President Maada Bio speaking at the Presidential Meda Cocktail at State House
President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has expressed profound appreciation for the big progress made in freedom of information in Sierra Leone. The president was speaking at this year’s Presidential Media Cocktail at State House on Friday 5th December, 2025 attended by media leaders, editors, and members of national media associations.
President Bio proudly reported that Sierra Leone achieved a 95 percent Freedom of Information compliance score this year and called access to information “the lifeblood of a vibrant democracy.” He said the Right to Access Information Commission will be transformed into a more powerful Access to Information Authority, with stronger enforcement powers and sanctions for non-compliance.
The president announced a significant increase in government subvention to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), raising the annual allocation to NLe 2.7 million, describing it as a clear demonstration of his adrministration’s commitment to independent journalism and media sustainability.
President Bio said the media remains “a fundamental pillar of democracy” and emphasized that a free and empowered press is central to transparency, accountability and informed civic engagement.
He noted that support to SLAJ has increased sharply since 2020, when government allocated Le 200 million old Leones. The new subvention, he said, reflects deliberate reforms to strengthen media institutions, professional reporting and public-interest journalism. “For SLAJ, Christmas gift always comes early,” he said, arguing that the decision answers critics who question the government’s contribution to media development.
Highlighting reforms since 2018, President Bio said Sierra Leone has recorded historic gains in press freedom, climbing more than 25 places in the World Press Freedom Index since 2017 and ranking 56th globally in 2025, one of the fastest improvements worldwide. He credited the rise to the repeal of criminal libel laws, better protection for journalists, capacity-building initiatives and constructive engagement between government and the media.
He announced that Sierra Leone has approved its first National Information and Media Policy, establishing standards for digital media governance, responsible use of artificial intelligence and modernization of the information ecosystem.
President Bio reaffirmed his support for the National Fund for Public Interest Media, which recently awarded its first grants to 14 media outlets. He commended the Media Reform Coordinating Group for driving the initiative and highlighted government support for training more than 500 journalists and information officers in fact-checking, digital literacy and ethical reporting. He pledged continued collaboration with media institutions to ensure sustainability and innovation.
The President linked media independence to Sierra Leone’s growing global profile, referencing the country’s presidency of the UN Security Council, his election as Chairman of ECOWAS and the endorsement of the USD 2.2 billion Mission 300 Energy Compact, the largest infrastructure plan in the country’s history. He said these achievements demonstrate Sierra Leone’s respected voice in global affairs and urged journalists to tell the country’s story “with pride and accuracy.”
Addressing challenges facing the media, he acknowledged financial constraints, rapid technological change and the threat of misinformation to public trust. He said government priorities will include expanding media entrepreneurship, promoting media literacy, strengthening protection for journalists, improving institutional collaboration and deepening civic education nationwide.
President Bio also highlighted efforts to modernize national media institutions, including partnerships to reform the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation and revive legacy agencies such as the Sierra Leone News Agency, Government Printing Department and Government Daily Mail. He confirmed Cabinet approval of a National Records and Archives Policy and said a new Records and Archives Bill will modernize records management dating back to 1964.
Closing his address, he said the relationship between the government and the press is built on trust, mutual respect and shared values. He urged journalists to uphold truth and accountability, saying: “A President without a strong media is like Freetown without Cotton Tree, missing its heart, its identi:”
* Credit State House Media and Communications Unit
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 8th December 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
