By Africa 24 newsman
Can Sierra Leoneans be more focused in creating developments for themselves and generation yet unborn?
This question is often asked by a greater majority of very poor Sierra Leoneans. They now admire Guinea-Conakry and Liberia, the two neighbors of Sierra Leone. People who do business in the not-too distance country are saying the French colonizing country Conakry Guinea is advancing in development than Sierra Leone and Liberia.
They said Col Dumbuya, who ousted professor Alpha Conde, is making huge strides to speedily put Guinea on the spot of advancing nations in Africa. A young business man who just left Conakry, the capital of Guinea shared his experience with Africa 24.
“In Guinea dollar is still maintained at a stable rate as it is exchanged (franc 500 for $100),” according to his view.
However, to check out correctness of this figure an online site on exchange rate puts $ 100 US equaling 866,836 Guinean Franc, as of May this year.
While the Leone is sold 2.096, 950.00 (SLL) for $100 as updated June 8, this year, on currencyrate.today
The stability on the local franc, Guinean currency, is giving hope for the Guineans that the man meant business to change the landscape of the country. The Sierra Leonean-Guinean business man says the Col. Dumbuya is rapidly connecting the country’s roads at a faster rate than one could imagine.
While Sierra Leoneans struggle a day for what to eat, Guineans don’t just look worried at all about food abundance, he said.
“You know Guinea has a vast land and people there are producing more food.”
“My brother, I tell you for free, my Guinean brothers now come in Sierra Leone to trade in the dollar since it is exchanged here expensively.”
Currently, the Leone is behind the dollar by a wide margin as the dollar is bought over 2million Leones.
“When they come to Freetown, they get the dollar and sell it to Sierra Leoneans but in Guinea dollar is not expensive.”
Other Sierra Leoneans whom we spoke to had noticed a rapid migration of some Guineans coming into Sierra Leone to do business to get fast profits since goods and things are quite expensive in the country due to the hyper-inflation.
Instead of Guineans chasing Sierra Leoneans in terms of rapid development, Sierra Leonean traders are not chasing Guineans but are admiring the Guineans in their country doing bigger things on their own – not necessarily depending on international donor support in the form of begging to develop their country