By: Emmanuel Mbowa
Freetown, 10th March 2026- Prof. David J. Francis, former Chief Minister of Sierra Leone, has officially launched his 13th academic and policy-focused book titled ‘Governing a Poor Country: Perspectives from a Former Chief Minister of Sierra Leone’.
At the symbolic ceremony held at the IPAM Centre of Excellence, Prof. Francis noted that the book is of great interest to politicians, stakeholders, policymakers, and the Fourth Estate. He stated that the work “clearly defines the roles of both the Vice President and the Chief Minister” and further questions why Sierra Leone remains poor and poorly managed despite its richness in mineral and human resources, coupled with robust policy-making strategies.
“Sierra Leone is not a poor country in terms of its abundant strategic minerals, vast natural resources, human resource endowment, and colonial legacies,” he maintained.
“The Ferengbeya iron ore deposit alone in the north of the country has a verified iron ore deposit of 12.8 billion tons,” he revealed. “So, if you do the mathematical calculation, you will see that as of August 2025, the market price for iron ore per ton is $105 USD. If that is multiplied by 12 billion, you get $1.344 trillion USD. That is what is sitting in one small corner of the north of the country,” he noted, referencing the National Geographical Yearly Map by the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources. “That tells you how fantastically rich this country is.”
The former Chief Minister further said his six-chapter book contains three important themes from which African nations and developing countries, such as Sierra Leone, can highly benefit.
“This book raises the fundamental governance question: why is Sierra Leone fantastically rich but spectacularly poor and badly managed for decades?” he added.
”This book provides an insight into and an understanding of how to run and manage the economy,” he said, noting his practical experience and distinguished role as Chief Minister, as highlighted in the text.
“What I know for certain as a Sierra Leonean academic, policy practitioner, and statesman, is that most people, and in fact, some aspiring flagbearers have no idea how difficult and complex it is to run and manage the country,” he added. “This is the first academic and policy-relevant book in the history of Sierra Leone that specifically describes and discusses how to run and manage the country.”
Prof. Francis also noted that the book documents his stewardship as the second Chief Minister in Sierra Leone’s history, but the first Chief Minister of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
”This book also provides first-hand practical experience of the achievements, successes, and challenges of serving in this role.”
Mohamed Rahman Swarray, Minister of Labour and Social Security, lauded Prof. Francis for accounting for his stewardship and providing relevant pointers about governance and strategies for effective state management.
“This is something that hardly happens in our national politics. It is very rare to see Sierra Leoneans who have ventured into governance giving an account of their stewardship during national service. So, we all want to doff our hats to Prof. Francis for being a trailblazer. Thank you very much and congratulations on your book.”
