President Julius Maada Bio (L) receives EBID Head, Dr. George Agyekum Donkor (R)
The recent election of Sierra Leone’s president, Julius Maada Bio, as chairman of the ECOWAS has attracted a lot of attention across the region. Felicitations have been pouring in, many expressing willingness to support his efforts in ensuring success in his new role.
Among those who recently paid the president a visit is Dr. George Agyekum Donkor, President of the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID). He met with Bio to personally commend his leadership and vision, and to reaffirm the bank’s readiness to support Sierra Leone’s aspirations for sustained growth and development. He pointed to Bio’s reforms in governance as evidence of his leadership qualities, pledging that EBID would channel major investments into critical areas, such as infrastructure and food security, to fuel lasting development.
The bank, which is based in Lome, has already committed the sum of $230 million to boost economic growth across the sub region, some of which, Sierra Leone is likely to access.
Bio’s appointment comes with mixed reactions. His re-election signals Sierra Leone’s growing clout in the region, but back home, frustrations simmer. Critics are pressing him to address unfinished business—like the Yenga border standoff with Guinea, which flared up again in May after Guinean soldiers moved into the neutral zone. This isn’t just a recent spat; the dispute has festered since the civil war era, with shaky truces doing little to settle the matter for good.
Locally, frustration simmers. Several commentaries on social media platforms in the country highlight complaints about skyrocketing unemployment and inflation, which is currently at 13.8%, according to the World Bank, along with calls for stable electricity.. As Bio steps into this regional spotlight, balancing international praise with domestic demands will be his toughest challenge yet, with all eyes on whether his leadership can bridge the gap.
