By Saidu Dumbuya
One of the presidential flagbearer aspirants of the All People’s Congress (APC), Professor Ibrahim Bangura, has described the recent fire at the State House in Freetown as a tragic incident that raises serious concerns about the preparedness, oversight, and accountability of Sierra Leone’s national institutions.
In a two-page press release, Professor Bangura stated, “The destruction of offices is not merely the loss of government property; it is a blow to the institutional integrity that sustains our democracy.”
He continued, “For too long, we have treated such disasters as isolated misfortunes, only to return to business as usual. This time must be different. The State House is not just the seat of the Presidency; it is the epicentre of executive power, a reflection of the state’s capacity, and a symbol of the people’s trust. A fire within its walls should not, and must not, be treated as routine.”
Professor Bangura highlighted that this tragic incident follows a troubling pattern of recent fires in the capital, including the devastating outbreaks in the Baimbrace Community, Dundas Street in Freetown, and the Special Care Baby Unit at the Makeni Regional Government Hospital.
“These recurring calamities reflect a systemic failure—a failure in preventive infrastructure planning and in responding to early warnings that are too often ignored,” he noted.
Calling for decisive action, Professor Bangura urged, “We must confront these challenges with clarity, urgency, and an unwavering commitment to action. I call for a full and transparent investigation into the causes of this incident. The people of Sierra Leone have a right to know whether it resulted from negligence, structural decay, or something else.”
“If we are to restore public confidence in governance, we must hold ourselves to the highest standards of transparency and accountability,” he concluded.
