Sierra Leone News: Sierra Leone Restarts 4th Licensing Round

May 26, 2019

Sierra Leone’s offshore seismic and well data

Sierra Leone has put on a brave face and announced a rehashed package for bidders interested in taking part in its fourth hydrocarbons licensing round that was suddenly put on the ice in September 2018 after a new administration took charge of the West African country following successful Presidential elections.

After long spells of battling the deadly Ebola virus and managing to achieve a semblance of political and economic stability, Sierra Leone says it is now ready to restart last year’s suspended fourth licensing round targeting offshore prospects after what the government says was broad consultation process involving domestic and international petroleum industry players.

Although the country is grappling with high unemployment levels, persistent graft claims and a generally weak governance structure as it still continues to recover from the than one decade of civil war, Sierra Leone has this week come out to reaffirm the soundness of its new regulatory and fiscal framework on which the success or failure of the new licensing round will be hinged on.

Getech Group, a partner with government hydrocarbons agency Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone (PDSL) – which coordinates the award of petroleum licenses, negotiates the terms of all hydrocarbon permits, monitors, regulates and facilitates upstream oil activities on behalf of the government – publicized the official announcement of the stalled licensing round suspended in September 2018 and follows on the footsteps of similar undertakings in 2003, 2004 and 2012. Last year’s suspension of the oil block’s auction was ostensibly to allow for wider consultations on how best to re-structure the bidding to ensure heightened interest of international explorers and independents.

“Following the conclusion of a six-month industry consultation that was designed to collate international industry feedback and ensure the success of this round, companies are now invited to re-engage with the Fourth Licensing Round,” Getech said in a statement.

“Working in partnership with the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone, we are delighted to support the reopening of the Fourth Licensing Round,” added Jonathan Copus, Getech Group CEO in the Getech statement.

The previous three bids attracted mixed response with four blocks awarded in the first round of 2003 while only one block was awarded in 2004 followed by one more in 2006 that was allocated through direct negotiation in 2006.

However, during third round of 2012, eight blocks were awarded and a more robust response is expected this time round especially after PDSL said it has “collated international industry feedback to ensure the success of the bidding round.”

Sierra Leone is restarting the fourth licensing round at a time when PDSL has in stock four undeveloped offshore discoveries made between 2009 and 2013.

They include Venus-B1, Mercury-1, Jupiter-1 discovered by Anadarko in Block SL-07 and Savanaah-1 by Lukoil in Block SL-05/11 all of them in Sierra Leone waters that PDSL says “contain proven petroleum systems.”

Moreover, the PDSL has not clearly pointed out what has changed between September 2018 and now especially with the indictment from Africa Petroleum, which relinquished its interests in licenses SL-03-17 and SL-4A-17 in November of last year in what the company said was a result of the decision not to commit to an ultra-deep water drilling program.”

But more telling was Africa Petroleum confession that even after months of discussion with PDSL, “the parties failed to agree an extension to the licences on suitable terms.”

In this week’s statement by Getech Group, PDSL is said to have committed to “re-engage” with potential explorers during the fourth licensing round after “putting in place a robust but flexible licensing framework that will assist investors in their evaluation of the significant potential of the Sierra Leone margin.”

The optimism by Sierra Leone is despite the observation by Africa Petroleum that the “industry appetite does not currently exist for ultra-deepwater exploration in this part of the African margin.”

Africa Petroleum’s view is shared by Olu Adeosun, Director, PwC Advisory, Strategy Consulting, in an interview with Offshore Engineer when he said “offshore projects are particularly highly capital intensive, investors have been particularly unwilling to cover unnecessary risks posed by poorly-regulated sector.”

However, PDSL says the country’s offshore waters is now “fully for petroleum licensing” and that this time around a more flexible Block framework will be used as a basis for licensing. Nearly 20 concessions are open in Sierra Leone according to PDSL.

For potential bidders eyeing offshore prospects with 50% of such an acreage found deeper than 2,500 meters, PDSL has launched a direct tender license application process while all other bids will be under open tender.

In addition, potential bidders can now access the previously set up data rooms in Sierra Leone’s capital Freetown, London and Houston to view the available 2D and 3D seismic data and all about the eight previously drilled wells.

Sierra Leone News: Ex-Agric. Minister to Account for Le3B

May 26, 2019

At the Commissions of Inquiry, interesting revelations keep coming out that are mind boggling.

At Commission 64 presided by Justice Biobele Georgewill, an earlier statement made by Commission Witness Thomas Jonjo Senior Accountant at the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources that some proceeds from mining activities in the country were invested in Treasury Bearer Bonds between 2012 to 2016, was debunked by Permanent Secretary Mrs. Fatmata Mustapha who denied knowledge of such investment.

Led in evidence by State Counsel Mrs. Khadija Zainab Bangura, the Senior Accountant Mr. Thomas Jonjo disclosed that some remittances were made into some MMR accounts that were interests from Treasury Bearer Bonds that they had invested in. The MMR he disclosed has several accounts that it manages like the Diamond Area Community Development Fund or DACDF, the Rehabilitation Account, the Rutile Account and Agriculture Account. He disclosed that at some point the sum of Le 105,000,000 (one hundred and five million Leones) was paid as interest from Treasury Bearer Bonds into the Rehabilitation Account. Also, he revealed that on 17th December 2012 Le 12, 750, 000 (twelve million seven hundred and fifty thousand Leones) was paid as interest from Treasury Bearer Bond; 7th January 2014, the sum of Le 300,000,000 (three hundred million Leones) was also paid as interest to the Rehabilitation Account of the MMR. On the 8th January 2018, just a day after Le 300m was paid as TBB mature interest, the same money was paid as bid amount on TBB.

Asked by the sole Commissioner Justice Biobele Georgewill who authorizes such investments, he replied that it was the Permanent Secretary. When the Permanent Secretary eventually entered the witness box, she denied knowledge of any investment in TBB using funds from any mining proceeds. Mrs. Fatmata Mustapha denied ever authorizing investment of mining proceeds on Treasury Bearer Bonds. The commissioner then asked for the witness to be re-summoned to clarify the issue of investment of TBB.

Other disclosure made at the Commission is that the Rehabilitation Account which the Senior Accountant had earlier said they don’t touch was heavily withdrawn from, as records showed later. Also, top up allowances for senior geologists and engineers was a loan request made by the NMA to the MMR and that funds from DACDF account were used for such purpose as indicated, but that the loan was to be repaid later by the NMA, which no record proved they did.

The DACDF account had as much as Le 32, 032,534,101.20 (thirty two billion, and thirty two million, five hundred and thirty four thousand, one hundred and one Leone, twenty cents), but withdrawals from it amounted to Le 18, 212, 036, 007.47 (eighteen billion, two hundred and two million, and thirty six thousand and seven Leones, forty seven cents).

Of the said withdrawal from the DACDF account the sum of Le 11, 499,110,000 (eleven billion, four hundred and ninety-nine million, one hundred and ten thousand Leones) was paid as community development funds from the sale of the 709 carat diamond that was discovered in Kono in 2017.

The Senior Accountant said the payments for development of communities as intended by the creation of the DACDF account is made directly to the communities, and that they monitor the development projects in the communities. Justice Biobele Georgewill has promised to visit the areas especially Koryadu where the 709 carat diamond was found to verify the judicious use of the funds disbursed for community development.

In her testimony, the former Permanent Secretary in the MMR expounded on the different accounts in the ministry and how they are funded. Mrs. Fatmata Mustapha who now serves as PS in the MAF said the Rehabilitation Account draws funds from the import and export licenses for gold and diamond, whilst the DACDF sources its funds from artisanal mining licenses issued by the NMA, adding that the percentage from the fees is worked out by the NMA and paid into the said account which the MMR supervises.

On the Rutile Account, she said its funds are drawn mostly from the company after consultations with the community and agreeing on what to pay to them through the MMR.

At Commission 65 chaired by Justice Bankole Thompson, State Prosecutor Lawyer R.B. Kowa delved into the Direct Cash Transfer project which was initiated by the former Minister of Agriculture Professor Monty Jones between 2015 to 2018.

The Direct Cash Transfer scheme was intended to boost agricultural activities by paying monies directly to farmers but was fraught by many problems that left room for doubt and possible corruption.

State Witness Mr. Henry Kargbo who is the Director of Crops in the MAF was led in evidence by Lawyer Kowa who explained how the anomalies in the scheme left room for malpractices. It was alleged by the State Prosecutor that although the sum of Le 3,000,000,000 (three billion Leones) was approved by the Ministry of Finance for the Direct Cash Transfer scheme, the former Minister of Agriculture Prof. Monty Jones and team ended up expending Le 3,225,000,000 (three billion two hundred and twenty five thousand Leones), which is in excess of what was approved by the finance ministry. It was revealed that the finance ministry approved an initial Le1,500,000,000 (one billion five hundred million) but the MAF’s officials ostensibly acting on the instructions of the former minister withdrew another Le 1,755,000,000 (one billion seven hundred and fifty five million Leones). The said amount was withdrawn from the Forestry Development Account, without approval from the finance ministry.

Also exposed by the State Counsel Lawyer Kowa was that the former agriculture minister Prof. Monty Jones was given blank cheques to go to the field and pay cash directly to the farmers, but that he never gave account of the monies he expended. It was also disclosed that these direct cash transfers to farmers was never properly monitored and evaluated but huge sums of money were pumped into it.

The counsel for the defense Lawyer Lansana Dumbuya will cross examine the witness at the next adjourned date which is Monday May 27.

Sierra Leone News: Brewery Supports Largest Farm Project

May 26, 2019

Managing Director of Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (SLBL), Daaf van Tilburg informed his audience during the launch of the Jamjay Agricultural Farm situated at Malampoh village, Tonkolili District on 18^th May, 2019, that the Brewery believes that agriculture is a powerful driver of the economy. He added that it is indeed a potential driver of jobs and prosperity. “ I am of course particularly delighted when a top farmer in the sorghum cultivation excellence goes this far to extend into large scale agricultural pursuit in the country and the man himself Denis Jusu is leading by example,” he noted.

He went further to state that the Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (SLBL) has been in operations in Sierra Leone for over 57 years and has stayed in the country through the difficult times of the ten years civil war 1991-2001 and the Ebola Virus Disease in 2014-2016.

According to Daaf van Tilburg, the company is a large investor in the country and has strategically positioned itself as a good corporate citizen and has invested significant efforts and funds to setup the new commercial sorghum value chain to contribute to development and job creation in the agricultural sector.

He went on to say that since 2005, Sierra Leone Brewery Limited has been a major contributor to the agricultural sector through its local sourcing project for sorghum which is a clear demonstration of its commitment to the development of Sierra Leone’s poverty alleviation and improvement in rural livelihoods.

Specifically important for sorghum development, the MD said the SLBL has installed a Mash Filter Equipment (project costing over Le. 52.6 billion) which allows utilization of more sorghum in its production processes.

He added that the company invested 278 billion Leones in the last few years; in addition to launching a beer made of 100% Sierra Leonean sorghum in December 2016.

As a result, he highlighted that our needs for more sorghum have grown enormously and more farmers are benefitting. For example our sorghum volume has been more than doubled this year and we expect the same to happen next year. This is indeed a great opportunity for farmers.

Daaf van Tilburg added that the Sorghum Farmers Association estimates that over 25,000 farmers and their family members benefit from this initiative with SLBL, adding that the impact of this will further be extended with the growth of its business.

“Today is indeed a bright example how vertically integrated local manufacturing can have large benefits to many other businesses and impact many lives of Sierra Leoneans,” the SLBL MD said, adding that it shows that local manufacturing companies and large investment not only positively impact with increased revenues to the Government; the creation of many jobs; execution of important social responsibility programmes but can even game-change and develop an entirely new robust value chain from which tens of thousands of Sierra Leoneans could benefit.

He encouraged the Government to support local manufacturers in their endeavours to thrive and have a multiplier effect on the socio- economic development of Sierra Leone.

The SLBL MD further informed his audience that: “There is a world of opportunity out there for Sierra Leonean farmers and food processors. We have the resources – our productive farmland and our fresh, clean water. We have the know-how, right across Sierra Leone — and right here in this farm. That’s a winning combination to keep Sierra Leone’s agriculture out in front.”

He used the opportunity to thank the CEO of JamJay, Dennis Jusu for the achievement and great partnership with Brewery.

Present at the event were Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament, Councillors, brewery Staff, Wellington residents, the Fourth Estate and a galaxy of people drawn from all walks of life.

Sierra Leone News: NP-SL Contributing to Poverty Reduction -People Say

May 26, 2019

Due to the fact that the National Petroleum Sierra Leone (NP-SL) is systematically creating hundreds of jobs for Sierra Leoneans in different parts of the country the company has been rated very instrumental in availing Sierra Leoneans with jobs in various categories and from what is gathered, conditions of service are very satisfactory.

Justifiably, therefore, one can state that NP-SL has been greatly contributing to poverty reduction, putting food on tables which beneficiaries hitherto found tough to achieve.

In the meantime, one striking thing that has made the National Petroleum Sierra Leone (NP-SL) very attractive is the fact that it has and operates state-of-the-art filling stations at all its points of sale that are well designed with matching green and yellow which are its trademark colours and which are the colours worn by its staff across the country and in the sub-region.

At the same time, the National Petroleum Limited-Sierra Leone has been credited for efficiency, effectiveness in service delivery and more importantly for the cordial, respectful way it is treating its esteemed customers at any given point in time. These attributes has made NP very outstanding everywhere it is operating in and out of the country.

For NP, it is their customers that come first, from private, commercial drivers, other individuals and private as well as public entities and it always ensures that they are treated with all the utmost attention they do deserve thereby giving them satisfaction.

NP continues to ensure that there is sufficient high grade petrol, diesel, kerosene and other petroleum products available in the country to avoid shortage.

It is a fact that the National Petroleum (NP) Sierra Leone Limited is held in very high esteem for its progressive and steady provision of petroleum products to its numerous consumers across the country and even within the sub-region.

Indeed, this contention has been proven perfectly correct by this medium after engaging the Management of the company. What came out clearly was that the NP is working round the clock to provide qualitative products and services.

“It is of course rare for one to see in this country a purely and result-oriented indigenously-owned company like NP with all its members of staff being Sierra Leoneans, which is truly a testimony of our commitment and resilience,” intimated one of its top-notch Managers. The selfless commitment of the shareholders have made it possible for the company to empower many Sierra Leoneans and at the same time put it at a vantage position to continue to open more filling stations across the country.

The keen symbiotic relationship with its customers has been paying huge dividends, always resulting in a win-win situation, making NP very endearing to all and sundry.

It is a fact that fuel is regarded as a political commodity and based on its availability and non-availability it has the potential of making a government popular or unpopular.

For too long this country has been contending with unemployment; one of the issues which the government should be addressing by creating avenues for young people to be gainfully employed. However, it is not only the prerogative of Government to do this as the private sector too could play a vital role in that direction.

NP-SL is not only thinking within the confines of maximizing profit but is also thinking out of the box when performing its demand and supply chain.

To ensure that individuals are provided with a safer and cleaner means of cooking devoid of toxics the company came with NP Gas Cooker. These are affordable and readily available in all NP outlets and from their agents.

To keep abreast with latest technological trends the company has availed its customers the opportunity to use Smart Cards for purchasing purpose, meaning that buyers could top-up their cards to the tune of any amount which they can use intermittently to procure petroleum products. This has made it convenient for easy transactions to transpire and many are comfortable with that.

When we talk of an indigenous company that has put smiles on the faces of Sierra Leoneans and is making the people of this country very proud, the National Petroleum Company stands taller than the rest! For a company to move beyond the shores of this country and establish branches in Liberia, Guinea, Ivory Coast and The Gambia which are vibrantly operating is no mean feat. Indeed, NP has added another feather to its cap and is being copiously praised for such an accomplishment.

The company’s result-oriented managerial team will definitely and sustainably continue to put NP at the top.

NP-SL Ltd is doing exceptionally well in all the countries it is functioning and indeed there are prospects for further expansion.

It can therefore be justifiably asserted that the National Petroleum Limited is the country’s reliable fuel provider as it always ensures that its stockpile is always at an appreciable level.

Against this background NP is believed to be one of the strong back bones of Sierra Leone’s economy.

For any Government to match up with what is encapsulated in its manifesto in the direction of deepening national development through funding various projects then it must have sources of generating domestic revenue. NP is one conduit through which Government past and present had and is deriving revenue as it falls within the category of being one of the largest taxpayers to the National Revenue Authority.

It goes without saying that the National Petroleum Limited-Sierra Leone continues to give confidence to its numerous customers and it is doing so excellently.

Sierra Leone News: At Bintumani III: Children Call For Inclusion in Governance

May 26, 2019

It could be recalled that on Wednesday 22^nd May, 2019, the children of this country converged at the St. Edwards Caritas Hall, Kingtom in Freetown for a consultative meeting on the children’s view for a lasting peace in the country and the establishment of a Peace and Cohesion Commission.

In her address, a spokesperson for children in Sierra Leone stated at the Bintumani III Conference that the need for a lasting peace and the establishment of a Peace and Cohesion Commission will be of importance to the children of this country than any other category of people. The reasons for this she said are obvious given the following facts;

During crisis and conflicts it is the children that suffer most
Children are vulnerable and they rely on adults for their sustenance and protection
Children often suffer abuse from adults

She added that the children thanked the President for his free quality education initiative, his intention to expand the free health care services to include more children and his tough stance against perpetrators of sexual violence against women and children.

‘This is a great step towards ensuring the welfare and protection of children in the country,’ she said.

She added however that more needs to be done to ensure the welfare and protection of children because the peace and stability of this country has a great nexus to child welfare and child protection.

She said: ‘As I speak to you even with the free education initiative, we still have thousands of children, especially in rural areas, without proper access to education and school materials, children have not been given the opportunity to participate on issues affecting them, we still have street children, high rate of child prostitution, and child trading, Children in most parts of the country don’t have access to proper health care facilities, we have more children also being caught up in the justice system without proper redress thereby suffering injustice. There is child labor, child trafficking, and other cruelty being perpetrated against children in the country. The above mentioned situations are even worse for children with disability and teenage mothers,’ she said.

According to her, children’s position is for an everlasting peace in the country and the establishment of a peace and cohesion commission.

‘We recommend that the commissioners and staff of the commission should not be chosen on political and tribal lines, there should be a child commissioner and children should be represented in all levels in the commission. The Commission should have a mandate to ensure lasting peace and stability in the country. Child Protection Organizations, Civil Societies should also be part of the Commission, the Commission should be decentralized across Districts and regions in the country, and people from all facet of life should also be represented in the commission. The Ministry of Social Welfare should be represented in the commission in order to seek the welfare and protection of everyone,’ she maintained.

This Position Paper discussed by the children looked at:

Corruption
Structure of the Commission
Mandate of the Commission
Child Welfare – what do we want to see for ourselves

Sierra Leone News: Keystone Bank MD Must Come Out Clean!!!

May 26, 2019

Keystone Bank, formally known as PHB Bank has allegedly defied the recommendations of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security with regards eight of its staff members accused of conniving to defraud the bank, but were eventually not found wanting after police investigations.

Investigation by this Press revealed that on 3^rd January, 2019, the Management of Keystone Bank reported a matter at the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Headquarters in Freetown of an alleged conspiracy by some of its staff members to defraud the Bank.

The Bank Management, amongst other things, alleged that the eight staff members had been using the Bank’s General Ledger to credit the accounts of some of their colleagues in the same Bank. The General Ledger, in banking term, is a fixed account where monies are lodged to serve as reserve for the institution and as records.

Based on the magnitude of the bank’s claims, the CID invited the eight staff members and interrogated them before they were denied bail and detained for four days. The suspects however denied all the allegations levelled against them by the Bank Management.

After spending four days in police custody, the eight suspects were released on bail on the fifth day. They were given stiff bail conditions.

After the suspects were released, the Management of Keystone Bank suspended them without pay, pending the outcome of the investigation by the CID.

The Calabash newspaper learnt that the Head of Information Communication Technology (ICT) Department of Keystone Bank, Philip J. Saidu had on several occasions in 2018 allegedly given substantial amounts of United States Dollars (US$) to a staff of the Marketing Department, the late Samuela Mina, who would then deposit same into her personal account but would later withdraw them.

The investigation, according to our findings, also revealed that other staff members in the Marketing Department also received similar amounts from the accounts on several occasions but would also later withdraw them.

We learnt that this alleged fraudulent behaviour of these staff members was a syndicate that went unnoticed by the management of Keystone Bank.

After the CID investigation had exonerated the Bank’s suspects of any wrongdoing, the aggrieved staff members resorted to taking the matter to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security on grounds that the Bank had infringed on their labour rights. It was also reliably learnt that following the intervention of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security the two parties were brought to a roundtable to settle their differences amicably.

After conducting investigations into the matter and getting the sides of both parties, the Ministry and by extension the Minister of Labour and Social Security, directed the Bank management and by extension the Bank’s Managing Director to do the following:

That the Bank Management pay salaries of the eight staff members it suspended until they are found guilty by a court of law;
That the Bank revokes the suspension letters given to the affected workers with immediate effect;
That the affected staffs have the liberty to resign and be paid all benefits due to them; and,
That there is no Labour Law in the world which empowers an employer to withhold the salaries of workers who are under investigation for any alleged offence.

One of the affected workers confided to this press that since their release on bail, they have not been paid their salaries, thereby indicating that the Bank’s Management has defiantly shrugged aside the directives of the Labour Ministry with apparent impunity.

Apart from paying the salaries of the workers, the Bank Management has also deliberately refused to lift their suspension as directed by the Labour Ministry.

To get the side of the Bank Management, a team of journalists attached to various newspapers went to the Managing Director of Keystone Bank, Mr. Collins to cross-check with him. Unfortunately, he refused to respect the opportunity given him to explain the Bank’s own side on the whole saga. Rather, he was loud and aggressive, arrogant and disrespectful to the investigative journalists right inside the Bank and in full view of witnesses.

The unbecoming behaviour of the Managing Director comes following the refusal of the journalists to divulge their source to him on his authoritative demand.

Mr. Collins further said he would not talk to the journalists with regards the matter because they refused to divulge their source to him. With an aura of arrogance, the Managing Director walked out of the building and left the journalists in the cold. However, journalists are still calling on Mr. Collins to try and explain the real issues; hence come out clean!

Investigations continue. Stay tuned.

Sierra Leone News: President Bio Admonishes Sierra Leoneans at Bintumani III

May 26, 2019

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has told the Bintumani III conference, which opened on Wednesday that Sierra Leoneans have proven they are capable to get together and talk to one another about their future.

“This Bintumani III conference is about soliciting the views of Sierra Leoneans on the remit, the shape, and the mechanics of the proposed independent peace and National Cohesion Commission. The eventual establishment of that Commission will be a huge step in efforts to further consolidate and strengthen our democracy,” he said.

President Bio also told the well-attended conference on democratic consolidation for peace and national cohesion, holding between 23 – 25 May 2019, that the country and its people had made huge gains with a stable democracy, a free press and where civil society organisations operate and speak up freely. He added that communities had integrated at all levels and that the nation was at peace.

“We need to consolidate and institutionalise those gains. We, therefore, need a viable infrastructure to help us build on past efforts. 28 years after the adoption of our national constitution, 18 years after the end of civil conflict, 15 years after the conclusion of the Truth and Reconciliation hearings, through five democratic election cycles and three peaceful transfers of power, I want to encourage all of us to continue our efforts to build solid institutions that will enable us to consolidate democratic practices and enhance national cohesion,” he said.

He recalled that both Bintumani Conference I in August 1995 and Bintumani Conference II in February 1996 were consultative conferences, adding that a broad range of stakeholders convened at the time to present their views and expectations and to make informed decisions about the shared direction and destiny of our nation.

“I believed then and I still believe now that providing a space for discussions enables government to hear out the various voices and sentiments of ordinary citizens across the nation… So my government is eager for the final communique from this event and we will expedite its consideration by cabinet and then the Sierra Leone parliament,” he said.

In his welcome address, Chief Minister Professor David John Francis, who co-chaired the event, said Sierra Leone was at a crossroad because for eighteen years after the civil war the country had not established a strong and long term foundation for lasting peace and non-violence transformation of conflict, adding that the country had not invested and planned for the prevention of violent conflicts.

He said the Bintumani III dialogue forum was an initiative of President Bio, whose Government had done extensive engagements across the country to ensure that the programme was inclusive. He noted that the conference was not about the Commissions of Inquiry, which had been legislated by Parliament and the pending court cases against opposition Members of Parliament, but was about democratic consolidation in the country.

Secretary-General of the Inter-Religious Council in Sierra Leone, Rev. Dr. Usman Jesse Fornah, said the Council was pleased to be part of the conference that was geared towards healing the wounds of divide and hate in the country after a deeply divided election. He encouraged political leaders to put the interest of the nation above all others.

President of the Children’s Forum Network, Mariam Samai, said the Peace and Dialogue Conference was a welcomed move in the eyes of children because they could be the biggest beneficiaries of any peaceful society. She commended President Bio for the Free Quality Education, the universal access for pre-primary, primary and secondary education, and the expansion of the Free Health Care. She said the proposed Peace Commission should be child-friendly and one that would protect the rights of children.

United Nations Special Representative for West Africa and the Sahel and Head of UNOWAS, Mohamed Ibn Chambas, commended President Bio and his administration for the continuous commitment to promoting peace and national cohesion and for trying to reduce the political tension in the country.

He said the dialogue conference would create an opportunity for national cohesion and democratic consolidation and therefore urged the various participants to use the three-day engagements to bring out solutions through sustained dialogue, seeking a peaceful and cohesive nation. He added that the UN has always encouraged inclusion, respect for the rule of law and continued dialogue.

Sierra Leone News: Another $50M Boost to Energy Sector -Minister Thanks World Bank

May 26, 2019

The World Bank has approved a $50 million International Development Association (IDA) credit for the Energy Sector Utility Reform Project (ESURP) to support improvement in the operational performance of the national electricity distribution utility.

This additional financing is scaling up the investment activities of electricity supply in urban areas as well as increasing the capacity, efficiency, and reliability of the distribution network and connecting new residential, commercial and industrial users in Freetown. It further seeks to build the capacity and develop human capital for the Ministry of Energy and other agencies for sector planning and policy formulation.

The financing is fully aligned with the parent project and aims to further strengthen the commercial management of the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) in addition to enhancing its management and staff capacity. It is the first additional financing for the project, bringing total IDA financing under the project to about US$90 million.

“This support is consistent with the World Bank Group’s Country Partnership Framework for Sierra Leone (FY2019-2025) currently under preparation, which reiterates the focus on energy to support growth in various sectors of the economy,” said Gayle Martin, World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone. “The project will help increase the availability and improve the quality of electricity services for economic activities and job creation, thereby improving the living standards of Sierra Leoneans.”

Sierra Leone has one of the lowest electricity access rates in the world. Its main power network now consists of a 161kV radial single circuit transmission line (of 70MW capacity) connecting the existing Bumbuna hydropower plant to the distribution network in Freetown. The electricity access rate is about 16 percent, with about 90 percent of the 172,000 customers located in the urban parts of Freetown. Only five of the 16 district capitals are partially supplied by a combination of small diesel units and mini hydropower plants. The electrification rate in the vast rural parts of the country is almost zero.

As improved technical and commercial performance of the distribution sector is critical to attracting private sector investment in the generation sector, the project seeks to improve the reliability and sufficiency of electricity supply so as to promote private investment in the industrial and business sectors.

The additional financing is in line with the Country’s Systematic Diagnostic disclosed on April 4, 2018, which identified electricity access as one of the nine priority areas of potential intervention to address the binding constraints to increased economic growth and poverty reduction in Sierra Leone. It supports the implementation of the Maximizing Finance for Development approach laid out in the World Bank’s Development Committee paper by addressing the key operational issues of the distribution sector.

The ESURP comprises three components: the first supports the establishment of a fully functioning and effective national electricity distribution utility; the second supports an extensive investment program for the rehabilitation and expansion of the national distribution network; and the third involves capacity building, project implementation, and project monitoring and evaluation.

Sierra Leone News: Alpha Khan Gives Perfect Solution… “To jaw-jaw is better than to war-war”

May 26, 2019

Hon. Alpha Khan is a politician that of late has occupied the political limelight, just as the outspoken former APC appointed Vice President, Dr. Victor Foh hugged the limelight some time ago.

Before going further to analyze the kind of political personality that he has shown himself to be, in the midst of the serious palaver between the country’s two political giants, let us first of all read what he said at the Bintumani III conference that is germane to the country’s avowed quest for peace and national cohesion:

“…I am here as an individual. I was invited to a national plea building conference. I believe peace is the priority so I came to put my own views across and to dialogue with leaders of SLPP in the government to consider A .P .C and northerners as their compatriots.

I have also advocated for the payment of benefits to all former ministers of the APC and ambassadors and MDAs as a good will gesture. It has been accepted and the Minister of Finance has given instructions for the payment vouchers for benefits and the activation of pensions to be prepared immediately. He assures me that the process should be completed by early next week. As this is one benefit of the dialogue other matters will be dealt with in due course.
I have no apology for attending as long as it is in the interest of the people of Sierra Leone and particularly our APC comrades and sympathizers. One of the important benefits is that benefits of past government officials will be made with immediate effect.

Can you imagine what other issues could have been resolved had I not been here?
To jaw-jaw is better than to war-war. Dialogue leads to resolutions. No war is concluded on the war front. It has to be resolved at the negotiating table.
Our party still has the opportunity to correct our past mistakes which are not grave ones. Our problems are not insurmountable but we must solve them ourselves. Tomorrow I will be moderating an important session. I would like some of our comrades to attend. We can put our issues across. I am the chair and so time is available for healing and reconciliation.

We firmly believe, in line with Hon. Khan’s political philosophy, that as the American politician Al Gore said, “A well-connected citizenry is made up of men and women who discuss and debate ideas and issues among themselves and who constantly test the validity of the information and impressions they receive from one another—as well as the ones they receive from their government.”

In true dialogue, both sides are willing to change.

What is dialogue?

For some, dialogue is a focused and intentional conversation, a space of civility and equality in which those who differ may listen and speak together. For others it is a way of being—mindful and creative relating. In dialogue, we seek to set aside fears, preconceptions, the need to win; we take time to hear other voices and possibilities. Dialogue can encompass tensions and paradoxes, and in so doing, new ideas—collective wisdom—may arise. Diana Chapman Walsh describes it this way:

It’s when we let our guard down and allows our differences and doubts to surface and interact that something authentic and original can begin to emerge, tentatively, in the spaces between us. And I’ve found that it’s often in these fleeting and complicated moments that the heart and mind can come into synchrony, pointing to altogether novel educational possibilities. The key is to remain alert to those moments and to move with them when they arise.

We know that the most effective process for discovering these layers of meaning is through interactive and iterative dialogues and that if we undertake them sincerely and openly—and patiently—we can sometimes find our way to something entirely new. We assume that individual voices speak and act for the system as a whole, and we listen carefully or a variety of voices and the competing values they represent.

Essentially, the object of a dialogue is not to analyze things, or to win an argument, or to exchange opinions. Rather, it is to suspend your opinions and to look at the opinions—to listen to everybody’s opinions, to suspend them, and to see what all that means…. We can just simply share the appreciation of the meanings, and out of this whole thing, truth emerges unannounced—not that we have chosen it.

Sierra Leone News: Fatima Maada Bio prays with mudslide survivors…

May 26, 2019

On 25th May 2019, Mrs Fatima Bio joined the Muslim community at the mortomeh with mudslide survivors in prayer. As part of fulfilling her fundamental obligation of Islam in the holy month of ramadan, the first lady identified herself with the people and survivors of the mortomeh community.

The first lady prayed at two unfinished mosques in the community. The leaders of the mosques appreciated the efforts of the first lady and also pleaded with her for assistance in completing the two masjid respectively. “This mosque and the other were destroyed by the sad mudslide incident which happened two years ago and we’ve been unable to complete them due to lack of funding” one of the Imams said.

The first lady as usual, donated some food items and money for these mosques as she has been doing to various mosques in different parts of the country. These items are to be utilized by the mosques especially during the month of ramadan.

Mrs Bio asked the Imams and the Muslim community to continue the good work and to also pray for the country for unending developments. She also asked the people of the said community not to relent in the course of Islam as Allah tests each and every Muslim at His pleased time.

One of the Imams, on behalf of the mortomeh community thankful thanked the first lady and her Entourage for the ramadan visit as he clearly stated that they were not expecting such unannounced visit.