Home Blog Page 1008

Pademba Maximum Prison To Be Relocated

By Amin Kef Sesay

During the on-going budget hearing for the Fiscal Year 2021 budget in which Ministries, Departments and Agencies are participating and  that is taking place at the Ministry of Finance, the Director of National Budget in that Ministry, Tasima Jah, assured the Ministry of Internal Affairs that his Ministry is committed to the construction of a new correctional center that will replace the Pa Demba Road Maximum Correctional Centre.

“This is a very laudable project and it is high time we start seeing some resources allocated to it for it to be achieved in the next couple of years,” he said.

He said since the idea of relocating the Pa Demba Road Correctional Centre was brought up by late President Ahmed Tejan Kabba some 20 years ago very little has been done to ensure that that it is implemented.

The Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Lahai Laurence Leema, said the prison break that took place during the reign of late President Ahmed Tejan Kabba necessitated the relocation of the prison to Songo outside the capital of Freetown.

He disclosed how that was already in the pipeline when he took over as a Deputy Minister and a Committee has been set up to work towards that and is chaired by the Vice President, Dr. Juldeh Jalloh.

“Once the work of the Committee is done, then we can move forward,” he further revealed.

The key deliverables for 2021 FY are the alignment of the Ministry’s Strategic Plan with the National Development Plan (2019-2023), operationalize the two Directorate structure of the Ministry as recommended by the Management and Functional Review (MFR) Report of 2007, conduct effective monitoring of Agencies and assessment of funding gap for donor support, roll out implementation of the National Action Plan on Statelessness, and develop a unified internet platform for the Security sector.

The total estimate for the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the 2021 FY  budget estimate  is- recurrent expenditure Le 14,379,700,000.00, budget ceiling – recurrent expenditure Le 1,281,700,000.00, and excess over ceiling Le 13,098,000,000.00.

Pres. Bio Encourages Investors to Emulate Mercury International

By Amin Kef Sesay

Fostering national development cannot be done exceptionally by any sitting Government as the contributions by the private sector cannot be overemphasized in that direction. Public-Private Partnership is a significant driver of socio-economic growth. It is therefore folly for some to harbour the notion that it must be Government that should have done so and so, not a private entity.

In is within this context that President Julius Maada Bio has encouraged investors and the private sector institutions in the country to emulate the exemplary work and contribution towards the development drive of the country like the way Mercury International is doing.

In his statement at the official unveiling ceremony of the Dr. Kadie Sesay Girls Secondary School in Port Loko Town in the North-West Region of the country, fully sponsored by the Sports Betting and Lottery Company, Mercury International, President Bio said the drive by the company is worth emulating.

According to President Bio other investors need to emulate Mercury International by joining the development drive of the country, noting that investment in human capital development is the best investment for any nation. “Education is a right. Therefore, we are committed to narrowing the gender gaps and provide opportunities for the under-served communities in our country. We believe as a Government, that we must maximize to multiply effect for investing in the education of girls,” Bio said.

He added: “I want to use this opportunity to thank Mercury International and encourage other business people because it’s not just Mercury that is in this country, there are other business people. So imagine if Mercury International could do this with plans of doing more, if all the business people in the country do same, it will be good.”

The Dr. Kadie Girls Secondary has Classes from JSS I to JSS 3, with the classrooms named after sections in Port Loko District, like Maforki, Lunsar, Masiaka, Mange and Lungi.

The six-classroom building is equipped with a laboratory, which has been described by officials of the Ministry of Education as a lab school. I was constructed with funding from Mercury International which spent over Le500 billion to complete the project.

 

Mastery in Timely Petroleum Transactions is a Pride for NP-SL

By Amin Kef Sesay

It cannot be overstated that the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is a buoyant petroleum marketing entity that has ,over the years, mastered the business of marketing high grade petroleum products and doing so exceptionally well to the utmost satisfaction of its numerous esteemed customers country-wide.

This assertion could be justified when cognizance is taken of the various feedbacks which this news medium got from a cross section of residents in different parts of the country. Owners of private vehicles and commercial drivers interviewed by this medium attested that indeed products like petrol, diesel, gas and Castrol Oil are of good quality. Besides, they intimated that they are satisfied with these products as they are good for the effective and efficient functioning of their vehicles, generators, gas cookers among other uses.

Another perception that came out glaringly was that the company’s serious deepening of the country’s Local Content Policy as vividly evident in giving exceptional preference to employing indigenes contrary to bringing in foreign expatriates to execute certain tasks is highly commendable.

This laid down policy that is strictly implemented has created room for the employment of Sierra Leoneans who have the requisite qualifications and skills giving them the opportunity to take care of personal responsibilities.

“I cannot find words to express how delighted I am as I can proudly say that NP-SL has changed my life completely since the company employed me,” one of the workers at NP Cotton Tree joyfully intimated The Calabash when this medium was out on its perception survey.

“As far as I have assessed in this country it is only NP-SL Ltd that has such a pragmatic policy of maintaining a policy that gives job preferential treatments to Sierra Leoneans and I have great respect for the indigenous company,” Mohamed Wai, a Social Commentator underscored.

With the introduction of NP Smart Card, which has gone viral, customers can now secure fuel at ease. The Card can be credited with money and the amount of money utilized to buy fuel is debited after every transaction. With the use of NP Smart Card, customers are saved the hassle of having to always move with physical cash in their possession in order to purchase fuel and indeed there are times when one may not have time to rush to the bank to make withdrawals. Customers, who are holders and users of NP Smart Card, are at the vantage position to properly budget, through the amount that is contained in the card to buy fuel, during a considerable period of time, say a week or a month. Indeed, NP Smart Card has become trending.

In order to ensure that their customers derive value for money, it was thought prudent on the part of Shareholders and Management to make use of state of the art and highly modernized calibrated pumping machines which were installed at the company’s different Filling Stations capable of pumping the exact quantity of fuel, be it petrol or diesel, that a particular customer requested for.

This fine move by the company has helped instilled confidence among customers that they are really dealing with a very transparent business entity and getting what they are paying for. This singular business strategy has got many glued to a petroleum company that is considered to be marketing the best of petroleum products which include petrol, diesel, gas and high grade lubricants, one of which is the most sought out Castrol oil, said to be very good for the proper functioning of engines.

The company also markets NP Gas which is a cooking device that is manufactured in different cylinder sizes and sold at the company’s Filling Stations across the country. It can be easily refilled with gas, is said to be non-hazardous to the health of individuals and easy to operate. Its performance has been rated high and many are indeed going for it.

One yardstick that could be used to assess the potency and vibrancy of a company is how well it is entrenched or established. With regards NP-SL Ltd, one can actually see that the company, over the years, has grown by leaps and bounds as seen in its opening of branches in neighboring Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia. All these NP branches, within the sub-region, are functioning very efficiently and contributing immensely towards the socio-economic development of those host countries. Through their operations, the company is paying taxes to the various Governments and indirectly boosting the revenue bases of those countries to roll out different development programs.

From all that have been said so far, it could be argued with all amount of certainty that NP-SL Ltd is indeed a highly successful and very competitive petroleum company that continues to stand tall within the business landscape of this country. And from the look of things it is poised to do more.

As Voting to Determine Housemates Continues… Top 20 Housemates to Enter the House on Sunday

By Amin Kef Sesay

Fifty-Two (52) applicants, who recently went through the audition process for Housemates Salone Season 2, commenced a Quarantine Drama on the 14th October 2020 at 9:00 pm, a segment that will continue up to the 18th October, 2020.

For now two zones have been created. Ten applicants with the highest number of votes for now will be put in the Safe Zone but that does not guarantee that they will qualify to enter the House as the voting process is on and there is the possibility that others will pull more votes before Sunday 18th October 2020 and the situation tilted.

During this period, twenty (20) top contestants will emerge and they will be the ultimate aspirants who will now be known as Housemates to battle it out to the Grand Finale.  These twenty deserving aspirants, now Housemates, will enter the House on Sunday 18th October 2020 at 8:00 pm, the same time that the voting process will end.

Currently, the voting process for these top 20 contestants is in progress and it is simple: To vote for your favourite contestant just send his or her respective number via SMS to 5500 or dial *5500#. For Diaspora Voting supporters of the respective contestants can call +232 99 00 5500.

For now all the fifty two (52) top applicants or contestants that made it during the audition have unique numbers. It is their unique or respective numbers that should be sent via text message (SMS) to 5500 or by dialling *5500#.

Presently, these ambitious contestants are desperately trying to garner support from the public by lobbying, using various platforms such as AYV Television and the social media to woo members of the public to cast their votes for them. The ways and manner in which they are doing so is quite interesting.

What the 20 Housemates will be battling for is Le250M plus a round trip to Dubai.

Apart from bagging the Star Prize of Two Hundred and Fifty Million Leones (Le250M), all other participants will be entitled to their daily allowances of Le100, 000 each whilst they still remain in the House and accumulatively given to them whenever they are evicted.

Interestingly, during a particular stage of the Show, based on the percentage of votes scored by a particular Housemate, such will determine whether he or she will be evicted from the House. Evictions will continue until the ultimate winner emerges.

Indeed, the moment is here and the stage is now set for another fun time which many, in different parts of the country and overseas, have indeed be eagerly waiting for.

The organizers of the Reality TV Show, AYV and Africell, have ensured that all the necessary preparations have been put in place to bring exciting episodes from this entertainment show.

When once they are in the House the Housemates are expected to appear sexy and display some form of nudity.

Again, if sometimes they talk harshly then it is because they are to intermittently use strong language and act funnily as the expectation is for them to of be humorous. Manifestation of these traits is what will really make the Reality TV Show very interesting to watch, providing some form of comic relief for viewers and serving as a therapy to reduce stresses.
Organisers of the event, Africa Young Voices (AYV) and Africell are very enthusiastic to enhance youth empowerment in the country and Housemates Salone is one platform that will provide that for the young competitors.

The main rationale behind putting together Housemates Salone Season 2 is to promote youth empowerment

The Housemates will be assigned various tasks to perform that could shape their characters, they will be availed the opportunity to learn new skills, improve on existing ones. They will also be emotionally tested, afforded the space to find panacea to certain human problems and do a host of other things.

Furthermore, the Housemates will benefit from widespread exposure as the Show will be watched near and far. Talents will be spotted and vistas of opportunities could be opened as some of the Housemates would be earmarked to become Brand Ambassadors, movie artists, models etc.

The Housemates stand to benefit from motivational lectures and added to that they will be availed the opportunity to socialize, learn how to play different games, how to speak fluently etc.

With all these it will definitely transform the Housemates from what their characters were before they entered the House.

But financially empowering these Housemates is one of the most important channels of making them relevant in society. Each day spent in the House will earn a Housemate Le100, 000. The winner will bag Le250, 000,000 and he or she is expected to champion a key project that could positively impact the lives of young people in this country.

It is an open secret that since its inception the African Young Voices (AYV) has been providing opportunities for young people to have their voices heard, to learn new skills and meaningfully contribute to overall national development.
This youth empowerment drive is one of the cardinal objectives of this renowned media empire and it has been successfully rolling it out.

On the part of Africell, the telecommunications service providers had been supporting various entertainment activities and even young artists in the country with the avowed aim of catching them young and as well contribute to enable young people to realise their full potentials and bring them out.

As it is going to be an interesting and widely watched Reality TV Show on AYV TV Channel 34, Housemates Salone will also provide a marketing platform for many corporate and business institutions such as Banks, business houses, entertainment entities etc, who are effectively making use of the channel to advertise their products and services.

As advertisement is key to marketing through this means provided by Housemates Salone these business entities are presently reaching out to the wider public.
The competition is going to be keen, especially after Sierra Leoneans have enjoyed a successful Season1 and saw the handing over of the star prize to the eventual winner.

Once the show commences on the 14th October 2020  it will be streamed live online at Africa Young Voices Media Empire Facebook page, AYV entertainment TV, Africell Sierra Leone Facebook page and on website at www.ayvnews.com.

Housemates Salone Season 2, from all indications, will turn out to be a very interesting and tantalizing show as the episodes unfold until the event culminates into the Grand Finale. Don’t miss out. Make a date with Housemates Salone and don’t be late.

Pleasant Children Foundation Doles out School Items To 500 Less Privileged Children

By Foday Moriba Conteh

As part of their continuous support to  the less privileged children in the country, Pleasant Children Foundation (PCF), a non-governmental organization, that is geared towards promoting education for children without discrimination has on Saturday 10th October, 2020 donated school items, comprising books, bags, shoes, uniforms etc. worth millions of Leones to 500 less privileged children during their annual event which was tagged “Each One Educate One Campaign to Send Orphan, Street Children and Less Privileged Kids to School” at Emirates Hall, Rokel Community in the Western Area Rural District.

In her address, Marian Pleasant Kargbo, Chief Executive Officer/ Founder Pleasant Children Foundation (PCF), disclosed that during the past six years her organization has been working tremendously in order to support children within the Western Rural District with scholarships and school items worth millions of Leones, adding that for the past years they have been targeting the Western Rural area but as part of their expansion vision for the project this year they decided to include other communities like Tombo, Waterloo, Banana Island, Yoko, Grafton, Western Urban Area.

Marian Pleasant Kargbo noted that regardless of the Free Quality Education initiative by the Government of Sierra Leone there are still children who do not go attend school because they don’t have school materials of which that is why for the past years they decided to complement the efforts of Government by donating these school items to these less privileged children.

The CEO added that funding was a major challenge to actualize the gesture but extended appreciation to the Valley Christian Centre Foursquare Gospel Church USA for serving as the major sponsor by supporting 200 children followed by Pikin Bizness which also supported 10 Children. She further extended gratitude to individuals who believe in what their organization stands for and the work they have been doing over the years.

She admonished pupils to take their studies serious underscoring how education is the key to success, In that vein, she encouraged them to take this as an opportunity for them to achieve their dreams and become great people in society who will in return give back to society as she is doing currently.

Marian Pleasant Kargbo called on humanitarian organizations and individuals to support them in order to help more children, adding that because of the support they got this year they decided to extend from 250 children in 2019 to 500 children in 2020 and that their dream next year is to target 1000 children and that this can only be actualized if humanitarian organizations and individuals throw their support behind their vision.

Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs Mohamed Haji-Kella, extended gratitude to the Pleasant Children Foundation for their supports towards the development of children in the country, noting that as a Ministry they are committed in dealing with children issues across the country and in that regard the Government of Sierra Leone is committed in providing quality education.

He admonished beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity saying many other children want such an opportunity also underscoring that education is the key to success and they should take their studies serious, adding that with education they will achieve their dreams and become great people in society.

He ended by admonishing parents to be aware of their roles and responsibilities towards the development of their children; underscoring that they have pivotal roles to play towards the growth of their children. In that regard he encouraged them to monitor their children’s activities.

Basiru Fofanah, a beneficiary thanked Pleasant Children Foundation for the kind gesture which he graciously said was not only important but very timely in the midst of COVID-19 in the country. He highlighted that as schools have reopened the gesture will ease the burden on parents to purchase school materials.

He called on other humanitarian organizations to support the Foundation in order for them to continue to benefit from more donations and also benefit other children who are not part of this donation.

As ‘Orange Shorki’ Set to Positively Change Lives… Orange Money Launches End of Year Promotion

By Foday Moriba Conteh

As part of its efforts to continue to put smiles on the faces of its valued and esteemed customers across the country, Orange Money which is an appendage of  Orange Sierra Leone has on Tuesday 13th October, 2020 launched the “Orange Money Shorki Love” promotion which offers 3 Billion Leones including Brand New Cars to be won. This new package is part of the company’s end of year promotion which was disclosed at an event held at its Bo District Office.

Chief Executive Officer Orange-Sierra Leone, who also doubles as the Board Chairperson for Orange Money, Aminata Kane, expressed appreciation to the company’s Field Service Agents (FSAs) for the tremendous work they have been doing in Bo which she said has contributed to the growth of the company’s subscriber base to 2.5 million subscribers, adding that they are very happy as a company to know that, as Agents, they have committed themselves that by December 2020 the customer base will expand to three million.

She added that COVID-19 has created situations that have been hard for most of them enjoining all to pray for those who have lost their lives during this hard time.

The Orange CEO pointed out that they are the number one telecommunications company in the country that is taking the lead in the telecommunications sector saying since it is three months to the end of the year they want to ensure that they achieve their target of reaching 3 million subscribers at the end of the year, 2020.

According to the eloquent and result-oriented Chief Executive Officer, Orange cares for its subscribers and is very determined to change their lives and give them improved standards of living.

“It against such a backdrop that the company decided to launch such a promotion with the strong belief that it will be helpful at a moment like this in the country,” she warmly disclosed and encouraged subscribers to grab the opportunity in order to conduct transactions using Orange Money which will qualify them to win the aforementioned attractive prizes.

On his part, Chief Executive Office, Orange Money-SL, David S. Mansaray, said that as a company they are very happy to launch such a promotion which he maintained will put smiles on the faces of their valued customers across the country.

He said that the promotion is geared towards making their Orange Money customers happy, richer and above all empowered as they will have the chance to win 3 Billion Leones worth of prizes on a daily and weekly basis including 5 Brand New Cars to be won as a grand prize at the end of the promotion. David intimated that this is a huge promotion which has never happened in the history of any mobile Money company in the country.

David Mansaray said they are doing the symbolic launching in Bo but however the promotion is a nationwide promotion as the teams will also be visiting other districts, adding that every Sierra Leonean is eligible and hence he or she is using Orange Money the individual stands a chance to win.

He said to participate in this amazing promotion as a subscriber a person must be registered to Orange Money that has sent money or cash during a minimum transaction period either paying for EDSA , DSTV or for purchasing airtime or data bundles.

He furthered that to qualify for the “Orange Money Shorki Love” promotion subscribers need to conduct transactions using Orange Money like sending money, cashing in, paying for EDSA or DSTV, buy airtime or data bundles from 15th October to January 2020 which will put them at vantage positions to get a chance to win those attractive prizes.

Head of Strategy, Marketing & Partnership, Orange Money, Abibatu Baxter, described the promotion as one of its kind in the country as it is called Orange Money Shorki Love for its valued customers stating how it will give customers the opportunity to win 3 Billion Leones worth of prizes including 5 Brand New Cars for the next three month starting from the 15th October 2020.

She further stated that with the COVID-19 in the country everyone is using face masks in order to prevent contracting the virus but when the coronavirus would have left us everyone will be smiling and Orange is ready to put that smile on the faces of its valued customers.

She added by reiterating that to participate in this amazing promotion as a subscriber one must be registered to Orange Money that has sent money or cash during a minimum transaction period either paying for EDSA or DSTV or for purchasing airtime or data bundles.

Trade Ministry Ends Ease of Doing Business Legislative Reform Webinar Series

By Amin Kef Sesay

The three days Legislative Reform Webinar Series, which started on the 12th October, 2020 successfully ended on the 14th October 2020. It was organized by the Ministry of Trade and Industry in partnership with the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) and the Ministry of Justice.

The three days important event was part of the Trade Ministry’s commitment to drive policy reforms in order to improve Government service delivery and ultimately Sierra Leone’s ranking on the World Bank Ease of Doing Business.

During the first day which was moderated by the Director and Chief Officer of the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI), Michala Mackay, the Director of Policy cum Doing Business Coordinator in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Madam Saffie Deen-Tarawally , succinctly gave a  synopsis of the status quo of doing business in Sierra Leone.

She dilated on areas like how the IFC/World Bank Doing Business Reforms project was established by the World Bank in 2002, as a flagship project that measures the ease of doing business in 190 countries/ economies in the world, for private sector development further revealing that Sierra Leone joined the project in 2005.

Madam Saffie Deen-Tarawally furthered that the project looks at domestic small and medium-size companies and measures the regulations applying to them adding how it is a project where growth opportunities for local businesses are compared and measured annually amongst economies worldwide.

“The Doing Business Reforms project is an integral part of Government’s commitment in the New Direction and the Medium Term National Development Plan, to improving Sierra Leone’s business environment,” Madam Saffie Deen-Tarawally also highlighted

On Day 2 of the event, the 13th October 2020, the programme was moderated by Chuku Chikezie and the topic that was exhaustively discussed by all the panellists was “Getting Credit”. Those who contributed include Christopher Forster of the Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Philip Bangura of the Credit Reference Bureau of the Bank of Sierra Leone, Ndeye Koroma of the Millennium Challenge Coordinating Unit and Marie Bob Kandeh of the Market Women’s Association.

What emanated from what nearly all the panellists pointed out is that it is really challenging for business people, especially those who are involved in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises to access loans from commercial Banks. They highlighted lack of collateral securities as well as other bottlenecks that impede accessibility to loans for the expansion of their business enterprises.

Besides, most lamented that interest rates are exorbitant, micro-credit organizations also dish out credits with stiff conditions with some defaulters sent to prison etc.

It was, however, unanimously resolved that if this country is to enhance its ranking among other countries in terms of ease of doing business then those bottlenecks must be surmounted.

During the last day’s discussions, the 14th October 2020, which bordered on “Dealing With Building Permits” and was moderated by Salima Monormah Bah the panellists were Mohamed Sama Banya, who represented his boss, Augustine Kai Banya, Director of Housing and Country Planning, Ing Edmond B. Nonie, Chief Executive Officer of Track Your Build, Ing Trudy Morgan, Council of Engineers  and Pierre Palmer of the Guma Valley Water Company.

Mohamed Sama Banya stated that the Ministry of Lands has as one of its core functions the issuance of building permits underscoring how it involves a process. He said land is used for various purposes including for residential, commercial, industrial, mining, recreational, religious and other purposes.

He dilated on existing legislations with particular reference to the Town and Country Planning Act and the Freetown Improvement Act further maintaining that there are certain sections in those Acts which must be overhauled adding that development is going at a faster pace than planning.

Mohamed took participants and  the audience through the stages of  securing a building construction permit  starting from the submission of application letters to the Chief Building Inspector to when authorization is given for payment to be made to the National Revenue Authority (NRA). He, however, made it categorically clear that faulty plans are returned to the applicants.

In highlighting some of the challenges they are encountering in the issuance of building permits, he made mention of shortage of staff, mobility, security, revisiting and upgrading the National Housing Policy, finalizing the completion of revised Town and Country Planning Act, capacity building and recruitment of additional staff.

In her contribution, Ing Trudy Morgan, pointed out that there are no transparent fees and tariffs, there is lack of monitoring of applications, lack of penalties for non-compliance,  low number of qualified staff undertaking approvals.

She also highlighted how there is lack of coordination with the Guma Valley Water Company, EDSA, and other utility providers.

In her recommendations, she suggested making use of automation, upholding transparency and consistency. She also recommended linking building permits to zoning, devolution as per the 2004 Act (National and Local), creation  at city level of structural and local area plans, consideration of land use and land use mix, consideration of historic and touristic districts plus sites, updating and publicizing all relevant bye-laws, update, simplify, publicize all building permit fees and tariffs, enforcement of penalties for non-compliance and improvement of  staff capacity.

Pierre Palmer of the Guma Valley Water Company assured of their continued working relationship with other relevant stakeholders, when it comes to building structures, maintaining that they can only achieve the desired goal of improving doing business by working closely.

Giving the closing remarks, Abraham Jones of the Ministry of Trade commended DSTI for its tremendous efforts in making the webinar series a success. He also commended the Minister of Trade of Rwanda for her insightful contributions in terms of how they got it right in terms of ease of doing business in the country. He promised taking them into consideration while implementing.

Jones also commended the Minister of Trade, Edward Hinga Sandy, for making the Ministry a vibrant entity. He expressed hope that in the next World Bank ranking, in terms of ease of doing business in the country, Sierra Leone will occupy an enviable position.

Sucking Mother Appeals to Government for Help

The quadruplet and the twins at the Kabala Government Hospital

By Karifa Kello Thoronka

A suckling mother, Bondo Thoronka, the wife of Kalie Koroma, who gave birth to a set of quadruplet in Alikalia Town on the 11th of September 2020 is seriously crying for Government’s intervention.

The situation was strange but normal not till when one of the elder brothers of Bondo Thoronka by the name of Hassan Thoronka’s wife gave birth to a twin during the same week when the quadruplet were born but the twin mother passed away at the Kabala Government Hospital and the family and the nurses agreed and decided to join the twin and the quadruplet for breast feeding purpose.

Speaking to this Press, in tears, Bondo Thoronka bemoaned that she has become very tired and weak to continue to breast feed  the six children at the same time, noting that she needs the intervention of the Government before she losses her life.

The father of the twin, Hassan Thoronka, confessed that the death of his wife was really a shock to him and that he is now suffering with the children at the Kabala Government Hospital.

Karifa Kello Thoronka the Uncle of Bondo Thoronka thanked all those individuals and organizations that have been contributing towards the wellbeing of the quadruplet and the twin who lost their mother during delivery, and also called on the Government to help support the children.

Will The SLPP Govt. Implement The Justice Cowan Constitutional Review Report?

President Julius Maada Bio

By Amin Kef Sesay

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), established in 2002 urged the Government of Sierra Leone to give “serious consideration” to the creation of a “new constitution”, in order to contribute to human rights and democracy in the country.

All the political parties agreed that the 1991 Constitution does not reflect the modern values of the country and requires amendment in order to facilitate the continued development of a democratic and stable country.

As such, the mandate of the CRC which was launched by the former President Koroma was to review the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone and the Peter Tucker’s Constitutional Commission Report (PTCR) submitted to the Government in January 2008 as a working document.

The CRC took particular note of PTCR, the TRC recommendations, position papers submitted by different stakeholders and recommendations from the public during the nationwide consultation exercise.

The  Chapter  on  State  Policy  defines the  overarching relationship between  the  State  of the  Republic  of  Sierra  Leone and its  citizens  and institutions. It outlines the State’s goal and aspirations towards securing basic rights and development for its people.

In the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone none of these provisions are justiciable which means if there was a breach of these undertakings and promises in the Constitution they are not enforceable by the courts.

During the Consultation process there had been many calls for the provisions contained within Chapter II to be made justiciable. This was a major consideration for the deliberations of the CRC.

Other key areas recommended for inclusion were devolution of power, integrity, transparency, accountability and sustainable development as an additional National Value.

In addition, proposals were made to remove restrictions on provisions relating to health, safety, welfare, medical facilities and educational opportunities. So phrases like “having due regard to the resources of the State and “as and where practicable” were deleted.

The CRC also accepted the imperative recommendation by the TRC which had been reiterated by the PTCR to add “human dignity” into the National Values.

The CRC suggests strengthening the provision relating to discrimination by changing “discourage” to “prohibit” discrimination under Economic Objectives.

The  CRC  reviewed  the  provisions  of  Chapter  III, The  Recognition  and  Protection  of  Fundamental  Human  Rights  and  Freedoms  of  the Individual of 1991 Constitution.

CRC took  particular  note  of  the  TRC  recommendations,  those  contained  in  the  PTCR25 and  especially  the  submissions and  recommendations received  during  the  nation-wide  public consultation  exercise.

All human rights are fundamental – life, liberty, security of person, the enjoyment of property, the protection of law, the protection of environment, education, health, dignity and shelter as well as a right to a public apology as well as compensation for unlawful detention. Numerous position papers reiterated the call by HRCSL for an abolition of the death penalty.

“From a Political  to a  Developmental  Constitution” as is with Ghana, the CRC presented the idea of National Development Planning Commission to the people of Sierra Leone and all relevant national stakeholders  to consider  the establishment  of a  constitutionally  guaranteed  institution to  specifically  address Sierra  Leone’s  long  term development challenges.

Key among the recommendations made was that national development is not centered on sectional political party manifestos; manifestos must rather be aligned to the Plan.

The Plan CRC recommended should be binding on all successive governments for the following reasons. This will ensure that projects initiated under a previous government are not abandoned where there is a change of government. The CRC recommended that the National Development Planning Commission should be enshrined within the Constitution.

EU & UNICEF Keen on Getting Children Back to Learning

By Amin Kef Sesay

“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” These words by Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai could not ring more true. Making sure girls and boys all over the world get good quality education is how we will build a more sustainable, more equal and more peaceful world.

Global school closures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have resulted in unprecedented disruption to children’s education, with more than a billion students affected.

Those who have returned to school are presented with new challenges – masks, social distancing, lack of access to handwashing facilities and fears of getting sick. As the digital divide deepens, most will have missed out on the chance to learn from home over the past few months. They will have fallen behind as a result, making the return to classrooms more daunting for them – and for their teachers.

In many ways, however, they are still the lucky ones. The new challenges they face are by far overshadowed by the catastrophic long-term impact of missing out on education altogether, particularly in the poorest countries and those affected by conflicts or crises.

We know from previous crises that the longer children stay out of school, the less likely they are to return. We also know that when children do not go to school, they are at increased risk of violence, abuse and exploitation. Girls face the additional risk of early marriage and pregnancy. Now with COVID, and as essential health, nutrition, immunisation and child protection services are put on hold, children are also exposed to undernutrition, disease, mental health issues and abuse.

In these most difficult of circumstances, can we still win the battle to educate our children? The answer is a resounding “yes”. But for this, like model students, we will need to work even harder to get the results we want.

In response to global pandemic, the European Union and its Member States – Team Europe – have demonstrated the power of working together for better results. Given our proven track record of getting results from our partnerships, the EU and UNICEF can together make a lasting difference to education outcomes worldwide.

There are concrete steps we can take to safeguard children’s futures, steps that will build on existing work and strike out in new, innovative directions. This means investing now, so that the most vulnerable children can re-enter education. It means making sure that their schools are safe and their teachers can respond to their needs. It means reshaping education systems so that children graduate with 21st-century skills, such as digital skills and entrepreneurship training, ready for the new world before them.

Recently, we have seen impressive change, with many Governments providing education online, on television, on the radio and via mobile phone. For instance, in Somalia, offline recorded lessons are being uploaded onto solar-powered tablets and made available to children. In Kyrgyzstan, children can access remote learning through online platforms, three national TV channels and two mobile network applications free of charge. In Vietnam, certain tests and modules have been dropped from the curriculum, while others have been postponed to the next school year to allow students to catch up on missed learning over the whole of next year, and to reduce academic pressure and psychosocial stress.

So the green shoots of recovery are there. Now it is time to nurture them. This is the moment to reimagine education systems, embrace technology, remove barriers and give all children the same access to modern education systems.

This must include closing the online education gap. We must embrace and invest in the promise of online learning – not just basic skills like reading and math, but digital, entrepreneurial and workplace skills, so young people can join the workforce.

Above all, education budgets must be protected from cuts as the global economic crisis bites. Education must be seen as part of the COVID-19 recovery plan: Rather than diverting finances away from education, there must be more investment to strengthen education systems. Education is essential to human development, which underlies all EU investments in international cooperation and this will be boosted in EU development financing for the upcoming period. Building back better applies as much to education as to anything else.

The scale of this crisis requires a global, coordinated response; the EU and UNICEF intend to be at the forefront of that response. The education community must jointly develop a global action plan to pave the way for equitable and quality education for all.

We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to emerge from this once-in-a-generation crisis doing things differently, addressing inequalities through more sustainable social systems.

Embarking on this huge undertaking means realising that business as usual is not an option. If we learn the right lessons now, we can re-imagine and deliver better education systems – for this generation and the next.

Henrietta Fore – UNICEF Executive Director
Jutta Urpilainen – EU Commissioner for Int.
1...1,0071,0081,009...1,365Page 1,008 of 1,365