By: Emmanuel Mbowa
Freetown, 13th October 2025- As Sierra Leone moves toward addressing key challenges faced by persons with disabilities outlined in Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 17 and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), a draft Post-2024 Voluntary National Review Assessment by the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED), in partnership with Sightsavers, highlights notable progress in some areas.
Yet, critical issues persist. Inclusion and access to public buildings, healthcare, transportation, housing, justice, public sector employment, and education remain major hurdles for persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Speaking to Truth Media at the Post-2024 VNR Assessment event in Freetown, Pastor Samuel Alpha Sesay, a member of the Sierra Leone Union on Disability Issues (SLUDI), called on the government to take bold and decisive action.
Referencing the Disability Act of 2011, he stated, “The Act provides that all public buildings should be accessible, but that has not been actualised.” He added, “When provisions in the Act are not met, the government should be taken to court, yet that has not happened.”
Pastor Sesay also underscored the need for credible data. “We have never had collective data related to PWDs,” he said. “Data produced by MoPED, Statistics Sierra Leone, and NGOs do not correspond. You cannot plan for us when you don’t have credible data,” he emphasized. “When you say inclusion, no one should be left behind. All ministries, departments, agencies, and private institutions should have a disabled face.”
He concluded with a call for legislative reform: “I want the government to bring into law that all institutions in this country must have persons with disabilities.”
Acknowledging the gaps in implementing the SDGs and UN Convention recommendations, Usman Chery Conteh, Deputy Development Secretary at MoPED, affirmed the government’s commitment to closing those gaps. “We are striving to narrow disparities across all priority areas and ensure PWDs are fully included,” he said. “Everyone matters, and we want every citizen to feel they belong in Sierra Leone’s development process and are given equal opportunity.”
He described the workshop as a testament to the government’s commitment. “Their participation is crucial. It’s only when they speak up, participate, and make recommendations that we can take meaningful action,” he said. “As a ministry, we will carefully consider the recommendations from this workshop and align our efforts with the 2024 VNR goals, narrowing disparities in inclusivity and accessibility. We remain committed to promoting their rights and enhancing equality.”
Reverend Bakley Sesay, Programme Officer at Sightsavers, echoed the urgency. “The rights of PWDs must be taken with utmost seriousness,” he said. “Inclusion is the way forward, there’s no way we can build a better society without involving people from all walks of life.” He added, “PWDs are critical stakeholders and citizens of this country. That’s why we’re working closely with MoPED to support them and ensure government processes and projects are inclusive.”
While disability issues remain complex, especially in a country still navigating systemic challenges, Pastor Sesay believes progress is possible. He argues that full inclusion of PWDs in strategic roles across MDAs and private institutions will not only empower them but also strengthen the government’s efforts to meet its commitments under the UN Convention.
