Home Blog Page 1069

Kaitor Kposowa Bags Emmy Award in the US

June 26, 2020

By Festus Justus Margai

Kaitor Kposowa a Sierra Leonean working as TV Reporter in United States of America, working for WANE 15 News, a CSB Station in Indiana, USA has won one the Emmy Award (of the biggest in the USA television industry).

The award was presented by the National Academy of Television, Arts and Sciences on Saturday June 20, 2020.

The award ceremony was held virtually because of the COVID-19 pandemic. “The Lower Great Lakes Chapter, based in Cleveland, Ohio, awarded me an Emmy,” said Kaitor Kposowa for “my 2-part special report: Disturbing Discovery” in the category of Best Societal Concerns series.

Disturbing Recovery investigates Ulrich Klopfer, Indian’s most prolific abortion doctor who illegally kept 2,411 aborted fetal remains in his house and car. They were discovered after his death and to this day it remains unknown why he kept the remains.

Part one of the series recounts the horrific experiences of one of Klopfer’s former patients and uncovers details of Klopfer’s life and crime. In part two “we engage with the India’s Attorney General and the Indian lawmakers and India state department of health to find a way to make sure something like this which is disturbing never happens again.

Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad are proud of his achievements and hope that he would find time to come home to be celebrated as a role model children back home should emulate.

Commercial Motorcycle Accidents Soars

June 26, 2020

By Karifa Kello Thoronka

A motorcycle also called a motor bike [Okada] or Keke is a two or three wheeled motor vehicle which is propelled by engine or motor usually by an internal combustion engine.

Looking at the economic benefits of commercial motorcycling in Sierra Leone, it has impacted positively on our societies in many ways. It provides jobs for many unemployed youths in the country and also make it easier to access places that taxis/bus cannot cover. Moreover, the Government also received tax from those that involved in the business.

It can be assumed that commercial motorcycling is much challenging and goes with many dangers. The problems of commercial motorcycle accident are mainly caused by the impatience of motor drivers. They over-speed on highways which make them to lose sometimes resulting in collision; the riders are too careless that they hardly pay attention when approaching main junctions.

This writer on-boarded a Keke with registration number APR 739 from Congo Cross to Saint John in Freetown when an unexpected accident occurred. While approaching the main junction by The Light at Brookfields in a very high speed a motor bike also was coming with high speed from the opposite direction ,the two colliding,causing serious injuries to the passengers (including me) on board the Keke on Wednesday 25^th March 2020.

Motorcycle transport business contributes immensely to the high rate of accidents in Sierra Leone which is attributable to lack of training and traffic education among motorcycle operators around the country.

Disregard for traffic rules, regulations and reckless riding by the operators is increasing every other day in the city of Freetown especially when they have reduced their passengers as a result of the COVID -19.

Speaking with one commercial motorcycle rider by the name of Lamin Kamara he noted that they speed as way of getting quick financial returns recovery for the day.

He furthered by saying that traffic wardens disturb them.

While visiting the other sick victims, Mariama M. Bangura and Ruth Kabba they also condemned the rate at which these riders speed with reckless abandon.

Karifa Kello Thoronka Just after the Accident

Road to Kuranko London Becomes Death Trap

June 26, 2020

By Karifa Kello Thoronka

All the roads leading to Alikalia popularly known as Kuranko London in Kalian Chiefdom, Koinadugu district is in a very bad state as many people describe it to be a dead trap. Speaking with one of the sons of the soil in that part of the country, Balla Jalloh, commonly known as Bah he revealed that all the roads leading to Alikalia Town are very dangerous roads and getting worse every day.

He furthered by noting that the use of heavy trucks loaded with timber is one of the main cause for the dilapidated conditions of the roads in Kalian Chiefdom and Koinadugu district at large. Whiles appealing to the Government and to all descendants of Kalian Chiefdom for help, Balla Jalloh mentioned Hon.Daniel Brima Koroma of Constituency 046 for his efforts towards the road maintenance some years ago, maintaining that there is urgent need for good roads in Kalian Chiefdom.

“At times we spend like six hours in a hold up because of broken bridges,” lamented Balla Jalloh.

Karifa Thoronka encouraged the authorities of Kalian Chiefdom to warn the timber traders to avoid the chiefdom as their business is the main cause of bad roads in the chiefdom. He further noted by saying that good roads is the bed rock of development in any society.

The Fleet Monitoring Officer for the National Emergency Medical Service [NEMS] ,Yusuf Manso Jalloh ,expressed his dissatisfaction about the way the timber trucks are destroying the roads in Kalian Chiefdom, saying that it is very difficult for an ambulance to travel from Kabala to Yifin as a result of the bad road network. He appealed to the authorities to pay more attention to the road before the chiefdom starts losing lots of lives in that part of the country as a result of poor road network. Yusuf Manso Jalloh also made mention of the constraints the telecommunication companies are facing in order to transport fuel to their various sites.

Broken Bridge along the Kabala to Alikalia

Sole Proprietorship Is… The Backbone of All Capitalist Economies

June 26, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

In Sierra Leone and in all developing economies, the stepping stone to bigger things is sole proprietorship. The big firms that we see today, Chanrai, Choithram etc, had their origins from humble beginnings as one man businesses. Importantly, President Bio’s Government places at lot of emphasis on the empowerment of SMEs that in fact his Government has provided seed money of about Le20 billion to inject life into them; with more promised to come as time goes by.

The main advantage of sole proprietorship is that it is one of the easiest types of businesses to start. Unlike corporations, all you need to do is to acquire appropriate permits and licenses to operate legally from the Office of the Administrator General at Roxy Building on Walpole Street, whilst you are personally liable for debts, lawsuits, or taxes your company accrues.

Many entrepreneurs love sole proprietorships because of the ownership they have over business decisions and revenue and how easy and cost-effective they are to set up.

So when you look at the composition of the Sierra Leone business landscape, not less than 80 percent are one man businesses but which play a very big role in job creation and earning of incomes, even if they pay little or no income tax to Government but they pay other business taxes demanded for by Councils and the Government.

However, sole proprietorships are strapped with big risks. Increased personal liability, difficulty raising capital and a perceived lack of professionalism are a few of the pitfalls sole proprietors must navigate.

Across the broad spectrum of the economy, a variety of businesses are operated as sole proprietorships. Because they’re free and easy to start, many people use sole proprietorships to turn their side hustles into something a little more serious and lucrative. Here are some examples of common sole proprietorships:

Teacher, Daycare operator, Nurse, Doctor, Pharmacist, Physiotherapist, Gym Operator, Fitness instructor…

Freelance graphic designer, Freelance writer, Housekeeper, Landscaper, Gardener, Caterer, Direct Salesperson, Accountant/Tax Preparer, Computer/IT Specialist, Financial Planner, Home Healthcare Worker, Virtual Assistant, Nanny, Event Planner, Tutor, Consultant and a host of others

Sole Proprietorship Disadvantages

Do not for one moment think that because of the freedom he/she has to run his/her business is absolute and they do not have troublesome sleepless nights.

Their personal assets are at risk
Increased personal liability for lawsuits
Business bankruptcy means personal bankruptcy
Difficulty raising capital
Self-employment tax
Banks do not lend them money because they are high risk customers

Because one of the biggest risks to starting a sole proprietorship is the liability it burdens the owner with, having adequate insurance is a must.

Consider property and liability coverage, auto insurance, health coverage, and disability coverage, at the very least. This can get expensive, but it ensures you and your personal assets are protected from lawsuits and professional setbacks, should they arise.

Govt. Assures Resumption of Commercial Flights

June 26, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

During the 23^rd June 2020 State House briefing President Julius Maada Bio disclosed that commercial flights would resume in the very short run, noting further that the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority had held series of consultative engagements with aviation stakeholders and other implementing partners in a bid to reopen the Freetown International Airport after it was closed for scheduled operations.

“The SLCAA has had extensive consultations with stakeholders and considered developments in the aviation sector around Africa and in the world. Countries are opening their airspaces; a broad inter-sectoral body will soon finalise rational, effective, and affordable pre-arrival and departure protocols that are in consonance with best practices elsewhere and WHO guidelines,” he said.

“We will also soon install technology at the Lungi International Airport that will help us monitor, test, and trace all travellers. Once all measures are in place, commercial flights will resume in the very short run,” President Bio stated.

Responding to questions asked by the media, the Director-General of the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, Moses Tiffa Baio informed the gathering that the SLCAA and other aviation stakeholders have had engagements for a seamless start of flight operations at the Freetown International Airport.

“The reopening of the airport is contingent on the safety, security, and public health measures that we will put in place for arriving and departing passengers. Yes, we want to reopen the airport but we do not want the aviation industry to serve as a vector to transmit COVID-19 for the second time. We have developed 20 advisory circulars which are in the form of guidance materials that will guide the entire operations of the airport during this trying time,” he said.

According to the Director, the aviation industry had reviewed its business processes and procedures to reduce human contact and maintain social distancing at both arrival and departure. He further revealed that SLCAA together with other aviation actors and the National Tourist Board had conducted a joint assessment of hotel facilities, Emergency Operation Centre (EOC), and the Airport Clinic which would serve as holding facility for all arriving passengers.

DG Baio also expressed that the SLCAA and IOM had also conducted a gap analysis to help explain what obtained at the airport and what would be implemented amongst the automation of Passenger Health Locator forms while maintaining that this would also help the surveillance pillar in the area of contact tracing of passengers that would be tested positive on arrival. “We want to reopen with a better system that is resilient and sustainable,” he concluded.

President Bio Chairs WAMZ Summit

June 26, 2020

By Theresa Kef Sesay

At State House on Tuesday 23 June 2020 President Julius Maada Bio held an extra-ordinary virtual summit with colleague Heads of State and Government of the member states of the West Africa Monetary Zones (WAMZ) during which he encouraged them to unite in achieving the single currency agenda.

With Eco being the proposed name of the new currency, the goal is to merge it with the West African CFA franc, used by most French-speaking members of the Economic Community of West African States. This will create a common currency for much of West Africa.

President Bio, who is Chairman of the WAMZ Authority of Heads of States and Governments, in his presentation, said they were meeting for the development of their union and for the continuation of what their predecessors had started. He noted that even in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were expected to take actions and move the project forward because a lot of efforts had gone into it.

Jacob Jusu Saffa, Minister of Finance, who is the Chairman of the Convergence Council, commended the Heads of State on behalf of the Convergence Council and Committee of Governors of WAMZ for participating in the extraordinary summit, noting that their participation was a manifestation of their belief in and passion for monetary integration in ECOWAS.

President of the Republic of Nigeria, Major General (Rtd) Muhammadu Buhari, said the plan for the single currency could be in serious jeopardy unless member states complied with agreed processes of reaching the collective goal.

President of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, expressed appreciation for the initiative of President Bio in conveying the meeting, saying that it was their strongest conviction that the pandemic, notwithstanding the process of regional integration which was absolutely critical to the future progress and prosperity of their people, must by all means continue and if possible be further accelerated.

Other Heads of State, who spoke at the summit, included the President of the Republic of Gambia, Adama Barrow, President of the Republic of Guinea, Alpha Condè and President of the Republic of Liberia, George Weah.

As Le 4 Billion Annually Budgeted for Salaries/Benefits… Mayors & Chairpersons Receive Windfall from Government

June 26, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

In a statement released on the 23^rd June 2020, the Ministry of Finance has approved payment of monthly salaries and end of service benefits for Mayors, Chairpersons and their Deputies and an increment of remuneration for Chief Administrators and Councillors.

This new development has been regarded by many as a novelty in the history of decentralization in Sierra Leone. It could be recalled that since the re-introduction of Local Government in 2004 that led to the establishment of Local Councils, Chairmen and Mayors who worked full time they were only paid allowances with no salary or no end of service benefit compared to other public sector officials.

In order to get rid of this anomaly, the Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa in the Government Budget and Statement of Economic and Financial Policies for the Financial Year 2020, effected the payment of salaries for the Mayors/ Chairperson and their Deputies.

In the breakdown of the payment to the various Council Administrators, the total remuneration for Mayors/Chairmen has increased from Le50.2 million per month to Le374 million per month or from Le601.9 million per annum to Le4.49 billion. Also, the monthly remuneration to Deputy Mayors/Chairmen has increased to Le264 million from Le48 million or Le3.17 billion per annum from Le575.5 million.

Furthermore, total monthly allowances to Councillors has increased to Le630 million from Le420 million or from Le5.04 billion to Le7.56 billion per annum. Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa stated that salaries for Mayors/ Chairpersons and their Deputies have increased and salaries of core staff of Councils have also increased to Le15.16 billion per annum from Le5.94 billion per annum. In the same vein, salaries to Paramount Chiefs/Regents and Chiefdom Speakers is now Le18.46 billion per annum from Le7.47 billion per annum.

The Finance Minister underscored that it is important to note that these policy actions are consistent with the Government’s strategy to improve governance by deepening decentralization and strengthening Local and Chiefdom Councils. “President Julius Maada Bio has emphasized the need for payment of salaries to various workers and these actions are fully aligned with the People’s Manifesto upon which the Government was elected, ” the Minister added and continued that this recent action is expected to boost the morale of Local and Chiefdom Council functionaries and positively impact on local service delivery which is a key strategy of Government.

US Ambassador Recognizes Govt’s Progress in Combating Trafficking in Persons

June 26, 2020

By Ambassador Maria E. Brewer

The U.S. Embassy in Freetown would like to recognize the Government of Sierra Leone for progress made in the fight against Trafficking in Persons. This is a historic year for the U.S. Department of State, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Trafficking in Persons Report (TIP Report).

When the United States Congress passed the Trafficking Victims Protection Act (TVPA) in 2000, one of its requirements was the creation of a report that would represent the U.S. government’s dedication to fight human trafficking on a global scale and serve to increase the number of governments actively prosecuting traffickers, protecting victims, and preventing human trafficking crimes.

From its inception, at a time when many governments denied the existence of human trafficking in all its forms, the TIP Report has become the standard-bearer for the principles enshrined in the TVPA and the 2000 UN Trafficking in Persons Protocol. Over the last 20 years, the TIP Report has successfully reinforced global anti-trafficking norms and ideals. It has drawn attention to trends and emerging issues, highlighted promising practices, and tracked the progression of important developments, such as the passage of comprehensive anti-trafficking laws and improvements in victim identification efforts.

On June 25, U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo released the 2020 TIP Report. The Report documents the Government efforts of 188 countries and territories, including the United States, to combat human trafficking. Though the methodology, content, and design of the TIP Report have evolved, reflecting the broader anti-trafficking movement’s progress in understanding the crime, the messages at the heart of each edition have been steadfast: there is no excuse for human trafficking, and governments must take bold action to end it.

The need for a global response has never been greater as the COVID-19 pandemic reinforces the urgency to protect vulnerable people from exploitation by traffickers.

As the Government of Sierra Leone demonstrated overall increasing efforts compared to the previous reporting period, Sierra Leone was upgraded to Tier 2 in this year’s report. These efforts included convicting traffickers for the first time in 15 years; significantly increasing investigations and prosecutions; significantly increasing trainings for officials on trafficking; contributing a facility for an NGO to establish a shelter for victims; and establishing district-level anti-trafficking task forces.

Much remains to be done, including expanded victim services; increased investigation and prosecution of traffickers; expanded training of law enforcement and judiciary personnel; and ending policies that encourage labor migration to occur through informal channels, among other steps.

Over the last two decades, the U.S. Department of State, along with host Governments, NGOs, multilateral organizations, survivors, faith communities, and other advocates have been unrelenting in the pursuit of a world free from human trafficking. We acknowledge our achievements and steel ourselves for the battle ahead and the work yet to be done.

NCRA DG Dilates on Impact of COVID-19 on the Institution’s Work

June 26, 2020

By Foday Moriba Conteh

Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi, Director General of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) on Tuesday 23^rd June 2020 shared Sierra Leones’s experiences on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Civil Registration and Vital Statistic (CRVS) with the United Nations Legal Identity Agenda (UN LIA) and Global Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS) group webinar series held at the Authority’s Conference Room, on Walpole Street, Freetown.

The meeting, which was chaired by the Chief, Demographic and Social Statistics for the United Nations Economic Community for Africa (UNECA), William Muhwava was geared towards building a knowledge base and experience sharing on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic challenges especially on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics among eight African countries which include: Sierra Leone, Somalia, Kenya, Tanzania, Lesotho, South Africa, The Gambia and Liberia.

Mr. Muhwava said the meeting was basically to get first-hand information from participating countries on the impact of COVID-19 on CRVS during the first five months of 2019 and the first five months of 2020, and it aimed at assisting the countries in developing measures to restore and enhance the system and the accompanying vital statistics.

According to Muhwava, the meeting also aimed at participating countries showcasing or presenting analytical data of registration of births, deaths, marriages and other vital statistics between January to May of 2019 and January to May of 2020.

The data presented at the meeting by the participating countries was based on the UN LIA Task Force developed questions which was geared towards mitigating the impact of COVID-19 on the CRVS. The data also reflected the impact of COVID-19 on birth registration.

Gloria Mathenge, a Social Statistician at Pacific Community (SPC) and a participant at the meeting, presented a recap of the previous meeting on the findings of the UN LIA. She noted that the findings showed that much focus was not directed to CRVS but rather governments concentrated more on combating the corona virus. Ms. Mathenge reported that staff rotation, reduction of working hours, refocusing of CRVS budget by governments to combat Covid-19 response measure are all factors that have negatively impacted CRVS processes during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In his presentation, the Director General of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi thanked the chairman of the meeting and his colleagues for giving Sierra Leone the opportunity to share its experiences on the impact of Covid-19 on CRVS and to proffer plans for the future.

Mohamed Massaquoi noted that amidst the COVID-19 pandemic challenges, the New Direction Government of President Bio has been very much proactive in providing the necessary support and leadership in enhancing and strengthening civil registration, vital statistics and identity management in the country.

Giving an analysis of death registration for the period January up to April 2019 and same for 2020, the DG reported that there was a 61% reduction in death registration from 2019 and for the same period in 2020.

He said that in 2019, 22,577 deaths were recorded and deaths registered were 10,820 amounting to 48%. In 2020 4,785 deaths have been recorded so far and 4,177 deaths registered, amounting to 87%.

For data comparison for births registration, the Director General stated that there was a 7% increase in registration from 2019 for January – April 2020. He reported that in 2019, 72,928 births were recorded and 25,571 births were registered amounting to 35% and in 2020, 66,399 births were recorded and 27,276 births were registered amounting to 41%.

Mr. Massaquoi further reported that for 2019, there were 4,076 marriages recorded in the country, but not disaggregated by age, sex and date.

Mr. Massaquoi informed the chairman that unfortunately, the data for 2020 was not available for comparison due to the Covid-19 restrictions on social gathering.

Speaking on the status of CRVS digitization in Sierra Leone, the DG said that the current digitization system is paper based, but, “we have started digitizing past records since 1900,” Mr. Massaquoi said. He explained that the Authority has digitized 4,500 books out 16,000 books recorded since 1900.

The NCRA DG assured the chairman and team of the Authority’s plans to set up an electronic infrastructure system for E- Registration of births and deaths in the country.

The issue of drastic reduction of the registration of births, deaths, marriages and other vital events between the first five months of 2019 and the first five months of 2020 which was as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic was one notable factor raised by almost all the presenters during the webinar.

Africell-SL Throws Weight Behind COVID-19 Fight

June 26, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

Africell-SL, has been at the forefront, with certain stakeholders, in efforts being made to scale up the fight against COVID-19 since the virus reared its ugly head in this part of the globe.

However, before coming into the nitty-gritty of the telecommunications company has made inroads in the dogged fight it must be underscored that the company has so far bagged accolades from various quarters, for being the leading telecommunications company in the country.

Occupying this enviable position came as a result of the company’s improved network, enhanced voice calls, cheaper data bundles, fastest internet connectivity, wide coverage and a host of other promotions that had all and still positively impacting the Sierra Leonean economy and the lives of individuals not necessarily only its numerous subscribers but the bulk majority of Sierra Leoneans in general.

To the utmost satisfaction of many, the company has been rolling out good initiatives which are all meaningfully contributing towards bringing cheaper telecommunications services and packages to the doorsteps of the vast majority giving utmost satisfaction.

Proudly, Africell is at the forefront of introducing the 3G++ and 4G in the country making it possible for its subscribers to get effective internet connectivity as well as enabling richer communication through video calls and the added advantage of mobility to the power of the internet.

When it was evident that the corona virus has entered the country and has started claiming lives, the company decided to join the fight against the new enemy. It was welcoming to know that a trusted partner in development, Africell, was now supporting and complementing Government’s effort in that direction.

Africell saw the need to come on board in order to do the needful in helping to sensitize the populace about the virus and the preventive measures that should be strictly adhered to avoid coming in contact with it.

Taking into cognisance the fact that it is highly significant to be constantly educating people about how the virus is having a heavy toll on human life as well as national economies, sensitizing people about the “dos” and “don’ts” could not come at any other appropriate time than when Africell joined the fray. In that direction the company has been doing extremely well.

On 17 April 2020, Africell SL CEO, Shadi Gerjawi, talked about the strides that Africell has been taking to enhance awareness and putting preventive measures in place. He dilated on keeping their staff, customers, communities and country safe during the fight against COVID-19. According to him, “Africell Cares and Together we can Break the Chain & Stop the Spread of COVID-19.”

Africell-SL donated Le 1,000,000,000 (One Billion Leones) to the EOC, NACOVERC and NACCED through the Ministry of Information and Communications to support the Government of Sierra Leone in the fight against COVID-19.

Speaking on behalf of the company, the Chief Executive Officer, Shadi Gerjawi, extended his sympathy to all those affected by the COVID-19 outbreak and applauded the zeal and resilience with which Sierra Leoneans have adjusted to these trying times.

He reiterated the company’s previous donations made to the Ministry, their e-learning service to the University of Sierra Leone, and various sensitization programmes on the company’s Social Media platforms and #AfriRadioSL (as well as other radio stations) to aid the general public.

It must be reiterated that in order to demonstrate its willingness to throw its weight to the fight against one of the deadly viruses that has plagued mankind, Africell Mobile Company on the 30th March 2020 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the University of Sierra Leone which encompassed the provision of mobile connectivity to staff and students of the learning institution in order to enable them gain access and use the University of Sierra Leone web portal in a reliable and cost-effective way.

Through such a means students and other users could use the web portal to make payments to the University of Sierra Leone administrative accounts using Afrimoney.

Not stopping there the company went the extra-mile to offer free SMS services to mobile devices through which all SIM cards were installed with a Toll Free Short Code 5505 for the University.

With those laudable gestures, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone, Foday Sahr, expressed appreciation stating that the move was not only timely but will serve as an accelerator for plans that the entity has to move smoothly into the digital age.

On the 3rd April 2020, the Africell-Family, led by the company’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Joe Abass Bangura and supported by the telecommunications entity’s Media Manager, John Konteh, donated to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) 350 KaiOs smartphones with Close User Group (CUG) SIM Cards.

Present during the presentation were the Interim Coordinator of the COVID- 19 Response Team, Retired Brigadier Kellie Hassan Conteh and the Deputy Minister of Information and Communications, Mamadi Gobeh Kamara both of whom expressed gratitude for the speedy and timely response to their request for assistance in attempts made to combat the spread of the corona virus.

During the occasion, Africell’s Joe Abass Bangura reiterated that Africell is committed to the people of Sierra Leone in joining the fight against COVID-19 and also implored everyone to adhere to all the safety practices.

The Africell team also made a stop at Constituency 128 and donated Veronica Buckets and cartons of hand-washing soaps to the Member of Parliament meant for use by the constituents in the community.

The company made it possible also for subscribers to transfer money for FREE To & From their Sierra Leone Commercial Bank accounts and AfriMoney Wallet.

Still within the context of trying to combat the spread of COVID-19 in the country, the Africell-Family presented 20 KaiOs phones to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) and the Independent Radio Network as a boost to support the two entities in their strides to disseminate messages relating to the corona virus fight. The presentation was done by the company’s Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Joe Abass Bangura and was assisted by the Media Relations Manager, John Konteh.

Expressing gratitude were the President of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla and the Station Manager of Radio Democracy, Asmaa James both describing Africell as a dependable partner that is always ready to step in with much needed support at the right time. It is worthy to note that the phones came in with complimentary voice and data packages which helped greatly to augment and ramp up coordination and responses during the SLAJ/IRN Corona updates broadcast.

The donations were greatly applauded by the Government of Sierra Leone especially at a time when it was greatly needed in the fight against the corona virus.

Management of Africell also made series of donations to the health sector geared towards improving service delivery and the wellbeing of all Sierra Leoneans.

Despite the current economic situation in the country, Africell Mobile Company has been supporting the less privileged in society with food items.

From time to time, Africell comes out with different promotional programs or platforms that afford its subscribers to win attractive prices which have greatly contributed in reducing the poverty rate across the country. It is therefore not surprising that Africell continues to woo so many individuals and today the Company stands as one of the fast growing multinational institutions operating in the country with a wide subscriber base.

To demonstrate that it is really committed to avail the citizenry of this country improved telecommunications services and as well cover hard to reach communities, Africell has rigorously embarked on the installation of new sites, upgrading its infrastructure and currently earnest work is ongoing in different parts of the provinces.

The various contributions that Africell have made to society have significantly resulted into a positive change in the lives of many Sierra Leoneans; over and above the provision of excellent mobile telecommunication services. Africell has made it a point of duty to contribute to the development of various sectors through their corporate social responsibility.

These kind gestures on the part of Africell, especially in joining the fight against COVID-19 have been widely commended and truly revealed that the company is committed to stand by the Government and People of this country.

1...1,0681,0691,070...1,362 Page 1,069 of 1,362