By Mahmud Tim Kargbo
A Project Framed in Promise, Mired in Controversy
Launched in 2019, the Integrated and Resilient Urban Mobility Project (IRUMP), backed by a $50 million World Bank loan, was presented as a transformative initiative to modernise urban transportation in Freetown. Aligned with the aspirational goals of the New Direction Manifesto, the project was expected to bring sustainable infrastructure to a city long plagued by congestion and fragmentation.
However, closer scrutiny reveals significant legal, procedural, and policy inconsistencies. The implementation of IRUMP unfolded amidst a broader fiscal crisis induced by an IMF-led austerity programme—raising serious questions about national priorities, institutional integrity, and the alignment of external financing with domestic development goals.
This report examines key concerns surrounding IRUMP, including alleged breaches of procurement law, constitutional oversight failures, conflicting international policy prescriptions, and broader governance implications.
Legal and Procedural Concerns in IRUMP Implementation
Procurement Irregularities Under National Law
According to Sierra Leone’s Public Procurement Act (2016), all public contracts must undergo competitive bidding and transparent evaluation:
Section 37 mandates open competitive bidding.
Section 40 requires a duly constituted evaluation committee.
Section 55 calls for public disclosure of awarded contracts.
Section 39 requires a functioning Grievance Redress Mechanism (GRM).
Yet the Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF) for IRUMP, published in March 2019, makes no mention of a procurement-specific GRM. Nor does it outline transparent contract award processes, despite these being mandatory.
Lack of Anti-Corruption Safeguards
The World Bank’s Procurement Framework (2016) prohibits fraud, bribery, and conflicts of interest. Likewise, Sierra Leone’s Anti-Corruption Act (2008, amended 2019) obligates state entities to embed anti-corruption safeguards in all public transactions. The absence of such enforceable provisions in IRUMP’s planning documents represents a governance lapse that could expose the project to risks of abuse or favouritism.
Constitutional and Fiscal Oversight Bypassed
Section 119 of the 1991 Constitution requires parliamentary scrutiny of public financial expenditures. No such scrutiny has been publicly recorded for IRUMP’s approval.
The Public Financial Management Act (2016) stipulates that all major development projects must undergo risk assessments—a requirement apparently unmet in this case, as no such assessments have been disclosed.
Such lapses not only contravene domestic law but weaken the mechanisms designed to safeguard public interest in foreign-financed infrastructure deals.
Policy Contradictions Between the IMF and World Bank
In 2020, the IMF’s Article IV Consultation Report (Country Report No. 20/156) outlined a stringent macroeconomic stabilisation agenda for Sierra Leone, including:
Freezing of public sector hiring (notably in health and education).
Elimination of fuel and agriculture subsidies.
Cuts to “non-priority” capital expenditures.
Tax hikes, including VAT increases.
According to the IMF, these measures were intended to stabilise Sierra Leone’s economy. Yet, paradoxically, the World Bank approved a $50 million infrastructure loan during the same period—targeted not at pro-poor investment, but at urban mobility largely serving commercial centres and middle- to upper-income demographics.
This contradiction has been highlighted by scholars and civil society. Tricontinental Dossier No. 63 (2022) describes this pattern as a “two-pronged model of dependency: the IMF imposes austerity; the World Bank channels capital toward elite-serving infrastructure.”
More critically, this approach runs counter to Chapter 5.1 of the New Direction Manifesto (2018), which promised a “pro-poor, people-centred development strategy” prioritising healthcare, education, and rural infrastructure.
Domestic Complicity in Policy Contradictions
Despite evidence of procedural lapses and conflicting policy objectives, the SLPP-led government supported and implemented IRUMP. The absence of resistance, critics argue, reflects a convergence of interest between external financiers and segments of the local elite who benefit from opaque contracting and externally financed infrastructure deals.
An Oxfam International (2023) report titled “False Promises: The IMF, Austerity and Development in Africa” states:
“IMF-led austerity shrinks services for the poor while allowing elite-targeted infrastructure to flourish, largely unchallenged by the Fund or domestic watchdogs.”
This trend undermines public confidence in governance and breaches Chapter 3.2 of the New Direction Manifesto, which pledged:
“We will ensure that all public procurement processes are competitive, transparent, and free from political interference.”
Costs of Development Without Transparency
Unsustainable Debt with Limited Return
In the absence of competitive procurement, project costs may have been inflated. This undermines Sierra Leone’s Debt Management Strategy, which prioritises concessional, high-impact loans over expensive, low-yield infrastructure.
Persisting Infrastructure Gaps
Despite its scope and financing, IRUMP has yet to deliver tangible improvements to road conditions or public transport efficiency across many key areas.
Exclusion of Vulnerable Populations
The ESMF failed to meaningfully integrate disability-inclusive infrastructure—a requirement under the Persons with Disability Act (2011) and SDG 11 on “inclusive and sustainable cities.”
Erosion of Public Trust
By sidestepping transparency and favouring political and commercial elites, the project has reinforced perceptions of institutional capture and reduced public faith in both government and development partners.
Recommendations: Pathways to Accountability and Reform
Independent Audit of IRUMP
Led by the Audit Service Sierra Leone in partnership with the Anti-Corruption Commission, covering procurement, disbursements, and legal compliance.
Parliamentary Oversight of All Major Projects
Ensure all future externally funded development projects receive full legislative debate and ratification before implementation.
Coordinated IMF-World Bank Policy Design
The Government of Sierra Leone should advocate for policy coherence between Bretton Woods institutions to avoid contradictory reforms and expenditures.
Moratorium on New Debt-Financed Infrastructure Without Oversight Reforms
No new external loan-financed infrastructure should proceed until procurement and project management systems are independently reviewed and strengthened.
Empowered Civil Society Monitoring
Organisations like the Budget Advocacy Network (BAN) should be formally mandated and resourced to review and monitor all international financing agreements.
Investment in Locally Financed, Labour-Intensive Projects
Priority should be given to community-driven infrastructure using local materials, labour, and governance to maximise domestic value and social inclusion.
Toward a Development Model Rooted in Sovereignty and Integrity
IRUMP was envisioned as a flagship project for urban renewal. Instead, it has become a case study in the risks of external dependency, policy misalignment, and elite capture. While the infrastructure may be physical, the costs are deeply political—measured in public distrust, unmet social needs, and shrinking fiscal space.
To restore faith in public governance and reorient development toward inclusive goals, Sierra Leone must reclaim its sovereign right to chart a coherent, transparent, and accountable development path. Until then, external loans will continue to tether the country to foreign priorities, rather than liberate it toward national progress.
References:
Environmental and Social Management Framework (ESMF), IRUMP – March 2019
IMF Country Report No. 20/156 (2020) – Article IV Consultation: Sierra Leone
Oxfam International (2023) – False Promises: The IMF, Austerity and Development in Africa
Tricontinental Institute (2022) – Dossier No. 63: The IMF and Africa’s Permanent Debt Crisis
Public Procurement Act (2016), Sierra Leone
Constitution of Sierra Leone (1991), Section 119
Public Financial Management Act (2016)
New Direction Manifesto (2018), Chapters 3.2 and 5.1
Persons with Disability Act (2011)
World Bank Procurement Framework (2016)