By: Emmanuel Mbowa
Freetown, September 22nd 2025 – Professional staff at Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Works have staged a strike, calling on President Julius Maada Bio to dismiss Minister Dr. Denis Sandy over allegations of corruption, abuse of office and unprofessional conduct.
The protest, led by officers from the Ministry’s technical wing, follows what they describe as a pattern of divisive leadership and interference in professional processes. “Since his appointment, he has brought in divide-and-rule tactics and always wants things to work on his side unprofessionally,” said Lawrence Dauda Gbaya, Principal Quantity Surveyor, in an interview with Truth Media.
Gbaya cited the minister’s directive for Paul Bockarie, the professional head of the Ministry, to proceed on leave and his removal from a budget meeting last Friday as examples of Sandy’s alleged overreach. “We are against the minister’s decision to sideline our professional leadership,” he added.
The striking officers also accuse Minister Sandy of manipulating technical evaluations during the sale of government quarters. “We provided professional figures for civil servants, but the minister altered them and asked us to sign off. We refused,” Gbaya said. He further alleged irregularities in the procurement process for presidential lodges in six districts, Bonthe, Pujehun, Kailahun, Moyamba, Kambia, and Kono, claiming Sandy introduced a contractor, Mr. Franklin, without following due process.
Minister Sandy has yet to respond publicly to the allegations. Meanwhile, Minister of Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swarray, has pledged to engage both Sandy and Bockarie before addressing the press.
This is not the first time Minister Sandy has faced controversy. Allegations of corruption and sexual misconduct have surfaced repeatedly, including a widely circulated accusation of attempted sexual assault by his stepdaughter, who claimed on social media that she was being harassed by government officials.
