$50,000 for the ‘One Industry Say No to Kush’ Campaign: Where Is the Money?

By Dictionary Debonair

Weeks after Hon. Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, made a $50,000 (Le 1.2 billion) donation to support Sierra Leone’s entertainment industry in the national campaign against drug abuse, questions continue to swirl around how the funds were used and whether the intended purpose is being served.

The donation, announced with great fanfare at the Freetown City Council Hall during the launch of the “One Industry Say No to Kush” campaign, was hailed as a generous gesture toward a national cause. Standing alongside the Entertainment Ambassador Kao Denero, All Stars President Collabo, and other key players in the creative sector, Hon. Tunis declared:

“The fight against Kush is not a political issue; it is a national concern. Our youths are dying, our communities are breaking, and our future is being destroyed. We must all come together to save our country.”

His words resonated deeply across the country, but weeks later, the questions citizens are asking are even louder: Where is the $50,000 now? How was it shared? Who are the actual beneficiaries?

While the intention behind the donation was to empower entertainers and amplify anti-drug advocacy through music, art, and youth engagement, no official financial breakdown or implementation plan has been made public. Neither the Entertainment Ambassador’s Office nor the Ministry of Youth Affairs, which jointly oversee entertainment initiatives, has issued a transparent account of how the funds were allocated or utilized.