the Third Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone. In his speech, he emphasized the importance of national unity and progress, stating, “I am before you today with deep humility and gratitude to open the Third Session of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone.” He further highlighted the government’s commitment to development, noting, “I do so fully aware of the sacred trust our people have placed in us to lead with integrity, wisdom, and courage.”
However, the recent appointment of Eng. Dr. Albert Foday as the Director General of the Railways Development and Regulatory Authority stands in stark contrast to these lofty ideals. While the President’s speech outlined a vision of progress and transformation, this appointment raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to genuine development.
Eng. Dr. Albert Foday, a professional presumably prepared for a significant role, was scheduled to face Parliament without a clear job description. Instead of providing the necessary framework and expectations, he was told to refer back to State House for guidance on his own mandate. This is not just bureaucratic negligence, it is emblematic of a system where offices are constructed on paper for political payback, not practical use.
In Sierra Leone today, government authorities risk becoming ghostly entities, existing in name only, with operations designed to pay yourself rather than serve the public. The Railways Development and Regulatory Authority, under such conditions, threatens to become another monument to patronage rather than progress. Funds, time, and energy are funneled into these hollow structures while tangible infrastructure, real rails, and economic benefits remain absent.
Is this how low we have come in Sierra Leone? Are our institutions now mere extensions of presidential favors, resurrecting ghost projects to satisfy political appetites? Eng. Dr. Albert Foday’s predicament, facing Parliament without a proper brief, is a symptom of a larger malaise, a government prioritizing political expediency over national interest, optics over substance, and payback over policy.
The problem extends beyond a single appointment. It reflects a recurring pattern where positions and agencies are created to reward loyalty rather than to serve functional purposes. These on paper initiatives sap public trust and drain resources that could be directed toward projects that actually impact Sierra Leoneans’ lives. While the President speaks about integrity and transformation, these ghost offices undermine the very principles he preaches.
Sierra Leone deserves better. Its people deserve leadership that builds institutions grounded in purpose, competence, and transparency. The resurrection of ghost projects and the creation of posts for the sake of rewarding loyalty undermines both the rule of law and public trust. True progress demands accountability, clarity, and an unwavering commitment to the nation, not a parade of paper positions for supporters.
Eng. Dr. Albert Foday may be capable, but even the most competent professional cannot succeed when handed a role without a mandate and asked to navigate a ghostly structure that exists only for payback. The ghost of the railway has indeed been resurrected, but if Sierra Leone is to thrive, it must be brought back to life with substance, not shadows, on real rails, not just on paper.
Moreover, this appointment sends a worrying signal to Sierra Leoneans about the direction of governance. It demonstrates that political loyalty can supersede expertise and proper planning. When public offices become vehicles for payback, national development suffers, infrastructure stagnates, and citizens are left questioning the purpose of government spending.
The time has come for Parliament, civil society, and the people of Sierra Leone to demand transparency and accountability. Appointments like that of Eng. Dr. Albert Foday should be accompanied by clear terms of reference, measurable goals, and a plan that serves the public interest. Anything less reduces serious institutions into hollow shells, devoid of accountability and incapable of delivering meaningful progress.
The revival of the railway sector, a critical infrastructure for national development, should not be reduced to a symbolic exercise. It requires skilled leadership, strategic planning, and unwavering commitment to tangible results. Sierra Leoneans deserve a railway that functions, not one that exists only on paper, administered by ghost structures that reward political cronies.
Eng. Dr. Albert Foday stands at a crossroads. He has the expertise and the opportunity to prove his worth, but he cannot do so without structural clarity and genuine support. The government must provide him with a functional mandate, clear operational guidelines, and accountability measures. Without these, this appointment risks becoming another example of patronage overshadowing progress.
The ghost of the railway has been resurrected, but Sierra Leone’s future depends on whether this resurrection is transformed from a paper exercise into real, operational development. Eng. Dr. Albert Foday, the institutions he leads, and the citizens who depend on effective infrastructure deserve nothing less than tangible, measurable progress.
Sierra Leone must insist on substance over shadow, rails over paper, and accountability over payback. Anything less is a betrayal of the people and the promises made in Parliament on August 7, 2025.
