Mr. Ibrahim Sannoh Deputy Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority – SLRSA has said in a meeting with Transport Stakeholders that the SLRSA’s Responsibility Is to the Citizens of Sierra Leone.

He made this statement while addressing cross section of road transport stakeholders at the Mile 38 Check Point along the Waterloo – Masiaka Highway past Thursday 21st March 2019.

He said they were appointed by His Excellency Julius Maada Bio to fulfill their promise in having a better and a well secured road network and transport system.

He said the SLRSA cannot work in isolation that is why they are partnering with key stakeholders like the forces to enforce the law and ensure that users strictly abide by all laws legislated in the country.

According to him, the police and the road safety corps are always on the streets to ensure road safety, but road traffic crashes are still on the increase. This ugly trend, he said, must be reversed as “the life of every Sierra Leonean despite his or her social status is equally important.”

Despite the challenges confronted by the Authority, Mr. Sannoh said that SLRSA have established thirteen offices across the country in order to achieve the authority’s mandate. He assured that the Authority will continue to engage the traffic police and sensitize road users and the public at large especially the commercial drivers.

The SLRSA boss registered his Authority’s commitment on incentives and other emoluments for border or check point staff to motivate them in the discharge of their duties.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Traffic Management and Road Safety, Sahr Senesie, said they have a duty to their citizens and the state. He admonished that they should not compromise their integrity which is key in upholding the fundamental principles in policing. He appealed that, “we should be our brothers’ keeper.”

The personnel expressed similar sentiments in showering praises at the SLRSA’s Deputy Executive Director and said that his leadership style is second to none since the establishment of the Authority.

1. The Law Department at Fourah Bay College University of Sierra Leone intends to add a new module to its LLB degree by teaching DIPLOMATIC and CONSULAR LAW in its Law Department commencing soon.
2. The pioneers behind this new development are Francis Gabbidon who has done a lot of academic work and research on practice and Dr. Binneh Kamara Head of the Law Department at Fourah Bay College who has also done a lot of studies in Public International Law, the Law of Wars and International Relations.
3. The module will include the following but not limited to:
• Sierra Leone Constitution
• The Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations 1961
• The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963
• The Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties 1969
• Public Diplomacy
• Privileges and Immunities under Diplomatic and Consular Law
• The United Nations Charter
• Purposes and Principles of the United Nations
a) The General Assembly
b) The Security Council
c) The Secretariat
• The International Court of Justice
• The International Criminal Court (ICC)
• The Traditional Diplomatic Structures as Bricks and Mortar
• The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• The Diplomatic Mission
• Protocol and Procedure
• International Organizations and Agreements outside the United Nations
• Inter-Governmental Agencies related to the United Nations (including Specialized Agencies)
• International Law and practice
• Environmental Diplomacy
• The Diplomat and the Media
• Conference Diplomacy Practice and Procedure
• Human Rights Law
• International Treaties
The teaching of Diplomatic Law and Practice is not common in African Universities and the Law Department at Fourah Bay College intends to develop this module at a very high level, to include research, workshops, seminar and publishing.

On Tuesday 26th March 2019 the House of Representatives debated and approved the Thirtieth Report of its Committee on Appointments and the Public Service, chaired by the Leader of Government Business, Hon. Sidie M. Tunis.

Speaking to the nominees after approval, the Presiding Speaker of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas said he had no doubt in their potentials to make the country proud. He specifically appealed to Mr. Edmond Alpha, the Electoral Commissioner-Southern Region to do this nation proud by proving his critics wrong, having regard for his contentious nomination and approval by Parliament. Recalling his role in the approval of the current Anti-Corruption Czar, Francis Ben Kaifala whom he said is doing exceptionally well today in the discharge of his duties; he called on Edmond Alpha to do same.

The following presidential nominees were approved by Parliament:

I. Mr. Leonard Michael Taylor-High Court Judge
II. Mr. Augustine K. Musa-High Court Judge
III. Mr. Samuel O. Moses Taylor-High Court Judge
IV. Ms. Clarissa Cosmotina Jarrett-High Court Judge
V. Mr. Michael Patrick H. Mami-High Court Judge
VI. Mr. Aiah Simeon Allieu-High Court Judge
VII. Mr. Albert Juma Moody-High Court Judge
VIII. Hon. Sahr T. Fatorma-Member, Board of Directors, SLRA
IX. Mr. Edmond Sylvester Alpha-Electoral Commissioner, Southern Region
X. Ing. Maada Senesie Kpenge-Managing Director, Guma Valley Water Company
XI. Mr. Sahr Julius N. M’bayo-Member, Board of Directors, NPPA
XII. Mrs. Neneh Dabo-Member, Board of Directors, NPPA
XIII. Haja Amie Daboh-Member, Board of Directors, SLRA and
XIV. Ms. Ebunouwa Finda Tengbeh-Member, Board of Directors, EPA

Seconding the motion, Hon. Emilia L. Tongi, an Independent MP from Kailahun District described the nominees “as fine and exceptional”, adding that the “right direction is the correct direction”. She also congratulated Hon. Sahr Fatorma and described him as one of the “luckiest” persons in the country. She called for justice to be taken to her constituency where a lot of women are suffering from injustice and other forms of domestic violence.

Speaking on behalf of the opposition APC before the walk-out, Hon. Lahai Marah congratulated all the presidential nominees, save for the Electoral Commissioner-Southern Region. He also said that “as a person, he is qualified and we have no issue with him, but the Chairperson of NEC”, whom the APC had called for his resignation and withholding our participation in any activity relating to NEC. He also said that “the APC is of the view that the conduct of the recent bye-election in Tonkor Limba by NEC was marred with fraud and various discrepancies”.

Speaking on behalf of the NGC, its Leader, Hon. Dr. Alhaji Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella said “that the NGC does not have problem with any of the nominees”, whilst registering the concerns that had already been expressed by the Party in light of the just concluded bye-election in Tonkor Limba such as a judicial review of the whole process. He concluded by saying “that the NGC will not demonstrate any conduct that will disrupt the proceedings of Parliament”.

Concluding the debate, the Leader of Government Business, Hon. Sidie M. Tunis said “I will continue to negotiate and consult with the opposition parties, especially the APC, but that outside forces are influencing and constraining the work of elected MPs during the course of executing their duties”. He also assured the people of Sierra Leone “that they will get justice” in light of the recent approval of Supreme, Appeals and now High Courts Judges to ensure that justice is done and must be seen to be done”. In thanking NGC, C4C, PCMP, and Independent Members of Parliament for taking part in the deliberations of the House, he specifically called on SLPP MPs to be regular and always attend parliamentary sittings.

The statistics for Sierra Leone is grim – 17, 000 to 23, 000 infected with 3, 000 deaths annually.
Tuberculosis – a disease that has been around for thousands of years – could be wiped out by 2045 if investment in the disease is increased to $10 billion a year.
A panel of experts has set out a vision for ending TB within the next 25 years if the world invests in a range of measures including research and development, targeted prevention and high quality diagnostics.
The Lancet Commission on TB, published ahead of World TB Day on March 24, said that the savings generated from averting a TB death are estimated to be three times the cost and could be much greater in many countries where the disease is most prevalent.
TB is the world’s leading infectious killer, responsible for 1.6 million deaths worldwide in 2017, with drug-resistant forms of the disease threatening control efforts in many parts of the world. Progress on fighting the disease has stalled in recent years.
The World Health Organization (WHO) first declared TB a public health crisis in 1993, and last year the first-ever UN High-Level Meeting on TB made ending the disease a global priority.
Countries committed to treating 40 million people and preventing 30 million new cases between 2018-2022.
However, many experts say the world is not on track to achieve this. Countries need to be held to account for the commitments they have already made, including at the UN high level meeting.
The clock is ticking on the commitment to find and treat 40 million people by 2022.
In its vision for wiping out the disease, the Commission urged countries to invest in high-quality rapid diagnostics; target those at high risk of contracting TB, such as those living with patients infected with the disease; and increase investment in research and development, particularly vaccines and diagnostics.
It says that the 10 countries with the highest burden of the disease need to implement specific measures to make a significant dent in rates of the disease.
India, for example, could avert eight millions deaths between now and 2045 if care and treatment of patients with TB is improved. In Moldova, where more than 25 per cent of all TB cases are drug resistant, improving access to drug susceptibility testing and second-line drugs would reduce mortality by 44 per cent.
But the Commission says that while TB-specific measures are important, improving access to essential health services would also go a long way towards wiping out the disease.
Investment is a crucial part of the picture, says the report.
Last year a landmark study of a vaccine developed by British pharmaceutical giant GSK and non profit the International Aids Vaccine Initiative showed promise as it reduced TB rates by about half. But the vaccine is still in the early stages of development.
Dr. Reid said the new vaccine and new drugs such as bedaquiline and delamanid meant there were significant grounds for optimism. But he added good tools already exist.
“Existing efforts fail to identify 35 per cent of the burden of TB but we have diagnostics and treatments that could be readily available if only countries committed to investing in services to diagnose and treat,” he said.
Dr Reid said that it was largely countries most affected by TB who should be making the investments, rather than international donors.
“Many of these high-burden countries such as India could substantially increase their investment in TB by prioritizing their health systems and increasing their tax revenue by taxing things like tobacco,” he said.

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Documentary evidence has proven beyond all reasonable doubts that Mohamed Gento Kamara, the Chief Executive Officer of Gento Group of Companies, is not indebted to Government to the tune of USD5 Million as it is being peddled by certain mischievous rumor mongers and saboteurs.
It should not come as any big surprise that in this country certain people become very jealous of individuals who are progressive and will go at extreme lengths to pull them down for no just reason (s) other than mere envy.
Reference could be made to individuals like Sam King who was running a successful stationery business entity, an importer and retailer of basic goods Med T, Paul Francis (Elder brother of the Chief Minister) who was on the verge of facilitating the establishment of a commercial bank in this country but prevented from doing so and a host of others were all undermined and destroyed.
This trend of sabotaging successful entrepreneurs has been seriously derailing development. What has been really established as an indisputable fact is that moves made by certain ill motivated individuals to pull down progressive individuals and entrepreneurs have been and is definitely bringing the country down and not directly the individuals targeted. The simple fact that these individuals are helping in the areas of providing jobs for many Sierra Leones, paying taxes to Government means that they are contributing positively towards economic development and poverty reduction,. What if they decide to fold up their businesses then it possible that it will result to many becoming jobless thereby accentuating massive hardship and poverty.
The astute Chief Executive Officer of the reputable road construction company he owns and manages, Mohamed Gento Kamara, has not been spared this loathsome venom as of late he has been the victim of a barrage of baseless castigations on social media accusing him of wrongfully withholding five million dollars believed to be public fund that was purportedly handed over to him for construction work.
This accusation could not be totally unconnected to the invitation of this successful entrepreneur by one of the Commissions of Inquiry to give evidence. His appearance was not in the capacity as a person of interest, but just a mere testifier to help the Commission know the facts, which he did without hesitation, even providing documentary evidence to the effect. His detractors have blown it out of proportion to such an extent that they have been maligning him by erroneously painting the picture that he squandered five million dollars said to have been handed over to him by the Road Maintenance Fund Administration (RMFA).
The crux of the matter is that there was a Memorandum of Understanding wherein, SLRA which is the parent body of RMFA agreed to fund road contractors on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone.
SLRA through RMFA was to pay Gento 30 percent advance for the Waterloo township roads project. The amount should have been Le12.8 billion. Gento received Le7.8 billion.
The balance account remained with RMFA which had the onus of reconciling its books with the Ministry of Finance. RMFA was insisting that the Ministry of Finance should hand over the balance to them, but they were refused on the grounds that it was Government money and they were not entitled to it. What Gento was paid as advance is clearly recorded at the Accountant General department and with his bank. He was to receive USD12.8 million. He received less than of USD5 million, the money paid not in dollars but in Leones.
What some are failing to realize is that strict adherence and proper use made of the Local Content Policy could be the engine for overall national development. Mohamed Gento Kamara is a very good example of an ambitious indigenous businessman who has been doing extremely well in terms of constructing and rehabilitating qualitative roads in different parts of the country. He has helped in the direction of job creation that has improved standards of living of many families as well as timely payment of taxes.
It will therefore be understandable that his successes may not go down well with certain people who will not spare any opportunity to defame and smear his good image, but there is a popular belief that he who God has blessed cannot be easily destroyed.
Gento is really unperturbed and cannot be shattered by detractors, who have been politically castigating him.

This country is blessed with minerals but ironically poor. Sierra Leone’s mineral deposits represent major opportunities for both potential investors and the country to derive significant benefits. The mining sector has been the backbone of the country’s economy since mining started in 1930. This is why the Government is pursuing policies and programs aimed at making Sierra Leone an even more attractive destination for mining investment. It is against this backdrop that Savina Diamonds Limited is poised to fill the existing gap in adding value to gold and diamond thereby making Sierra Leone an enviable spot for a gold refinery.
The company has committed itself to make a major investment on a gold refinery in Sierra Leone, which will be a landmark in promoting quality export of precious minerals like gold and diamonds. The company will in the next two weeks commence the construction of a Gold Refinery at Hastings after it has already obtained a license to do business in the country.
After seven years in exploring opportunities in the mining sector, especially dealing with gold and diamonds, Savina Diamonds is poised to sign an agreement with the government of Sierra Leone and ratified by Parliament to build a gold refinery in the country and operate a business centre that house all relevant players in the mining sectors as well as government representatives to see that the required procedures are followed before the required precious commodities are exported from the refinery hub at Hastings to the United Kingdom. Some of the institutions that will be housed are Mines Ministry/National Minerals Agency representatives, National Revenue Authority, Sierra Leone Police, a commercial bank etc. Currently, it has established its presence in Kabala in the Koiandugu District and Kono, and soon it will start operations in Kenema. “We want all the Miners and Investors to be under one roof to do their transactions,” says Foglio Giovanni, Chief Executive Officer of Savina Diamonds Ltd and added that they are going to have a 4, 000-meter squire refinery building with a depth of 26-meter squire underground.
Sierra Leone has 10 to 13 tons of gold going to the black market annually. The country records an export of 125kilos of gold in 2018, and Savina hopes to improve on gold export as it has an estimated minimum of 8 tons per anum.
Company authorities told the press that they will be spending over $6 million in constructing the gold refinery that will be fully equipped with state of the earth equipment and build the airport runway to accommodate direct flights from London to export the refined gold and diamonds.
Savina hopes to train and build the confidence of miners with the assurance that it going to change their products, rather it will ensure fair play in the business so that the government, the miners and relevant stakeholders in the business will benefit.
“We will also accept diamonds and build a safe business environment where there will be a bidding process to get the highest offer and certificates will be prepared for exporting diamonds to the United Kingdom,” the CEO revealed and added that the company will also be receiving gold from other ECOWAS Countries to be processed in Sierra Leone for export. The said commodity will be brought in at free of cost while taxes will be paid to the government for export. This will save the cost and time to travel to countries like the United Arab Emirate to do gold transactions from ECOWAS Countries.
Savina Diamonds Limited is connected with Petterson Diamonds UK Limited, a company that works in diamonds and especially gold related to its companies in various African states, in Tanzania with Petterson Diamonds TZ Limited. The Objective of the company is taking gold to banking institutions and facilitates the collection, especially in Sierra Leone with the opening of both a local refinery with a capacity of 60 kg every 6 hours and facilitating microcredit on gold, all this will be performed in Sierra Leone.
The Chief Executive Officer of Savina Diamonds, Foglio Giovanni is currently in Sierra Leone with his family to ensure the smooth running of their gold refinery investment.
“We chose Sierra Leone because we have confidence in doing business in the country,” he remarked. He praised the support of Government towards his interment plans and called for a stronger collaboration leading to the official start of the company’s operations in Sierra Leone.