Sierra Leone needs US$ 48 million for 2018 elections

Sierra Leone’s President Ernest Bai Koroma has told development partners that they will need US$48 million for the smooth conduct of the 2018 general elections, noting that they already have raised US$28 million.

Elections are due on March 7, next year.

“I don’t want anything that will delay and undermine the elections process,” he says in a state house communication, emphasising that the 2018 elections will continue to consolidate the country’s democratisation process.

He says the 2018 presidential, parliamentary and local council elections will involve huge costs. He calls on development partners to step up, saying that he doesn’t want any postponement of the date of the elections.

The rest of the meeting was held behind closed doors.