By Sallieu S. Kanu
Freetown, January 13, 2026: The Sierra Leone Broadcasters’ Association (SiLBA) has expressed deep sorrow over the destruction by fire of two of its partner community radio stations, Radio Bankhi-Solofaray FM 93.7 and Voice of Youth FM 107.1, both gutted on January 9 in separate incidents in the North-West Region.
According to Abubakarr Conteh, Station Manager of Radio Bankhi-Solofaray, the blaze that consumed the entire building in Kukuna Town, Bramaia Chiefdom, Kambia District, has yet to be traced to a confirmed cause. Meanwhile, preliminary reports suggest that the fire which destroyed Voice of Youth Radio in Songo was triggered by a fault in its solar power supply system.
SiLBA dispatched a fact-finding mission to assess the extent of the damage. Early findings indicate that both stations lost institutional records, office assets, and broadcasting equipment—including computers, surge protectors, and transmitters—worth millions of Leones.
“These unfortunate incidents, occurring on the same day as we begin a New Year of renewed hope for Sierra Leone’s broadcasting landscape, are devastating,” said SiLBA President Stanley Bangura Jr. “We empathise with the Boards, Managements, and staff of both media houses, as well as the communities they serve. Help is urgently needed.”
SiLBA has appealed to corporate partners, media and development stakeholders, and the wider public for immediate financial, technical, and logistical support to rebuild the stations and restore regular broadcasting services.
Founded in 2022, SiLBA is a national umbrella body for broadcasters, dedicated to promoting cooperation, safeguarding rights, and advancing best practices across Sierra Leone’s media sector.