Recently, Vice President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh announced major changes which the Bio led Government will soon be implementing to boost tourism and other key sectors of the economy.
Visiting Njala University last week, the Vice President spoke about the Government’s intention to put University education at the centre of Government’s drive to improve the country’s workforce and bridge skills gap.
He said that the Government will increase University budgets so as to improve not only the buildings and facilities, but to improve learning, research and innovation. Universities are a major component of nation building, because they play a leading role in research and development.
He also spoke about the potential of the marine sector. But he said that regrettably Sierra Leone earns only $17 million revenue from the marine industry, through licensing fees issued to foreign trawlers. This he said is unacceptable and must change.
Sierra Leone lacks the infrastructure for marine processing, packaging and exporting, he said. And this needs to change if the economy is to grow and jobs created.
The Government, he said, is putting appropriate structures and policies in place to make the necessary changes.
But Government, according to him cannot undertake the massive investment needed to grow the marine sector. The private sector must take on this role.
The role of Government, he said, is to create the necessary climate and conditions that will promote and stimulate private sector investment that will in turn create jobs.
The Vice President said that the private sector in Sierra Leone has experienced prolonged periods of contraction because of bureaucratic hurdles, especially in establishing new businesses.
This problem, he said applies, to both indigenous and foreign investors. He added that the President has created an investment board which acts as the key policy making body for all private sector investments.
The aim of the Bio led Government the VP said, is to expand the private sector to create jobs and grow the economy. This will then enable Government to earn more revenue through taxation, rather than borrowing or seeking international aid.
“Government does not directly create jobs but creates the necessary environment that enables the private sector to create jobs,” Jalloh said.
Speaking about developing the country’s tourism industry, Vice President Jalloh is clear about what needs to be done.
“We are working towards putting infrastructure in place to declare Sierra Leone a visa-free country, which means so many people around the world can just jump on a plane and come to Sierra Leone and get a visa on arrival.
“This country does not have a lot of foreign Missions across the world so the best way you can encourage tourists, business people and investors to come is to make things easy for them.
“We are also looking at instituting an eVisa system which means you could sit down in your home and apply for your visa electronically to come to Sierra Leone. We are investing in infrastructure.
“Tourism means a lot for the future of Sierra Leone. We see it as an entry point for re-branding Sierra Leone. We want to send a strong signal to the world that Sierra Leone is open for business and also for tourism.
“We see the tourism sector as one of the vehicles to drive diversification of the economy. We see that it is able to stimulate growth and also build an economic base that offers jobs for boys and girls across the country,” said Jalloh.

On Sunday 3rd March 2019, Sierra Leone’s newest and second private Birth Centre in the country was officially unveiled at 54 Circular Road in Central Freetown. Present at the ceremony were several stakeholders including Dr. Samba, a popular gynaecologist, the head of Midwifery at the College of Medicine and Allied Health Sciences (COMAHS), Dr. Joan Shepard, Dr. Mike Kamara, Mrs. Jennifer Renner-Thomas, Mrs. Amber Coker etc.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, amidst intermittent bursts of emotion, the Centre’s Clinical Director, Junova Swarray (Nee Ellis) gave a brief background into the journey leading to the establishment of the centre at Circular Road. She disclosed that she was motivated by her 3 year old daughter (now 11years) to take up the challenge to establish the centre. This motivation, she added was also premised on the belief that she was destined to embrace women’s issues, especially in the area of delivery.
Digressing further on her belief that she was predestined to work in that field, Junova dissected her name, which she maintained is a pointer to her future engagement. Born on the 26th of June and her late father on 26th November, she said that the blend of both months is ‘JUNOVA’. Furthermore, the combination of the name of the Roman Goddess of Child Birth (JUNO- meaning every woman needs her personal guardian angel) and the female reproductive organ, the Ovary (women’s eggs), form her name. She therefore had this belief that she was destined to work in that field. As a Maternity-in-Patient Manager in one of the renowned teaching hospitals in the UK, she has vast experience in practical delivery of pregnant women and wanted to replicate them in Sierra Leone. This centre, she maintained, is her own way of giving back to Sierra Leone and hoped for its replication all over the country.
Marina House Birth Centre is named after her late mother, who died due to cervical cancer and House is a place that one can feel relaxed, secured, comfortable, nurturing, get respite and care. Thus the Birth Centre is organised to encourage pregnant women deliver amidst an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity, with latest therapeutic measures to facilitate the right atmosphere for a relaxed delivery. She intimated that there is musical therapy, pool therapy and close personal interaction between the nurses cum midwife and the patients. She maintained that what will take place in the centre will be along best international practices. She added that there will be no need for an ambulance as all the equipment for delivery are in place and even in cases where surgery is needed, the expert surgeons will be available as a theatre is in place for any such cases. The centre has fully air conditioned maternity rooms equipped with TV sets to enhance relaxation of the patients, delivery room, operating theatre, laboratory etc. a real sense of being looked after during labour (is their Trade mark). Midwives in the facility will be with the patients during labour and be encouraging them to hold on. They will display that high level of professionalism where patients are encouraged rather than shouted at. The centre will be run on a 24 hour basis (3 shifts) and there is going to be that one-to-one care in the institution.
On the issue of cost, Madam Junova said that their charges are competitive and are within the reach of many citizens. She invites citizens to come and hold discussions on the charges, admonishing them not to shy away because of the facilities as negotiations can be done and a common ground reached. The hospital has qualified staff and there is commitment by professional midwives who had hitherto retired, to come on board and offer their services. She expressed appreciation to various personalities, singling out her care taker, Amadu for being there all those years.
Sia Katherine Sohna, the MHBC’s first patient, in an exclusive interview with this medium said that she watched the Proprietress of the institution on television, explaining the facilities and care they offer to their patients. This then moved her (as this is her first pregnancy) to contact them. She maintained that being anxious about having safe delivery; she was looking for a place with experts and trained personnels and found it in this institution. She is now pleased and hopeful of safe delivery and called on other pregnant women to come on board for better and proper health care during delivery.
Dr. Joan Shepard, Head of Midwifery at COMAHS, expressed pleasure at the facilities in the clinic, adding that it will enhance further knowledge and experiences of some of her trainees at COMAHS. She praised the Proprietress for this noble act and hoped other clinics will emulate the standards set in the facility. She noted that midwifery is a delicate area because one mistake can be fatal, so there is every need for professional service delivery and concern for detail. She stressed on the protection of the health care workers with the requisite protective gears as they deal with a lot of body fluids. She noted that the facility and the caliber of staff will render quality services to their patients.

The way and manner in which vehicular traffic has degenerated into an eyesore and posing potential serious danger and threat to lives and properties has become a serious cause for concern. What is really mind boggling and heart rendering is the lukewarm approach by the Sierra Leone Police of the traffic division and the Traffic Corps are dealing with the situation of violation of traffic regulations by commercial , private and even Government drivers who everyday with impunity are behaving recklessly creating avoidable inconveniences and sometimes leading to fatal accidents.
As if they are not trained to deal with traffic issues, the Police particularly turn blind eyes to the excesses of drivers leaving them to just behave according to their whims and caprices.
Coming to work yesterday, 5th March 2019, from the Goderich axis this writer experienced first-hand at Lumley how certain drivers deliberately left the lanes they were supposed to be driven on diverting to the other lane meant for vehicles coming from the opposite direction thereby intensifying traffic build-up.
The Lumley experience is just an isolated case as this abnormally takes place on Kissy Road, East End Police and other parts within the city. It has become so lamentable preventing school going pupils to attend school timely and even return home quickly after school not to mention how it negatively affect workers.
What was so annoying was seeing traffic police officers milling around doing nothing to arrest the untoward situation.
When one of them was asked why no action was taken all he could reply was that doing so may jeopardise their jobs.
What has become so funny and bizarre is that some of these Police Officers are always noticed saluting whenever they see a vehicle with tinted window screens going to the extent of giving such preferential treatment by allowing them to speedily drive through even embarrassing other drivers. They act panicky in that way as if they will be castigated but to be very frank it smacks of sycophancy.
To justify that this ugly trend has become very noticeable and unbearable even though the SLPP led Government under the leadership of President Julius Maada Bio highlighted the issue on the 16th July 2018 encapsulated in a Public Notice it continues to get worse everyday round the clock.

In the Public Notice it was emphatically maintained by Government that “His Excellency the President has expressed grave concern over the disregard/ disrespect for Traffic Rules and Regulations by vehicles and motor-driven objects including Government Registered Vehicles carrying Ministers. This practice is not only contrary to Traffic Rules and Regulations which are punishable by law but also demoralizes disciplined and law-abiding users of the road and has the potential of causing fatal accidents, particularly when they drive against recognized traffic. With immediate effect, all vehicles and motor-driven objects including vehicles carrying Ministers of Government (save Emergency Vehicles defined by law must adhere to traffic rules and regulations particularly those that run against the traffic will face the full penalty of the law. The Inspector General of Police and the Chief Executive of SLRSA are advised accordingly.”
No research is needed to prove that some of the country’s traffic police officers are well corrupt, unpatriotic paid from the people’s taxes that run a well-knit extortion, bribery and intimidation racket.
Disgustingly, they are more interested in extorting drivers than actually and professionally discharging their duties within the context of enhancing adherence to traffic rules and regulations.
The Traffic Corps are a little better in the area of enforcing traffic rules and regulations. Seemingly though, it appears as if they are working in concert with certain errant Traffic Police Officers as accomplices deeply enmeshed in taking bribes.
“I am sick and tired of this madness and brazen show of disregard by reckless drivers as every day they put our lives in danger. The Government needs to act tough against the errant ones and institute strict penal measures,” a pot-bellied man only known as Mr. Amara fumed.
A shop owner at Lumley confessed that drivers’ reckless behaviours are not strange in that part of the country further suggesting that the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) should come onboard robustly and try to restore sanity.
From what majority of Sierra Leoneans that were interviewed recommended is that President Julius Maada Bio must take stern action to root or stem such reckless and unprofessional attaitudes.

Alhaji Amadu Bah aka LAJ head of the Red Flag Movement or RFM has vented anger at the Police, accusing them of being bias furthering how the Force has the calculated ploy to having a mission to smear his image. He said over the last few years he has had to endure “a string of ill treatments and injustices in the hands of the police” leading him to lose faith in the impartiality of the justice system.
During a press engagement in Freetown, LAJ narrated series of incidents he has had altercation with the Police citing one instance when he was arrested further underscoring that complaints he lodged with the Police were treated with levity.
LAJ has young fans right across the country and some of his released tracks have been popular.
His Movement, RFM had been in tense rivalry with Black Leo another music based group headed by Kao Denero ,Amara Turay, sometimes generating fatal, bloody clashes.
LAJ mentioned different instances when he was accused of involvement in some crime, for which he was arrested, detained and later released without charge without any action taken by the Police.
According to him, he has been attacked at least two times by supporters of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), which is currently in power.
The musician informed newsmen that he is appealing to the Government and Police to treat him fairly pointing out that he is not a violent person as some are purporting.

In a latest revelation, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio will visit the Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Harvard University, the interdisciplinary research laboratory of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and attend the 6th International Development Africa Forum in Casablanca. These three engagements have been scheduled for the 7th – 16th March 2019.

Within the United States the President will engage with students, researchers and faculty as he builds partnerships for technical and academic exchange.

MIT, founded in 1861 in response to the increasing industrialization of the United States, is well known for its stress on laboratory instruction in applied science and engineering.
Harvard, on the other hand, is best known for its popular majors in the sciences. It is also well known for its leadership program.
Both institutions are based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and are privately run.
At Harvard University, President Bio will honour the invitation of the Harvard University President, Larry Bacow to deliver a Distinguished Lecture at the Institute of Politics, Harvard Kennedy School. He will also give Keynote Address at the Harvard University Center for African Studies Forum on Sierra Leone which will take place at the Harvard Law School. The open Forum will include lectures by distinguished faculty from both Harvard and Tufts Universities.

Whilst in Massachusetts, President Bio will also visit the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he will be hosted by the co-founder of the MIT Media Lab and Chairman Emeritus Nicholas Negroponte and MIT Media Lab Director Joi Ito. President Bio will also deliver a speech at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and participate in a roundtable on universal quality education and access to connectivity. It could be recalled that last year former President Barack Obama was also hosted by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

From Massachusetts, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio will also travel to Casablanca in Morocco where he has been invited to attend the 6th International Africa Development Forum as Guest. President Bio has been invited by Mohamed El Kettani, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Attijariwafa Bank. The International Africa Development Forum is a platform linking between economic agents, investors, and policy makers. President Bio will arrive in Casablanca on the 13th March and depart on the 16th March 2019. President Bio departed Sierra Leone yesterday, Tuesday 5th March 2019.
The President is accompanied by senior-level members of the Cabinet and Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. David Sengeh, who is an alumnus of both Harvard and MIT.

In a bid to sympathise with victims of a fire outbreak which occurred in the early hours of Monday 4th March 2019 His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio made an unannounced visit to the Kroo Bay Community. The number of households affected is estimated to be around 309 and the affected population 895.

Following the fire disaster, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio instructed the Office of National Security to mobilise support for the victims while assessment of the disaster is being undertaken.

The Office of National Security, which is required to mobilise Emergency Relief Items within 72 hours, was able to mobilise Emergency Relief Items within 24 hours of the disaster. The items included about 309 bags of rice, 309 blankets, 309 pots, 309 dignity kits, 309 buckets among others.

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio had to leave work earlier to visit the scene of the disaster and sympathised with the victims. He told the community that it is the job of Government to always support people affected by natural disasters. A symbolic handing over ceremony of the relief items was done by the President to the Kroo bay Community Chairman.

The constituency MP of the All People’s Congress, Hon. Alu-Conteh Alusine Kainde thanked the President for his caring nature and concern shown to the victims as father of the nation. While also receiving the President, the Kroo Bay Community Chairman, Mr. Soriba Kamara said that President Bio is the first sitting President to ever visit the Kroo bay community and the community would forever be appreciative.

During a short but impressive program the Chief Minister, Professor David John Francis, presented the Green Paper of the proposed Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion to His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio at State House.

Presenting the document, the Chief Minister said it was important that he submitted to the President the paper that would eventually help achieve inclusive governance and improve on the infrastructure for peace and democratisation.

“Your Excellency Sir, on 10th May 2018, during your maiden address to Parliament, you promised to build the blocks of unity and national cohesion. This Green Paper is a step to achieving that dream and it will help consolidate a nationwide consultation with every Sierra Leonean and make them a part of the peace process in the country. This Paper will also usher in a Cabinet White Paper that will be endorsed before it goes to Parliament to become a law,” he said.

The United Nations’ Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Mr. Sunil Saigal, thanked the Government of Sierra Leone for their bold step in pushing for a Peace and National Cohesion Commission, adding that the United Nations supported the Green Paper and its contents.

“This is an important step from this Government. It will build on the democratic principles of the country and aid the Medium-term National Development Plan that has recently been launched by the Government. It will further guide the process of building human capital development, which is at the centre of this Government’s agenda,” he said.

The UN Chief also noted that there could be no development without peace and there could be no peace without development. He assured the Government that the initiative was also integral to all programmes of the United Nations, particularly the Security Council.

Hawa Samai, a Sierra Leonean based consultant, thanked the Government of President Bio for pushing for peace and, in particular, for taking a Sierra Leonean as a consultant to produce the Green Paper for the proposed Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion.

She disclosed that the process and the document looked into the root causes of violence, with special attention on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Report. She further stated that they were able to discover that the lack of justice, corruption, greed, tension during political periods, lack of basic social amenities were all major causes of violence in the country.

“This Green Paper is a result of a consultative and an inclusive process that was done with the highest amount of sincerity. We have ensured that every question, that has the tendency to trigger violence in the country, is answered here in this Green Paper. And at the end of the day, there is a clear roadmap that shows that there should always be a National Dialogue across the country,” she explained.

Receiving the Green Paper from the Chief Minister, President Maada Bio thanked all those who participated in the production of the report and added that it was timely for the country to come together for the better.

“We cannot overemphasise the importance of peace in this country. We have gone through a very difficult time during the 11 years’ civil war, and never again should it happen in this country. There should be a collective effort in the eradication of corruption and all other elements that have the tendency to put us apart as a nation. We must put this country together and that is our individual and collective responsibility as a nation. We have to agree on where we want to go,” he said.

President Bio also told the gathering that he was happy because the efforts leading to the presenting of the Green Paper was extensively consultative, noting that that was important. He maintained that people would love to see people from all walks of life in the country take part in putting together an infrastructure that would help deliver on the peace of the country.

With the intermittent evictions taking place in the on-going Housemates Salone TV Reality Show, with the 2rd that took place on Sunday 3rd March 2019, the competition, which is slated to end mid April, the contest is becoming more and more interesting as well as taking different dimensions.
Conscious of the fact that anyone of them could be subsequently evicted, all of the housemates are doing their level best within the realm of strong language, nudity and humour with the avowed aim and determination to capture the votes of viewers who are at liberty to make their choices by voting via Africell No: 5500.
For now, it is the ambition of each of the contestants to emerge as the successful winner of the One Hundred Million Leones (Le100, 000,000) which is the ultimate prize. However, the good thing about the competition is that each day spent in the House will earn a participant Le100, 000.
Africa Young Voices (AYV) and Africell teamed up to roll out Housemates Salone 2019, with a view to entertain and most importantly to provide a platform for youth empowerment in the direction of natural self-expression, exposing innate talents and acquisition of new skills. Through interviews, lectures, artistic displays, social interactions etc. these Housemates will definitely not be the same individuals they were before entering the House. They will rather become changed people whose different talents have been exposed to viewers, putting them on a different pedestal to be sourced by certain investors.
If today there is one thing that is topical, it is the widely viewed Housemates Salone, which has become the talk of the country, as one could hear it being discussed in different circles, some praising certain Housemates and crying down others based on performances.

Without any iota of exaggeration, AYV and Africell have demonstrated the willingness to take the entertainment industry in this country to a different level by organizing Housemates Salone 2019. Undoubtedly, the industry has been attracting attention, evident in the growth of the music and film sectors. For this remarkable feat, both institutions have drawn widespread commendation and many have expressed optimism that it will be maintained and made bigger over the years.

Indeed, we are yet to see more interesting episodes that will provoke laughter and admiration among viewers in and out of the country as AYV Television Channel 34 could be accessed out of the country.
Many are looking forward to D-Day when the final, lucky winner will emerge from this Reality TV Show and make history.
But for now Housemates Salone 2019 is taking different dimensions.

Investigations carried out by this Press have revealed that cartons of bathing soap with the brand name Jolie Soaps having MFG 26/1/16,Expo 1/19 as label and have expired, unfit for use, were imported into the country some time ago by a Lebanese businessman known as Ibrahim Mohsen of No.11 Sani Abacha Street, Freetown.
The soap, our findings further unearthed are currently flooding the market causing serious health complications and adverse effect on the skin of unsuspecting members of the public, people who are not aware that they have expired.
According to the investigations, it came out clearly that the expiration of the soaps in question took place in January, 2019 and that no modalities had been put in place by the importer of the Jolie soaps, Ibrahim Mohsen and Sons, either to stop selling the product to traders or get rid of them.
When this Press approached Alie Mohsen to seek further clarification of the said expired soaps, this business mogul in an aggressive manner had the effrontery to boast that he is the very importer of the soap furthering that those he imported into the country will expire on the 15th March,2019. However, this Press was able to understand that the claim made by Ibrahim Mohsen and Sons in respect of the expiration of the said soap is far from the truth.
He also disclosed that he had hang heads with certain officials of the Ministry of Trade relating to the soap adding that he was advised by those officials that when it is two months to the expiration date he must reduce the price of the soap from Le120,000 to Le94,000 per carton.
On the question as to whether he has the right to sell expired products to the market, he abruptly responded that, “you are not the appropriate authority to ask me such a question,” boastfully intimating that the authority concerned is aware of his importation of the Jolie brand soap.
It could be recalled that during the tenure of President Ernest Bai Koroma he ordered the arrest of National Revenue Authority/Customs personnel who were aiding and abetting the defrauding of the State through importers’ false declaration of goods and the clearing of such goods from the Queen Elizabeth II Quay. One of the notorious importers that were found wanting was undoubtedly Ibrahim Moshen and Sons.
It was less a person than ex-President Koroma who disclosed the name of a company called Ibrahim Mohsen and Sons of 11 Abacha Street.
The business entity was found wanting for declaring the importation of 21 containers with the information that 10 of them contained common salt, 9 exercise books and 2 tea bags.
While investigations were ongoing at that material time, Moshen surreptitiously cleared some of the containers at the Queen Elizabeth Quay. However, what was discovered at the end did not at tally with the information presented, as it was found out that 10 containers had monosodium, 4 corrugated iron sheets, 5 batteries, while 2 had tea bags (the only information in consonance with the original declaration).
According to the ex-President when the Customs Department was alerted with regards the anomaly, a penalty of one billion three hundred million Leones (Le1.3 billion) was imposed on the importer, Moshen.
This was what ex-President Koroma furiously said, “Can you imagine the amount of money that the Government would have lost? Can you imagine the amount of money the Government is losing through these malpractices? What is clear is that our people at NRA have not heeded the warning I made because they have apparently connived with the importers and the shippers. This so-called importer definitely thinks he is above the law or that he could only pay a penalty, get away with it and continue to take the risk.”
He ordered the full payment of Le 1.3 billion penalty and all the goods forfeited to the State
Moshen was immediately arrested and detained in consonance with an agreement the Government reached with the Lebanese and Indian leadership in Sierra Leone that no non-national would be deported but if found guilty will have to serve the full jail-term in the country.
As the saying goes the Monkey will never leave its black hand behind. This could be applied to Moshen as he still continues to nefariously engage in shady business deals.
It is advisable for the SLPP Government under the astute leadership of President Julius Maada Bio to take decisive actions against Moshen and Sons in order to forestall the business entity from furthering defrauding the State and put the lives of innocent people on Harm’s Way.

From a conducted nation-wide household survey undertaken by this medium, geared towards gauging the percentage of people who are aware of the existence of and the activities of the National Petroleum (NP) Limited Company, what came out vividly from the outcome was that the vast majority captured during the survey acknowledge that they are well aware of the existence and viability of one of the country’ leading and exemplary indigenous business entity dealing in petroleum products. It was really amazing to realize that NP has become a household name within the country.

Some people opined that with the dynamic and result-oriented Management team at the helm of affairs at NP, commendable strides will be continued that would definitely catapult the company to higher heights thereby putting it at a very vantage position to expand and positively contribute towards national development.

“From a humble beginning, NP has indisputably become one of the giant and most successful companies in the country with a remarkable reputation of performing very efficiently within the business landscape,” Abdul Sheriff a seasoned engineer and former worker of the then Sierra Leone Refinery Company maintained.
The company was extolled for timely honouring its tax obligations to Government via the National Revenue Authority (NRA) and for effectively rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility that have been improving the wellbeing of the vast majority of Sierra Leoneans.
One thing why the company is nationally highly regarded, hinges on its pro-activeness with regards ensuring that affordable petroleum products are always on the market.
Digging into the annals of history, it is very worthy to note that the former British Petroleum (BP) Company decided to sell its shares to the Government of Sierra Leone that was in existence at that time.
In 1996 the Government sold its 60% shares in BP to some of the company’s members of staff. 55 % was paid upfront from the end of service benefits of the workers from BP and the 5% offered to all the other workers. Thus a new company known as LEONEOIL started operations.
It was the World Bank that proffered advice for the privatization of the company. The 55% sale of Government shares to NP therefore came as a result of the World Bank’s admonition. 4 companies took part in the bid, but it was LEONOIL that won the international competitive bidding that was conducted by Arthur De Little (a United States based Management consultancy firm). LEONEOIL later on metamorphosed into NP, meeting all the set criteria.
It was understood that the members of staff were very serious and capable enough to properly manage the company to such an extent that, unlike others, it survived most of the challenges that it had encountered.
This medium also gathered that the 40% PMMC’s stake in the company, owned by the late Jamil Sahid Mohammed and Tony Yazbeck, was given as collateral for a loan from a Bank by one of the parties.
Jamil Sahid Mohammed, later sold to Cape Oil PMMC’s 40% shares to offset a fidelity loan, but LEONE OIL was not satisfied with that move and took the matter to court on the grounds that it was in violation of the M and A, which dictates that the other side has the first option to buy. The outcome of the matter was that the High Court gave judgement in favour of LEONE OIL.
Erroneously some have been misinforming that NP is unsavourily dominating the petroleum market in the country, which has turned out to be very misleading, as it was confirmed that there are other Companies marketing petroleum products that are registered with the Petroleum Agency.
Relatedly, Petro-Leone is a storage company that was established by both Addax and Leone Oil (NP) so that petroleum products will always be available in the country and avert shortage.
Some have expressed the view that if such is discontinued, it will seriously affect the country, as shortage of fuel will frequently occur, causing a lot of inconvenience.
NP-SL has filling stations in different parts of the country, not only selling petroleum products, but also rendering other useful services to its numerous customers.
It can be asserted that the National Petroleum Limited is one that has grown by leaps and bounds. It has made its mark and become a household name.
The company has provided employment for many individuals both in this country and Liberia, where it was also established and presently operating.
For its good performances over the years, NP-SL has proudly bagged various awards from reputable organizations.
Speaking to a top Management official of the company, he intimated with dogged determination that they are poised to serve this nation diligently by doing their best to ensure that petroleum products are available and within the reach of individuals and institutions.
“Whenever it is possible we will continue to complement Government’s efforts in undertaking development programmes nation-wide,” he promised.
Many are indeed proud of the wholly owned Sierra Leonean petroleum company.