Sierra Leone president turns down huge salary increase. An attempt to increase the salary of President Ernest Bai Koroma ten-fold has sparked a public outcry and forced the resignation of his senior aide. Koroma claimed he was unaware of the proposed raise and had not approved it. The requested pay hike also provided retroactive pension payments dating back to 1996 for former President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah and other senior members of the previous administration. Secretary to the President James Sanpha Koroma, who resigned, claimed not to have been the one proposing the increases, but he accepted responsibility. “The president says 2.5 million leones is enough for him- he’s not interested in any increment,” the presidential press secretary told Reuters.  Daily life is a struggle for most Sierra Leoneans, who face erratic supplies of light and water, appalling roads and poor access to health and education services. The proposals sent to Parliament last week would have upped the president’s pay from 2.5 million leones to 25 million leones a month. A similar raise was proposed for his vice president, Samuel Sam-Sumana.

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