The ruling government in Sierra Leone, SLPP has danced to IMF’s tune (International Monetary Fund) as it accepts its conditions.

The government avoids paying subsidies on petrol. Paying subsidy on fuel is a strategy used by developing countries in the world in order to lessen the suffering and hardship on Sierra Leoneans as prices on goods and services remain cheaper and stable.

But the incumbent president Julius Maada Bio did not continue with the idea of paying a fuel subsidy to petroleum station sellers in order to stabilize the rising cost of the commodity.

The government of Mr Bio followed IMF’s advice to stop paying subsidies on fuel. He failed to tread on the path of his predecessor, ex-president Koroma who had refused IMF’s advice to remove subsidy on fuel.

Most countries in the world which adhere to the dictates of the world’s financial institution have sometimes failed in their economies.

This is because IMF mostly gives loans to developing countries with strings or spending conditions attached to the loan.

Instead of the receiving countries spend the money borrowed on fuel price stability, they are normally told by IMF to use the money on other areas.

In most cases, developing countries become insolvent as they pay billions on debts owed to IMF.

This phenomenon mostly results to developing nations in Africa and South America to become poor as citizens suffer to meet basic amenities.

As a result, most leaders in developing nations have been denying IMF’s loans to prevent their economies from collapsing.

In the case of the previous government of Sierra Leone headed by ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma, APC government ignored IMF’s directives to remove subsidies on fuel products.

Since fuel is a composite commodity which cost influences other prices in the market, leaders find ways to keep fuel cost down to avoid a ripple effect on goods and services.

Former president Koroma notably chose to provide funding as subsidy on petroleum products and it helped to stabilize prices on foodstuffs in the country.

At that time when the government was paying for a subsidy on petroleum substance to suppliers, prices on basic goods and services were practically cheaper than now under the current government of president Bio.

Two years ago after the demise of APC, the government of president Bio admitted that it could not continue to spending huge money as subsidy on fuel while government was funding other bigger schemes such as the free quality education.

Therefore, governments stopped and continued to build more schools and fund its flagship project, the Free and Quality Education.

Now, at the height of campaigns and rallies, SLPP government is persuading Sierra Leoneans to vote them for a second term in office. But the country is still experiencing growing inflation and the hardship and suffering for the masses is at an alarming rate.

To bolster government’s development initiatives on roads, education, health, energy, IMF has just recently loaned $20.8 million to Sierra Leone government, adding to Sierra Leone’s huge external debts.

But since the said money by IMF comes at the peak of election’s campaigns in the country, many Sierra Leoneans are suspicious of a likelihood of IMF and SLPP’s bidding to guarantee Mr Bio a second term in office.

It appears that as the clock ticks few minutes to June elections, SLPP might have danced to IMF’s tune as they remove the subsidy on fuel in order to get favour from the world’s financial institution to enable them get a victory to run a second term in office.