A wave of growing discontent is quietly but steadily rising within Sierra Leone’s security sector as persistent delays in rice supplies to key personnel threaten to undermine morale, discipline and operational readiness. The root cause, sources say, lies in the Ministry of Finance’s continued failure to disburse funds owed to rice suppliers, who have not been paid for months despite fulfilling their contractual obligations.
The Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and the Prisons Department are among the hardest hit, with officers and soldiers now openly expressing frustration at what they see as a deepening crisis with far-reaching implications.
Rice, considered a staple entitlement and a critical support provision for security forces, has either been inconsistently delivered or entirely withheld for several months. In some quarters, personnel have not received their rice allocations for up to four months, creating an atmosphere of uncertainty and dissatisfaction.
A security personnel, speaking on condition of anonymity, lamented, “We are tired of empty promises. We’ve engaged the National Security Adviser and the Minister of Internal Affairs, but nothing has changed. Officers are reaching a breaking point.”
Sources within the RSLAF described the situation in even graver terms. While the Ministry of Defence has processed and forwarded payment vouchers covering nine months (2023–2024), the Ministry of Finance has yet to release the necessary funds to suppliers. This bureaucratic impasse has left military personnel without rice since early 2025.
The Prisons Department paints a similar picture. In 2023, the Government owed suppliers five months’ worth of rice for prison inmates, a backlog that has now ballooned to seven months in 2024. The consequence is a dire situation affecting both prisoners and the correctional officers responsible for maintaining security in the facilities.
Social commentators blame the bureaucratic bottlenecks and a lack of urgency on the part of the Ministry of Finance. Despite having submitted all required payment documentation, including verified and approved vouchers, contractors continue to wait in vain for their dues. The prolonged delays have led to logistical breakdowns, food shortages and growing anger across the ranks.
When approached for comment, an official of the Ministry of Finance acknowledged the existence of outstanding payments to various contractors but declined to provide specifics on the rice supply issue. “High-level discussions are ongoing,” the spokesperson stated vaguely, offering no timeline or definitive action plan.
Security analysts have sounded the alarm, warning that the situation is dire . “This is not just an administrative hiccup,” said one expert. “When frontline defenders of the nation go hungry, the consequences affect everyone. This is a matter of national security.”
The urgency of the issue cannot be overstated. As murmurs of dissatisfaction reverberate through barracks, police units and correctional institutions nationwide, there is an escalating demand for swift and decisive action. Many warn that if the situation is not addressed immediately, the Government risks compromising the effectiveness, loyalty and stability of the very forces tasked with protecting the country.
“A hungry force is a vulnerable force,” one security personnel stated starkly. “And a vulnerable force puts the nation at risk.”
As pressure mounts from both within and outside the security sector, the message is clear: the Government must act now, by paying the rice suppliers and restoring the supply chain, before the situation spirals into a threat far more serious than a delayed delivery.
