Aminata Kamara, 41 had no idea of International Women’s Day celebrated on March 8th across the World. The mother of four was not the only woman who didn’t have the slightest idea of a day set aside by the United Nations in solidarity with the women of the world. Aminata was among hundreds of women in Yele Chiefdom, Tonkolili District and possibly other parts of rural Sierra Leone who had remained ignorant of the several policies and programs meant to emancipate their lot.

In his nationwide address on International Women’s Day, President Julius Maada Bio called for collective efforts to address the challenges faced by women in Sierra Leone. The President believed the development of our women and girls must transcend “mere words…and mere acknowledgment of an obligation.”

Apparently, the 8th of March would have been of little significance to the women in that part of the country had the Gilo Education and Economic Development (GEED) Foundation, not arrived to complement government efforts by commemorating the day with the presentation of an entrepreneurial package for the Gbonkolenken Market Women Association. This had come after similar packages to women in Bonthe, Western Area, Bo and Masiaka.

The event which took place at the Yele Court Barry saw 30 women petty traders receiving motivational soft commercial packages which they are expected to repay in eight months. “Our focus is to ensure more women benefit from these motivational boosters and help them become self-reliant,” said founder and Director of GEED Foundation, Dr. Walton Ekundayo Gilpin. Gilpin said he started his organization in 2008 whilst working in the diaspora and has carried out several humanitarian interventions – helping school children and women in some parts of the country. “These humanitarian activities have been largely personally funded, with some support from the Good News Prayer Group. I believe every citizen with the means has a responsibility to do something similar and help bridge the poverty gap in our country…this is not just the responsibility of government…it should be a collective responsibility,” he maintained.

The event was climaxed by the feeding of over 200 women and children in Yele as well as the formal launching of the GEED Foundation in Tonkolili District.

As they returned home in apparent adulation, Aminata and her 29 compatriots were visibly happy at the prospect of an increase in their business capital made possible through the kind gesture of Walton Gilpin – a banking executive and a philanthropist with an insatiable appetite to reach out to his less fortunate compatriots.

GEED Foundation is a none political, none profit and progressive organization. Its major focus is on supporting Women and Children, with the aim of improving human capital and the development index in Sierra Leone.

Police officers across the country benefitted from one week refresher training that was organized by the Human Rights Commission on the 9th March 2019. The training was based on application of human rights standards in policing post-election conflicts.

The refresher training was conducted in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Police with support from the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). 50 officers were re-trained in Kambia, Makeni, Pujehun, Port Loko and Bo making a total of 250 police officers.

The objective of the training was to strengthen the capacity of Police Officers on the application of Human Rights in policing operations and the appropriate use of force and firearms.

The Human Rights Commission provided two trainers; Frederick Kamara and Richard Tamba M’bayo, Supt Fatmata Kanako Kamara and ASP Solomon Koroma were the trainers from the Police whilst Yande Kane, the Human Rights Advisor to the UN Resident Coordinator also formed part of the trainers.

In Sierra Leone, many security actors are involved in handling security matters before, during and after election. All security institutions do play one role or the other to help the police cope with election challenges. They play their roles with the understanding that police has primacy in the provision of internal security and maintenance of peace and stability as enshrined in the 1991 constitution of Sierra Leone.
Considering the fact that the police force is the principal factor in ensuring internal safety and stability, personnel must be capacitated with an all-round knowledge in Human Rights issues.

The reason for this is that they find themselves trapped in a web of dilemma between Law Enforcement and Human Rights. It is the duty of all officers to ensure that their colleagues uphold the ethical standards of their profession.

One of Sierra Leone’s Finest Economists, Prince Jacob Macauley, in an exclusive interview with this medium, advised the Government to introduce a Free Port at the country’s natural harbour, Queen Elizabeth 11 Quay. This, he stressed, will bring about a turn-around of the country’s economy.
Prince Macauley praised the Government for the bold steps taken so far to revive the economy, but maintained that more should be done. He recognized the fact that the Bio Government inherited a battered economy and it is not going to be easy to fix it. It will take time to fix. The cause of the country’s woes is as a result of the false feasibility work of the African Minerals prior to their establishment in the country. This could be seen after the company folded up operations in the country and sold their shares to Shandong. The Chinese company came with the false picture presented to them by AML on paper, but when on the ground, he discovered that the case was different and it is no surprise that they were unable to cope.
Whilst appreciating the work of the Finance and Development Ministers for their work, he stressed that 3 areas should be addressed namely: reduction of taxation to encourage investors to come to the country, the introduction of a free port at the quay, which will encourage massive flow of goods and a reduction of their prices in the market and most importantly the implementation of the National Development Plan recently developed by the Development Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance. On the latter, he disclosed that it is in consonance with the NDP of the 80s and 90s, but which was not implemented. This plan, whilst ignored by the Government of Sierra Leone the, was adopted and implemented in Botswana and toady that country’s economy is booming. He encouraged the Government to implement this development plan.
Economist Macauley emphasized that the public should know that the economy of the country cannot be addressed within 365 days (One Year), but noted that actions taken by the Government are good and a step in the right direction. Pumping of foreign exchange into the market is not a good practice, but advised that moves be taken to ensure the reduction of taxation on local products. Whilst recognizing that taxation is the process by which the Government generates revenue, he maintained that with less taxation, goods and services will flow and create more job opportunities for its citizens and this increase will further result in more revenue generation.
On the issue of establishing a free port at the quay, Macauley explained that this will encourage the importation of more goods into the country, encourage Asian market to use the port as a transit point of its goods and may even attract investors from those countries to invest in Sierra Leone. It will further create jobs for the youths; thereby reduce the unemployment rate in the country. This move will further reduce the rate of the dollar in the market. It will heighten competition among Sierra Leoneans and foreign business people doing business in the country. He made mention of countries like the Republic of Guinea and other African states that have free ports and how they are impacting on their economies.
“Sierra Leone will become the Dubai of Africa. Free Port will attract duty, investors, buyers and services,” he said adding that it will solve all the problems faced in this sector. With more goods flowing into the country, the bread and butter issues will be addressed and the dollar rate will go down, he asserted.
Economist Macauley further maintained that there should be strengthening of the Local Content Policy. “In Ghana, all foreign businesses have local partners as envisaged in the Sierra Leone Local Content Policy,” he pointed out furthering how Ghanaian business people pay lesser taxes than their foreign counterparts.
He also cautioned that whilst levying taxes on foreign businesses care should be taken not to scare them away.
“The rationale is to encourage local businesses to thrive,” he stated. Government, he stressed, should revisit the tax regime in the country with a view to encourage more investors and motivate interested Sierra Leonean businesses to grow. Local businesses should not be taxed the same as foreign businesses, as this is the case in most African countries that are flourishing today.
On the Development of Agriculture, Macauley maintained that the Agriculture Ministry should go back to the drawing board and map out plans to engage the Farmers’ Associations on ways to improve their yield. The bottom to top approach should be activated. Farmers should be provided with the necessary tools to enhance their work like mechanized farming and provision of seeds and fertilizers. The cultivation of rice, which is the staple food of Sierra Leone, should be encouraged. He made mention of the different varieties of rice and the period of cultivation and harvest (3 & 6 months). Plans should be made to ensure that the varieties are produced according to their respective period and a ready market provided for them. This, he stated will encourage farmers to get involve in farming. With a ready market for their products, farmers will discover that their business will be profitable and this will attract more farmers to the sector. As agriculture improves, the need for more importation will dwindle and exportation expanded.
On the Single Treasury Account implemented by the Government, Macauley maintained that as a start, the measure is good as it ensures transparency and accountability, but in the long run it will hamper the operations of MDAs, as it will slow down their mode of operations. Strict financial management should be implemented and the STA phased out, he suggested.
In his opinion, Economist Macauley said that the government has done extremely well, considering the state of the economy it inherited and the challenges of debt owed that it is still paying back. This improvement has been due to shrewd financial management and planning orchestrated by both the ministries of Finance and Economic Planning. It is his hope that the Government will think seriously about the establishment of a free port to attract more goods and services coming in to the country, for this is the only way it could reduce taxes, create jobs, reduce the erratic rise of the dollar and address all the bread and butter issues.

A Sierra Leonean family from Canada has donated five executive chairs and three conference tables to the Legal Aid Board.
The items were handed over to the Executive Director of the Board, Ms. Fatmata Claire Carlton-Hanciles by Mrs. Mabinty Bangura from Thunder Bay, Canada in a short ceremony in the head office of the Board on March 12.
She said she and her husband Bassie Bangura chose to donate to the items to the Board because they want to contribute to the wonderful job it is doing around the country by ensuring poor people access justice in an affordable and speedy.
Ms. Carlton-Hanciles said she is happy Sierra Leoneans overseas know and appreciate what the Board is doing. She assured the family that the Board will do more and ensure the poor have access to and are not disadvantaged in the processng justice. ‘We have set very high standards for ourselves and this is why we have been able to achieve so much and become a household name,’ she said.
It would be recalled that the family donated thirty (30) desktop computers and accessories to the Board in 2017.

On Tuesday 12th March 2019, the Epilepsy Association of Sierra Leone (EAS) with the sponsorship of Sierra Pharma Tech (SPT) and in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and other partners, embarked on a city wide match to raise awareness about the disease. They were joined by top artists like LAJ, COLABO, JEANNIE, MACMUDE etc.
During the match the group went about spreading their message in the markets and along the streets as they passed by. Leaflets were distributed to on-lookers and passers-by encapsulating the misconception of the disease.
At the Municipal school compound along Lightfoot Boston Street, opposite the Nurses’ hostel, the association and a crowd of interested Sierra Leoneans, including school going kids were addressed by the super stars. LAJ told the audience that as popular musicians, it is their corporate social; responsibility to raise the awareness that epilepsy is a sickness and not a demonic attack or witchcraft.
He further maintained that it can be controlled if the patient is taken to the hospital early enough. Colabo, Macmude and Jeannie also described the sickness as one of those ailments that befalls people and can be treated. They further explained to the crowd that frequent visits to the various hospitals and PHUs across the country for treatment will ensure that the patients live normal life.
Speaking to this medium, Professor Lisk, a neurologist and technical adviser to the Association, said that contrary to traditional beliefs that epilepsy is as a result of demonic attack or witchcraft, the disease is caused by some damage to the brain (the cerebellum), which can be caused by a fall, or heavy blow to the head and even malaria (cerebral malaria). Its characteristic is a convulsive attack accompanied by foaming of the mouth. Whilst many citizens say that the fluid from the foaming, if touched by any person will see a transfer of the disease to that person, Professor Lisk dismissed that conjecture as false and impossible. He maintained that epilepsy is not contagious and cannot be transferred from one person to another otherwise those who take care of the patients when they get the attacks, would have contracted the disease. He wanted the public to know that there is treatment for patients suffering from the disease and that they should bring their family members and friends suffering from epilepsy to any of the hospitals in the country for treatment. Constant adherence to treatment will reduce the attacks and control the disease.
Speaking on behalf of the Association, the Executive Director Max Bangura, said that epilepsy is like hypertension or diabetes. It cannot be cured but can be controlled if the patient visits the hospitals or clinics regularly and take their medication. He disclosed that this awareness campaign was raised after visits to several parts of the country and the discovery that a lot of people had negative perception about the disease. He stated that in Bo, in just a single day, they treated 382 patients with epilepsy (some of them coming from nearby villages). In Freetown they are treating over 400 cases per month (some new cases and older ones). Connaught treats some 200 epilepsy patients per month whilst Rokupa hospital treats 170 every month (both old and new cases). He further disclosed that statistics show that there are Seventy Thousand cases (70,000) of epilepsy in the country. This figure is alarming, especially as perception of the public about the disease is that it is the result of demonic attack or witchcraft. He stated that that perception is wrong and the campaign is geared towards reducing this fear and the stigma that goes with it. He called on family members and friends of such patients to embrace them and bring them to the clinics for treatment. Epilepsy is not a demonic attack or witchcraft; it is a medical condition like all other ailments and can be controlled with proper care. It is not transferable from person to person and touching the foam from the patient’s mouth will not transfer the disease to anyone.
Max Bangura further disclosed that they have over 1500 trained health workers across the country administering treatment to such patients. He encouraged families to come with such patients to the hospitals for treatment and to avoid taking them to witch doctors for treatment as it has nothing to do with witchcraft.
However exponents of medicinal marijuana say that with scientific discovery of the herb as a viable drug for the treatment of epilepsy and tested in medical facilities in the UK, USA and CANADA with outstanding results, it is worth trying in the country to tackle this disease. In their view it is all the more reason that they are advocating for action to facilitate the cultivation of the herb and extraction of the relevant compound to deal with this and other ailments. Reference was made about a case in the UK where the parents sought an action to get the government to allow their kid to use the drug to address the seizure the kid experiences frequently.

The executive director of the National Petroleum Liberia Limited, Kobi Walker says the company is here to support the economic aspirations of the government and people of Liberia, which is an expression of enduring determination to stay.
Mr. Walker made the statement Friday, March 8 at the official launch of the NP Liberia Limited headquarters in Congo Town, indicating that NP will continue to grow and sustain its business in a manner completely devoid of any political participation or influence.
The launch brought together John B. S. Davies, president of the Liberian Bank for Development and Investment (LBDI); Commerce Minister Wilson Tarpeh; Sam Mitchell, proprietor, Corina Hotel; Ambassador Babatunde O. Ajisomo, ECOWAS commissioner to Liberia, among others.
According to the management of NP Liberia Limited, the new headquarters is valued over US$2.5 million.
The new facility was described as a clear manifestation of investment by reputable personalities who attended the launch.
“This building should be reflective of the NP experience and serve as a beacon of light and a haven of excellence in customer service. But the building alone cannot infuse the vision and passion that guide our work. It’s the human spirit, camaraderie, interaction and cordial working relationship between colleagues and customers that will make a difference,” Mr. Walker said.
He said he was extremely grateful to the Liberian government and people of Liberia for creating the enabling atmosphere for such an investment. Mr. Walker expressed gratitude to everyone, including the employees and hoped that the investment will be good value for money.
He said NP is a leading oil marketing company in Sierra Leone and is wholly and exclusively owned by 35 Sierra Leoneans, most of whom are former and current staff, including office messengers and janitors.
Ambassador Babatunde O. Ajisomo, ECOWAS Representative to Liberia, said the private sector remains cardinal to the development of any nation.
“The public and private sectors work together all around the world. We need the private sector because it’s important in every society to help to build a developing a country,” Commissioner Ajisomo said.
He lauded the management of the NP Liberia Limited for the investment in Liberia, indicating that “this is a clear indication of the importance of the private sector.”
Wilson Tarpeh, Minister for Commerce and Industry (MOCI) expressed gratitude to the management of NP Liberia Limited for the level of investment, including employment of Liberians.
“This government is committed to creating the enabling environment for investment. We will continue to work with all investors to ensure that the necessary atmosphere is available for business. We need the private sector in order to make progress as a government. This government remains focused in working with the private sector,” Mr. Tarpeh said.
Francis A. Dennis, board chairman of NP Liberia Limited, said the new facility remains an outstanding structure, indicating that “we look forward to meaningful contribution in Liberia.”
He lauded Mohammed S. Kanu, former Managing Director of NP Liberia Limited, for the memorializing the occasion.
“We hope that just as the banking sector has made significant progress in Liberia, so too the NP shall be in the petroleum sector in Liberia,” Mr. Dennis said.

In the heated and fun-packed Housemates Salone 2019 Reality Show the contestants continue to display their innate talents in diverse ways with the intended purpose of attracting votes from the general public. They are consciously doing so with the aim of optimally fulfilling or displaying nudity, strong language and humour which is why it is observable that there is a lot of gossiping taking place within the House, with these Housemates trying to put on sexy outlooks to gain attention.
The show, which is expected to reach its climax by mid- April 2019, has truly turned out to be a learning platform where the competitors are availed the opportunity to practically and theoretically imbibe new skills as well as knowledge based on different spheres of life. In other words, it has turned out to be a learning ground where they learn new things and explore certain ideas or initiatives.
There could be doubt that through the frequent interactions lasting relationships are fostered among the Housemates and there is every possibility that such could become lifetime ones. It is therefore arguable to assert that these young competitors, meaning those who have been already evicted and others that are currently in the House, had benefited and are still benefiting from empowerment which will somehow transform them into becoming more mature people after Housemates Salone.
On Sunday 10th March 2019 the 3rd eviction took place which saw some of the Housemates leaving the House bringing down the number now in the House down to a sizeable level. It was all sobbing from the unfortunate Housemates as the eviction marked the shattering of their nattily held propped-up determination and ambitious hopes of reaching the very top and even grab the attractive Le100, 000,000 prize that has been put forward by the organizers of the competition, Africa Young Voices (AYV) and Africell.
Being an interesting and widely watched Reality TV Show on AYV TV Channel 34, Housemates Salone has provided a marketing conduit for many corporate and business institutions such as Banks, business houses, entertainment entities etc, who are effectively making use of the platform for advertisement purposes and awareness raising of the various services they offer.
Indeed, this gateway will definitely lead to yielding fruitful dividends as advertisement forms a cardinal component of marketing. Making such a possibility is a clear manifestation that AYV and Africell strongly believe in symbiotic synergy for business expansion and success.
Many have expressed the view that Housemates Salone must not be looked at negatively from a religious perspective as some are going with the notion that it is immoral by negatively exposing these young participants or giving them the free hand to indulge in sinful acts of perversion. This they furthered is totally erroneous as the show has to do strictly with empowerment and exposure.

“I don’t see anything wrong with staging such an entertainment show because it affords the opportunity to socialize and take up leadership roles evident in some being chosen as couples of the week that must ensure that the House is orderly maintained as well as some who rotationally act as the eyes of the unseen Chief who from time to time gives instructions to the Housemates,” Elvis Koroma, an event manager frankly intimated.
As the clock continues to tick the Housemates are trying to become very endearing with the avowed objective to increase their support bases.

Perhaps the very first obligation of every patriotic citizen following the launching of the recent “blueprint” encapsulating our National Development Plan (NDP) for years 2019- 2023 is to congratulate the government of President Bio for such a comprehensive development framework for improvement of the lives of all and sundry. I call it recent because over the past eon years, every sitting government has prided itself with launching one such project or the other, each striving to negate or destroy the legacies of their precursors, but each having to be scrapped mid-stream on account of changes in political dispensations, that ultimately makes them not “national” in character and ownership ab-initio. Late Presidents Momoh’s and Tejan-Kabbah’s “Green” and “Belfull by 2007” revolutions respectively, and former President Ernest Bai Koroma’s “Agendas for Change and Prosperity” readily come to mind. Now it’s time for President Maada Bio’s development trajectory via the New Direction. So what has been passing off as NDPs are in reality the development aspirations of individual incumbent Heads of overnments.

But whatever its basis was or however it was arrived at, everyone needs to support its implementations throughout because as an old English adage puts it: “an ill-wind blows nobody good”. If it fails, the next government will be hard done by for not having a basis to work from, whereas if it succeeds, they will be taking over the reins of power figuratively on a silver platter and in peace and security, just like this SLPP did. So that is all the more reason why we need to ensure that this NDP which is geared towards improving lives hopefully across political divides succeeds.

Disingenuous
I am heartened by the assurance that in crafting the NDP, extensive consultations were undertaken – some two million locally and globally – just to make sure we get it right first time this time round. If that was the real case, and to ensure that the concept is well marketed to guarantee a fully participatory ownership throughout its implementation processes, then this government needs to be urged to tone down its uncompromisingly sustained and belligerent rhetoric. At the launch of such an important document requiring the full buy-in of citizens irrespective of one’s political persuasion as is envisaged in the National Commission for Peace and Cohesion proposed by H.E President Bio, was it necessary for him to be repeating statements that could only serve to divide, rather than unite us further? That the past government “…..lacked capacity….were corrupt…..characterized by widespread looting….unaccountability etc…” is no longer necessary and should with absolute respect Sir, be dispensed with. It is disingenuous to attempt to market a particular product concept by branding a populous segment of the proven demand sector as “Ayampis”…..”Thieves”. That will automatically engender a general boycott of the concept, just like Americans of Negroid descent boycotted the “Tommy Hilfiger” brand following his allegedly unguarded diatribe that if he’d known about their taste for his brand, he would not have allowed his “Hilfiger” products to have reached their market.

Appeal
The appeal to the government to tone down their rhetoric holds good specifically for my “good friend of yore”, the Finance Minister Mr. J J Saffa. His status demands that. Oh Yes as Mayor of Freetown he was my “good friend”. But now each time he speaks, the belligerence underpinning his utterances belies a desire to effectively market anything impacting on the economic advancement of the country, and that demeanor is diminishing his public appeal. In one breadth we are encourage to join hands with government to move the country forward as “politics is over”, but in the same breadth they do not cease to publicly accuse us as “villains not fit for purpose” (albeit without substantiation). So how do they want the NDP that must be aligned with the proposed Peace and National Cohesion Commission platform to succeed?

The reasons for my fervent appeal to government to tone down their rhetoric is because a five-year plan that is supposed to run from 2019 to 2023 is already one year late. If concerted efforts are not made to actualize those plans by 2021 they will remain a pipe dream because by then serious governance will be relegated into abeyance and nothing but politics and political campaigns will once more become the order of the day, ultimately grinding tangible developments into a halt. Further, no one region, one political party or one individual Head of State can by themselves attain ultimate or finite development in any country without inputs from across the political divide. Development is a process. Equally so no one individual has ever served or will ever serve, as Finance Minister for five, let alone ten continuous years in his country. But I will leave it at that for the time being.

It has to be noted that as corrupt as the past APC regime was alleged to have been that rendered this country broke and bankrupt has yet to be proved beyond all reasonable doubts. No broke and bankrupt country is able to resume or continue negotiations with the International Donor Community – be they Chinese or the World Bank. Ask the Venezuelans. Rather one can safely assume that from ongoing commendable infrastructural advancement by this government, the APC left indelible legacies now being used as springboards to project itself as a “Talk and Do” government – a slight variation of the “Action Without Intention” slogan of the previous administration, and which explains why we did not see or read of any “Expression of Interest” (EOI) Requests or Procurement processes initiated by the SLPP in the past ten (10) months for any of the commendable infrastructural strides they continue to make in the Roads, Health, Telecommunications and Energy sectors. So it’s either they tone down their rhetoric to take us along in their development rides or we will all perish together.

Failed
If I have any reservations about the NDP it is that it has been rigidly aligned with, and anchored on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which has been concocted more on the aspirations of how our international donor partners (from whom we have never been able to extricate ourselves economically) would wish to see us Africans develop using the same “One size fits all” concept of the failed Millennium Development Goals” (MDGs), without an iota of consideration for our respective country-specific cultural and economic constraints. But never mind, African governments can always seek solace in the fact that our donor partners will never run out of excuses for the failure of concepts they initiated that were forcefully piloted within our African continent, insofar as it complimented their periodic Regime-Change agendas.

Benchmarks
Until you listened to statements from the UNDP Resident Representative at the launch of the NDP, you would be forgiven for imagining that the NDP was the best thing to have ever happened to this country since independence in 1961. Pro-SLPP tabloids and airwaves were inconsolable in lavishing praises on President Bio for the concept document. But the UNDP Resident Representative was much circumspect in his address, and realizing that no tangible development can take place in any country without sustainable peace and stability, clearly urged the President to accelerate implementation of a number of agreed political benchmarks that will (a) Promote sound democratic governance (b) Deepen political tolerance (c) Practicalize political inclusivity that transcends tribes, regions or political persuasions and (d) Resume and complete a comprehensive review of our 1991 National Constitution. All above recommendations by the UNDP Resident Representatives justifies my clarion calls over the past five months that indeed political schisms inhibiting development exists that must be diffused. I am convinced it was on account of all of those considerations that the Chief Minister yesterday hurriedly presented the “Green Paper” on the proposed Peace and National Cohesion Commission to H.E. President Bio – almost three months late. Yes, three months late because the original timeline was by end December last year.

The most important of all recommendations from the UNDP Resident Representative is (d) – a comprehensive overhaul of our 1991 National Constitution. As it is, too much powers has been vested in one person – HE the President. If they are not exercising “Supreme Executive Authority” they will be issuing “Executive Orders”, neither of which is proving helpful to sustaining sound institutional governance predicated on peace and stability, accountability, political inclusivity and the Rule of Law. So the fact of the matter isn’t that our past National Development Plans were not robust enough, it’s just that the institutional support structures are far weaker than the incumbent political leaderships which, under our present National Constitution, blurs regard for the principles of ”separation of powers” as intended by the original crafters of the Instrument, and invariably rendering the implementing agencies seriously undermined midstream. For good of country, this has to change.

As a nation we have toyed for too long with this idea of a comprehensive Constitutional Review, and for me, there’s no better time to do it than now.

Julius Maada Bio in barely 10 months in office has already laid out and begun to implement an ambitious agenda, aimed at transforming the impoverished nation into a major hub for technology and innovation.
In a visit to MIT on Thursday, he stressed the importance of partnerships and alliances in bringing this vision to reality, and talked about some initial collaborations with MIT that are already underway, with more under discussion.
The visit, which included a delegation of officials from Sierra Leone and continued on to a series of meetings at Harvard University, was initiated by MIT alumnus David Moinina Sengeh, SM ’12, PhD ’16, who was appointed last year by President Bio to head the newly created Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation (DSTI) and to serve as Chief Innovation Officer.
The visit included a tour of MIT’s Media Lab, where Sengeh earned his master’s and doctorate degrees. The tour was led by the lab’s founding director Nicholas Negroponte and included visits to several different research groups.
The Media Lab has already signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Sierra Leone Government, initiating a series of collaborations including opportunities for visiting students and joint research projects between MIT and universities in Sierra Leone.
In introducing President Bio for a public talk before the tour, MIT Vice President for Open Learning, Sanjay Sarma, described the recently elected President’s “very ambitious and inspiring national development plan” for the next five years, “which focuses on ‘human capital’ development, health and education, a diversified and resilient green economy, strengthening an inclusive, just, peaceful state, and a competitive economy with a well-developed infrastructure.”
President Bio said that already, “we’ve been able to accomplish quite a lot,” despite having “inherited a nearly bankrupt state,” saddled with huge debt and failing institutions. While many people outside the small West African nation so far mostly associate it with its brutal war and its outbreak of the Ebola virus, he said, “what we want to do is change all of that narrative.”
He said that while this is “a daunting task, I admit,” it’s one they have already begun to make progress on. As one measure to begin dealing with their strained economy, the Government has set up an independent Commission of Inquiry focused on corrupt officials from past administrations, with the aim of recovering money that was pilfered from public funds, and using it toward the new development goals.
In working to bring about sustainable development, Bio said, “you cannot do that without a quality education.” One of the essential needs is for “people and institutions who can share knowledge, valuable knowledge that is good for our development.” Part of the reason for his trip to Cambridge, he said, was to seek out ways of fostering such knowledge-sharing through an emphasis on collaborations with leading thinkers, institutions, and groups.
In a nation where 60 percent of adults can’t read or write, education is clearly a key need, and that has become “our flagship program,” he said. Investing in Sierra Leone’s human capital, he said, is the best investment they can make as a nation. The Government has already declared and implementing free, quality education for all, from pre-primary through high school, he said. “That is ongoing now,” despite the nation’s limited financial resources, so that “even the poorest of the poor” will have access to new opportunities.
A second part of his three-pronged plan, he said, is to make sure that those educated brains are housed in bodies that are healthy and strong, by improving access to quality health care. And finally, to maintain those healthy bodies, another essential part of the plan is to work toward greater food and water security.
To encourage investment in the nation, he is working to streamline and simplify tax codes and regulations, to make it easier for businesses to become established there. “We want to set up a one-stop shop for all investments” to help guide entrepreneurs through the process, he said. The nation has strong potential for new industries in solar energy, natural gas, and other energy technologies, he said.
“Technology can help us to catch up, and maybe even lead the process of development one day,” he said. That’s why he established the new Directorate of Science, Technology, and Innovation, “to bring to bear on the process of development things that can make the process easier. We want to leverage the benefits of information and communications technology to promote entrepreneurship and development. That’s why we see science and technology as a way to seed innovation.”
The new and growing collaborations with MIT might help in that process. With support from the MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives, four MIT students, along with Ethan Zuckerman, director of the Media Lab’s Center for Civic Media, have already spent time in Sierra Leone, working with the DSTI to advance existing research projects and assist in software development projects. The recently signed memorandum of understanding with the Media Lab will allow more such visits to take place, including work on a water monitoring project, and DSTI researchers will also be spending time doing research at the Media Lab; similar exchanges are expected over the summer. Meanwhile, discussions about further collaborations are ongoing.
Sierra Leone’s Njala University will also become a member of the Abdul Latif Jameel World Education Lab to transform its education system, with goals of empowering students with skills for success and promoting high-impact research. At the event, Professor Hazel Sive, director of Higher Education at J-WEL, presented Aiah Gbakima, Sierra Leone Minister of Technical and Higher Jducation, with a J-WEL membership certificate.
Sengeh, speaking at the public talk, drew comparisons between the atmosphere of MIT and what he sees in his home country. “The same things that are true at MIT are also true at Freetown,” the capital city, he said. He cited the same kind of freedom to explore ideas creatively that he experienced at MIT and also in Sierra Leone’s State House with the new Directorate. “We’re lucky to have a leadership in Freetown who create that sense of freedom for thinking about science and innovation. … The President and I talk about blockchain in his office, yes, we talk about IoT [the internet of things]. And that is a wonderful and special place to be in, where you have a leadership who engage technically.”
Speaking about the new agreements on cooperation, Sengeh said “what is amazing about this relationship is I know that Sierra Leone and MIT will be together, and this is an equal co-partnership that is based on mutual respect, empathy and a desire to change the world.”

During a well-attended and interactive meeting His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio was awarded by State Representative, Shawn C Dooley of the House of Representatives of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts in Boston.

Honouring President Bio, the State Representative said that he was very impressed with the leadership of the President in transforming Sierra Leone.

Shawn C. Dooley also congratulated President Bio for fostering a great friendship between Sierra Leone and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts through this historic visit.

According to the citation of the award from the State Representative of the Massachusetts House of Representatives to President Julius Maada Bio, it reads: “The entire membership extends its very best wishes and expresses the hope for future good fortune and continued success in all endeavours.”

The award of President Julius Maada Bio took place during a town hall meeting with Sierra Leoneans where President Bio also highlighted his achievements of Government in less than one year.

In his address, President Bio spoke about his commitment to human capital development through his Free Quality Education Programme, the fight against corruption, the commissions of inquiry among other things. He also told the audience that his government has launched the Medium Term National Development Plan which was inclusively prepared to address the development challenges of our country.

During the town hall meeting, the Chairman SLPP North America, Mohamed Bah moved the vote of thanks while the meeting was chaired by the Sierra Leone Ambassador to the United States of America, H.E Sidique Abu Bakarr Wai.

On Thursday, 7th March, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio continued his formal engagement with a visit to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he was received by Cindy Barnhart, Chancellor. The President visited Harvard University on Friday 8th March 2019.