FIRST 100 DAYS OF COMPREHENSIVE MILESTONES
A Special focus of this March-April, 2025 magazine is on the first 100 days of visionary and transformative leadership of Major General Amara Idara Bangura as Chief of Defence Staff of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces. It is often said that the first signs of a successful tenure of office in any leadership position are most likely to be spotted in the large volume of milestones recorded in the first 100 days of such a tenure. The period of the first 100 days in office of CDS Major General Idara Bangura is no exception to such a successful tenure as is glaringly visible in the bucketful of accolades and appreciations of his comprehensive accomplishments in various sectors of the Sierra Leone army captured in the pages of this magazine by almost all his service chiefs and other members of the senior management of the military. To the extent that he was able to achieve such a large volume of accomplishments within such a short time, there is indeed more to come from his leadership.
As captured in this special edition, three of the most laudable achievements of the CDS in his first 100 days are his rolling out of the tri-service schemes of the army, navy, and air force; his strategic policy reforms in the navy and air force; and his human-touch welfare reforms that have reverberated throughout all the ranks of the military.
Increment of the funeral purse from Le800 to Le10,000;increment of marriage support from Le250 to Le 5,000; construction of boreholes at Murray Town, Juba and Wilberforce Barracks to ease the water crisis for the troops and their families; rehabilitation of roads at Murray Town and Wilberforce Barracks; provision of town service busses for military personnel; provision of brand new uniforms for personnel; donation to the sick – a bag of rice, a sum of Le 1,000 and assorted provision items; allocation of fuel to BSMs and RSMs – 10% of Unit/formation fuel quota; provision of 50 new motor bikes for border control operations and intelligence gathering are just some of the welfare policy reforms and interventions recorded in the first 100 days of the CDS in office.
You can find all you need to know about the accomplishments of the first 100 days of CDS AI Bangura, including an exclusive interview with him where he spoke to his initial priorities when he took over, and those going further, his key accomplishments, challenges, and lessons during his first 100 days.
Beyond the special comprehensive reportage on the first 100 days of the CDS in this edition, you will be treated to some more articles on education, gender and development, and spiritual affairs, with the latter coming at no better time than this month where two of the most dominant religions in the world—Islam with the holy month of Ramadan fasting and Christianity with the holy month of Lent fasting—coincide.
Happy read!
Ibrahim Seaga Shaw (PhD)
Copyright –Published in Expo Magazine, March-April 2025 Edition Vol.3, No.3, (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)