After Sunday 14th April 2019 the Housemates Salone Competition will become an event of the past as it is on that date the grand finale will take place. The last die will be cast and the successful winner of the Le100, 000,000 will obviously emerge.
Wednesday 10th April 2019 was another sad moment for the four unfortunate Housemates who were evicted during a tense event which commenced at 9:00 pm after public voting ended at 8:00 pm. It was an emotional experience to see these evicted Housemates sobbing, shaking and even those who survived doing same, sympathizing with them. Regardless of their unfortunate situation there was no other alternative but to accept their fate. Currently there are now only six (6) Housemates remaining in the House and voting will still continue.
The ball is now in the court of the judges who will have to quantify the cumulative votes of each of the finalists that will be announced during the breath taking, auspicious and prestigious finale event that will have to take place on Sunday 14th April 2019 which will be graced by the crème de la crème and other people from all walks of life.
The Housemates have been really doing their individual best to capture the attention of members of the public to get their votes but as it now stands it will be said only luck, prayers and past performances will see anyone of them through.
There is indeed no iota of doubt that to a certain extent the Housemates gained from various forms of empowerment platforms. They were taken through various theoretical and physical activities which obviously could have impact on their personalities and change them to become useful citizens in society. Some of them now know how to cook, sing, socialize, speak publicly and definitely the relationships that have built could be lasting.
The organizers of the 2019 Housemates Salone Contest, Africa Young Voices (AYV) Empire and Africell have both made their mark in staging such a spectacular TV Reality show. Both have once more demonstrated the strong commitment to provide a platform to unlock and tap the potentials of young talents across the country.
Ambassador Anthony Junior Navo, Chief Executive Officer of AYV is held in high esteem for continuing to raise the bar high for the youth from all walks of life. Incontestably, he is an icon in his own right which is why he continues to bag prestigious awards in and out of the country.
Africell has been one of the leading telecommunications companies in the country that has been supporting youthful initiatives and it is poised to continue in that direction.
On Sunday all roads will lead to the venue where the grand finale will take place and it is going to be BIG. Many will miss the baritone voice of Chief, the unseen instructor.
Good luck to all the finalists.

The Executive Chairman of the Environment Protection Agency – Sierra Leone, Dr. Foday Moriba Jaward during a National Environment Conference with Lawyers on addressing compliance in Sierra Leone, spoke about addressing the challenges of monitoring and regulatory enforcement for environmental sustainability and sustainable development in Sierra Leone. The national Environment Conference for Lawyers was held at the Golden Tulip, Kimbima Hotel in Freetown on the 2nd April 2019.

Dr. Jaward told a group of Lawyers and Environment Stakeholders that the world today is faced with serious global environmental challenges which threaten human existence due to the fact that people exploit the earth resources to meet immediate social and economic needs without taking into account the long term impacts of that exploitation.

He said mining activities had not only destroyed the forest covers leading to huge biodiversity loss in Sierra Leone, it had also led to the pollution of rivers and water sources that had long provided important services to Communities in the country.

While calling on Sierra Leoneans to make a change in handling the environment, Dr. Jaward said that Sierra Leoneans should change the narrative by making profound changes in lifestyles, models of production and consumption, changes in the ways institutions especially those in the environment sector implement environmental rules of law.

The conference serves as an opportunity for all institutions to further discuss new ways of improving environmental compliance in Sierra Leone through addressing the challenges of monitoring and regulatory enforcement of environmental laws in Sierra Leone.

The objectives of the conference was to bring together key national stakeholders in the environment sector to discuss the numerous challenges facing monitoring and regulatory enforcement of environmental rule of law and to develop and adopt sector policy guidelines that would promote effective synergies between and among Ministries Departments and Agencies for sound environmental management that will promote inclusive socio-economic growth and economic development which will benefit both present and future generations in the country.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Dr. Priscilla Schwartz also emphasized on the need for sound and sustainable exploitation of natural resources in line with best environmental practices during the National Environmental Conference with Lawyers. She said “this is the only option we have to support national growth and sustainable development.

In its quest to enhance awareness on the dangers of uncontrolled bush burning during the dry seasons in the rural communities in the country, the Environment Protection Agency – Sierra Leone has championed an awareness raising campaign to rural communities in the Southern Districts of Moyamba and Bo.

The sensitization which involved presentations of messages on the environment and wild bush burning as well as video screening was done in Moyamba Junction in Moyamba district and Bumpeh Gao and Girehun Villages in the Bo District.

The Deputy Director of National Resources Management, Mrs. Ramatu Massaquoi during the meetings with the Communities spoke about the importance of the environment and the effects of wild bush fires no the environment.

After showcasing various videos on wild bush fire in all the three Communities, the Assistant Head of IEC Department at the Environment Protection Agency of Sierra Leone Madam Fatima Bakarr Sesay also spoke about the effects of bush fire in the Communities and reiterated the efforts and mandate of the Agency which was created to help promote environmental issues in the country in ensuring that Communities live without environmental disasters.

In all the villages where the awareness and sensitizations were done, the Community people were happy to receive the information on wild bush fire. Some of the Elders of these villages admitted that indeed there are bylaws in their villages which deter wild bush burning. They said they have been using these bylaws in some cases but they have not been adhered to. They promised to be implementing these bylaws in other to add to the efforts of the EPASL in helping them to protect their Communities from homes and properties destructions through the wild fires.

While he was speaking on the dangers of bush fires, a Community member, Philip Sei informed his colleague villagers that those who are smoking should not throw their remnants to the bush which is one of the main triggers for wild bush fire. He called parents to help control their Children against bush fire and as well informed the Chiefs to enforce the bylaws in the Communities.

The Environment Protection Agency of Sierra Leone leads a team of Experts from the Global Ecovillage Network to undertake a needs assessment for the establishment of an Ecofriendly Village in Mano Dasse Chiefdom in the Moyamba District. The two Expert team members from the Eco Friendly Village are; Kosha Anja Joubert and Omar Hajji.

An Ecovillage is a traditional or intentional community with the goal of becoming more socially, culturally, economically, and ecologically sustainable. It is consciously designed through locally owned, participatory processes to regenerate and restore its social and natural environments.

The purpose of the meeting over the weekend was to assess and get a platform where Community members will highlight their problems in protecting their environment as well as underscore challenges and Community needs in other to further protect the environment.
After hours of discussions and deliberations with the Experts and staff members of the Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone, the Community people informed the delegation that they want to embark on Inland Valley Swamp farming, fish ponds, backyard gardening and intensive Garri production in their various Chiefdoms.
Mano Dasse Chiefdom is among the few places in the country where Community members and their traditional leadership had banned logging and charcoal burning. After the assessment is done, the Chiefdom will be the first to have an Ecofriendly village in the country. Before an Ecofriendly Village is established, what the Community people are doing is to protect the environment and how they are coping or supporting each other must first be discovered.
Kosha Anja Joubert who was impressed with the initiative thanked the community people for their resilient measures in protecting the trees in their Chiefdom. She showers praises to the Paramount Chief Member of Parliament, Madam Haja Fatmata Bintu Koroma nee Meana Kajue for initiating the bylaws in her Chiefdom. Among the many Communities she had visited, she was impressed with the initiative she saw among Community members in Mano Dasse Chiefdom.
The EPA-SL’s Assistant Deputy Director Policy, Planning and Research, Beran Foster said the Agency thought of not only educating or raising awareness on the environment to the Communities but also thought it necessary to provide them with livelihoods in other to further help save the environment.
PCMP Haja Meana Kajue thanked the EPASL for considering them in their efforts towards saving the environment. As she trusts her Community in ensuring that they save the trees, she also promised to continue their efforts when the eco village is established in her Chiefdom.

Sierra Leone should review its tax system to prevent migration of investors, the country’s Central Bank Governor has said. Professor Kaifala Muana Kallon was quoted on Monday saying while tax is crucial to raise revenue; it will be counter-productive if it drives away investors.
He said the ideal thing to do is to normalize it and bring it at per with what obtains in the rest of the sub region.
“We need to raise revenue, but at the same time we must make sure that we do not divert investment to other countries,” he told the country’s most popular breakfast show program that airs on Radio Democracy in Freetown.
Professor Kallon was speaking in the context of an ongoing public debate around the state of the economy which has been going through torrid times amidst a worrying level of depreciation of the local currency, the Leone, against the US Dollar.
Business people have complaint of high tax, with some saying they could stop their businesses if the government doesn’t act.
Last month the capital, Freetown, went without bread, the most popular breakfast diet, for about two days, due to a strike action by bakers who say they were demonstrating against high prices in imported flour.
The importers, on the other hand, blame the high price on tax.
Professor Kallon noted that when compared to the rest of the region, Sierra Leone’s tax revenue relative to GDP was quite low.
He said that’s partly the reason why the country’s commitment to the structural adjustment of the International Monetary Fund required it to raise its taxes.
But, he stressed, this must be done in a way that it doesn’t force businesses out of the country.
“The message I have been giving to government is that we have to normalize our taxes, particularly import duties with neighboring countries. If tariffs are higher than others people can transit to those countries,” he said.
Kallon also spoke on fiscal discipline, which he said the country needed to put under control the current economic hardship.
Kallon assumed the position of Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone in August, 2018, following the sacking of his predecessor, Dr Patrick Conteh, with the change in leadership of the country.
The new government of President Julius Maada Bio has come under sustained criticism for failing to handle the issue of the Leone’s depreciation.
When Bio assumed office one year ago, in April 2018, the Leone was going for a little over Le5000 to a Dollar.
Today, it is going for about Le9000 to a Dollar.
This is all despite over three Dollar auctions by the central bank, among other short term measures.
The emphasis among economists has been that the country hadn’t been able to meet the excessive demand for the Dollar among business people.
But the Bank Governor said their experience in the Dollar actions in the last few months have proven this notion wrong.
He said after three foreign currency auctions, it has not changed anything about the depreciation.
“What that is telling us is that the traditional factors that affect the exchange rate are no longer the case…Fiscal imbalance is the final solution,” he said.

His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio has installed and inaugurated Paramount Chiefs Sadiq Kapuwa of Nongowa and Patrick Kanneh-Kabba of Nomo Chiefdoms, in the Kenema District, during a brief ceremony at State House.

After the ceremony Minister of Local Government, Anthony Brewah, expressed thanks and appreciation to the National Electoral Commission and the various security sectors for conducting free, fair and violence-free elections, adding that the polls were conducted in conformity with the Chieftaincy Act.

On his part, President Bio said he was excited to preside over his first installation ceremony since his election as President of Sierra Leone and congratulated the new Paramount Chiefs on their new roles. He said the event meant that the government had recognised them as Chiefs, which demanded a lot of responsibility on their part.

President Bio noted that as they prepare to take up their new roles much was expected of them, especially in maintaining the peace and stability of their respective chiefdoms. He also urged them to use their experience and expertise derived from their professional careers in working with the government to bring development to their chiefdoms.

“Paramount Chieftaincy is the building block to development in the country and must be able to work effectively. The culture in most settings is changing and that is making the work of Chiefs very difficult but as a government, we are trying to reconnect with the institution to ensure it is relevant again,” he assured.

While delivering the vote of thanks, Paramount Chief Sadiq Kapuwa said he was thankful to God for the opportunity he had to serve his people, saying that that was a dream he had yearned for. He commended the government for providing the platform to conduct free and credible elections, adding that they were aware of the challenges ahead and were ready to face them.

Sierra Leone’s statesman, former President Ernest Koroma, has made a commitment to advocate for ‘soldiers of peace’ in Africa who will be engaged to contribute in building their nations’ and the continent’s infrastructure in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.

The establishment of an African Peace Engineering Corps is a proposal that seeks to dedicate a small % of soldiers to *wage peace and not war* and has been commended around the world as the way to go for the continent’s peace and development.

World renowned experts in peace keeping and reconciliation who participated in a meeting of the minds came up with the visionary idea during a working peace dinner at the 2019 Horasis Leading Global Change Meeting held in Cascais, Portugal.

The former President, who was speaking to the BBC for the first time since stepped from office in 2018, was VERY clear that his role is to rally round his former peers in the continent to consider the proposal.

“There’s a huge potential in utilising the various expertise lodged within the ranks of the military in building social infrastructure even at peace time but ultimately, it is a decision for African leaders to make”, the former President emphasized.

Former President Ernest Koroma, well regarded among his peers across Africa, says he would dedicate his retirement to this initiative until it comes to fruition by engaging at the subregional level with ECOWAS and then at the continental level with the African Union.

The team of notable experts in peace and reconciliation who presented the idea to Sierra Leone’s former President include:

Mr.Stephan Hecht – Chief Executive Peace Maker, Million Peace Maker (Canada) https://www.millionpeacemakers.org

Ms Isabel Maxwell, Ambassador, Shared Studios (USA) https://www.sharedstudios.com

Canon Sarah Snyder, Archbishop of Canterbury’s Adviser for Reconciliation (UK) The Rose Castle Foundation https://rosecastle.foundation

Mr. Jasper Zimmermann Center for the Future Peace Quest (Germany)

Franya E Cabral Ruiz, President of Solid Investments Group , Cross-Cultural Facilitation

www.solidinvestmentsgroup.com

“Horasis was founded on the principle that tackling the world’s most pressing economic, social, and political issues necessitates productive dialogue and collective collaboration,” said Frank-Jürgen Richter, Chairman of Horasis.

The Horasis Global Meeting provides a platform to explore and foster cooperation, impact investing and sustainable growth.

This year, politicians and business leaders met to debate policies on globalization. Over the four-day event, talks were held on sustainable development, populism, climate change, cryptocurrencies, the next financial crisis, immersive technologies, diversity in the workplace, the fourth industrial revolution, the post-truth era, halting sexual harassment, modeling sustainable migration, and blockchain.

The Tejan Kabbah Foundation for Peace and Democracy has called at State House to pay a courtesy call on His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio and to congratulate him on his first anniversary in office.

Ambassador Alie Bangura, who led the team, explained the motive behind the formation of the Foundation, noting that it was mainly in honour of the hard work of late President Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who played an important role in the democratic consolidation of Sierra Leone.

“On behalf of the Tejan Kabbah Foundation for Peace and Democracy, I congratulate you on your elections and on your one year anniversary in office as President of the country. We want to officially launch the Foundation and we want to ask your kind permission, as President of the country, before we can invite former Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, John Dramani Mahama of Ghana and Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia who were contemporaries of the late president, who also helped strengthened the democracy of Sierra Leone,” he said.

In response, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio thanked the leadership of the Tejan Kabbah Foundation for holding the fort since the death of the former president who, he said, the country would always remember for the role he played in transforming the country into a democratic state.

“This is a good initiate and I am in support of its official launch. We owe it all to the late President Tejan Kabbah for the role he played in this country. I was Head of State that ushered him as democratic president and I know his valuable contributions and sacrifices. We have to give honour to whom it is due,” he noted.

The President also stated that it was worthwhile to honour people who had sacrificed for their motherland, particularly during those dark days of Sierra Leone, and pledged to support in whatever way for the Foundation to continue to contribute to nation building.

Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, who oversaw the end of the country’s brutal 11-year civil war, died in Freetown on Thursday 13 March 2014 at 82, served twice as the third President of Sierra Leone, from 1996 to 1997 and again from 1998 to 2007. An economist and attorney by profession, Dr. Kabbah spent many years working for the United Nations Development Programme.

The Parliament of Sierra Leone has on Thursday 11th April 2019 debated and unanimously approved the Thirty-Third Report of its Committee on Appointments and the Public Service, chaired by the Acting Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew S. Nyuma.

After approval, the Presiding Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas congratulated the nominees and wished them well in pursuit of their various appointments.

The following presidential nominees were approved by Parliament:

I. Prof. (Dr.) Sahr Moses Gevao-Chairman, Sierra Leone Council for Post-Graduate Colleges of Health Specialities
II. Dr. Sama Sahr Monde-Chairman, Agriculture Research Institute Council
III. Mr. Abdulai M. Bangurah-Chairman, Political Party Registration Commission
IV. Alhaji Ing. Alpha B. Savage-Member, Board of Directors, SALWACO
V. Alhaji Mohamed B.A Timbo-Member, Board of Directors, GVWC
VI. Mr. Michael A. Kendor-Member, Board of Directors, Petroleum Regulatory Agency
VII. Mr. David M. Gegbai-Member, Board of Directors, SLRA
VIII. Mr. Jackson Kamara-Member, Board of Directors, Sierra Leone Local Content Agency
IX. Mr. Abubakarr Kamara-Member, National Youth Commission
X. Mr. Joseph Lamboi-Director-General, Sierra Leone Correctional Service and
XI. Mr. Dennis K. F Harman-Deputy Director-General, Sierra Leone Correctional Service

Seconding the motion, the Leader of NGC, Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella called on the nominees to do well in their appointments and observed that Parliament had approved over 200 nominees to serve as change agents for the attainment of policies and programmes embedded in the New Direction. He also said that “it will not be business as usual”, and called for effective and efficient service delivery in the areas of water, road construction and agriculture. He called on Mr. Bangurah to remain apolitical in the discharge of his duties, particularly noting neutrality and the need to urgently solve some of the teething issues that are plaguing the Political Party Registration Commission.

Hon. Hindolo M. Gevao of SLPP recognized Prof. Gevao for playing a leading role in the development of the health sector in the country, adding that “his nomination is never a mistake by President Bio”. He also described Mr. Lamboi as “a committed and focused person” and encouraged him to emulate his predecessor for the work he had done for the improvement of the correctional centers across the country, adding the all the nominees are “competent and qualified” for the positions to which they have been nominated by President Bio.

Hon. Alusine Kanneh of SLPP and Chief Whip of Parliament said that “I have no doubt that Mr. Lamboi will do the necessary things to improve the conditions of inmates in the correctional centers”, and called for the protection and maintenance of their human rights. He also informed the House that “the conditions of prisons in Norway is far better than most houses in Freetown”, and recognized the work of “Legal B” in Kenema whom he said the people in that part of the country had wanted to reward him with a mayoral position.

Hon. Mohamed Bangura of APC described the nominees as “competent and qualified” for their appointments and called on Mr. Bangurah to review the PPRC Act for enactment by Parliament to strengthen its mediation role with powers of enforcement.

Hon. Lolloh Tongi, an Independent MP from Kailahun commended President Bio for recognizing and appointing competent and qualified “Kissi sons” to serve in high offices of State, adding “I am a little bit disappointed because there is no woman among this batch of nominees”.

Hon. Rebecca Y. Kamara of C4C described the nominees as “highly qualified” and called on the Government “to empower and provide the nominees with all the necessary resources to execute their duties diligently”.

In rounding the debate, the Acting Leaders of Government Business and the Opposition, Hon. Mathew S. Nyuma and Hon. Ibrahim Ben Kargbo respectively endorsed the nominees and encouraged them to do well in their various appointments for the development of the country.