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Sierra Leone Laj-K Bags Africa Young Person of the Year Award

 Alhaji K. Tarawally

By Ibrahim Sorious Samura

One of Sierra Leone’s renowned entertainment gurus in the country, Alhaji K. Tarawally, fondly known as Laj-K will be awarded as AFRICA YOUNG PERSON OF THE YEAR at the 2019 edition of the Young Persons Award and Dinner, which is a segment of the Young Entrepreneurs International Summit (YEIS) to be hosted on the 8th December 2019 in Lagos, Nigeria.

The Young Entrepreneurs International Summit (YEIS) is a gathering of outstanding young entrepreneurs and person from across various parts of the globe. The Young Entrepreneurs International Summit (YEIS) works in accordance with the United Nations 2030 Agenda, which shows the inclusion of youths not just as beneficiaries of the agenda, but also playing a Key Role in Policy making and actualization. The policy, amongst others states how Youth policies can help achieve youth-related objectives.

A statement from YEIS reads:

“In a bid to recognise youth development, the Young Entrepreneurs International Summit (YEIS) respectfully writes to request you as a Participant at the Young Persons Award and Dinner (YPAD) scheduled to take place at Oriental Hotel, Lekki, Lagos on the 8th December 2019, 5pm.”

It continues, “…The Advisory Board of Young Entrepreneurs International Summit under the Chairmanship of Prof. Nabhit Kapur PsyD has also decided to celebrate your many achievements as one of the AFRICA YOUNG PERSONS OF THE YEAR at the 2019 edition of the Young Persons Award and Dinner.”

“This award is a testament of your efforts as an OUTSTANDING YOUNG PERSON and commitment to the development of the global economy.”

This year’s theme is “GLOBAL ECONOMY: The Impact and Importance of Diversity amongst Young Entrepreneurs.”

Alhaji K. Tarawally is a distinguished young Sierra Leone who has established himself as a successful entrepreneur and media personality. He is the CEO of LAKE Productions  (SL) Limited, a leading event management, essential service provider, marketing, advertising multimedia production company in Sierra Leone.

As a media mogul, Mr. Tarawally has successfully served some of the biggest media institutions in Sierra Leone in various capacities as a reporter, producer and presenter, and also serving as senior management staff for institutions such as Foundation Hirondelle/CTN (Radio Mount Aureol), Premier Tok Radio, Premier Newspaper, Star Radio, Total News Newspaper, Afri Radio and the African Young Voices Television (AYV TV). At the AYV, Mr. Tarawally served as Head of Communications and Public Relations, and Coordinator of Internship, Volunteers, Industrial Experience Training and Recruitment Programme. He is also the Host of the popular Entertainment TV show – ‘GATEWAY’. He previously served as Head of Programme, Monitoring and Quality Control at the AYV Media Empire for two years.

Mr. Tarawally is a towering figure in the entertainment industry of Sierra Leone, who over the past decade has consistently been organising the top entertainment shows and awards through his company, LAKE Productions. He is also a strong advocate for better reforms in the arts and creative industries for the betterment of all. He was the founding President of the Sierra Leone Radio DJ’s Association (SLeRaDA), now SL DJ’s Union (SLeDU).

Alhaji K. Tarawally holds a B.A (Honours) degree in Mass Communications and a Diploma in Peace and Conflict Resolution at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, plus a Certificate in Entrepreneurship from the YALI Regional Leadership Center, GIMPA University in Accra, Ghana. Mr. Tarawally is a part-time lecturer at LICCSAL Business College – teaching Broadcast Media, Multimedia and Public Relations.

He had contested for a Parliamentary Seat in Constituency 128 under the National Grand Coalition (NGC) in the 2018 General Elections in Sierra Leone.

He has also built a niche in sports, serving as Organising Secretary of Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL) among others. Currently, Alhaji is the Head of Marketing, Communication and Public Relations for Mighty Blackpool Football Club, the most successful football club in Sierra Leone.

Mr. Tarawally is a recipient of multitudes of awards and recognitions across Sierra Leone and Africa as follows:

✅ Most Outstanding Entertainment Promoter in Sierra Leone’ 2019 by National Youth Led Award.

✅ 100 Most Influential Young Persons in West Africa’, by the Confederation of West Africa Youth Forum in Lagos, Nigeria in 2018.

✅ 100 Most Inspiring Sierra Leoneans Award’, by the United Venture Corporation.

✅ 2018 West Africa Young Leadership Award’, by CWAY/ECOWAS Youth received in Ghana.

✅ 100 Most Influential Young Persons Award’, crowned as Youth Ambassador by the Ministry of Youth Affairs of Sierra Leone in 2018.

✅ Special Recognition and Award by the National Youth Commission and FePyoCAN.

✅ 2018 Honorary Media Personality Award’, by The Queenak-China Foundation  Sierra Leone.

✅ Installed as Youth Ambassador’ for the Confederation of West Africa Youths (CWAY) in 2019.

Mr. Tarawally was profiled in the Sierra Youth and West Africa Youth Magazines as one of the ‘100 Most Influential Young Sierra Leoneans and West Africans’ respectively, in 2018, and many others.

Mr. Tarawally reveals that he is happy for this recognition and assures to always make Sierra Leone proud.

Moyamba Receives Sierra Leone First Lady’s ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ Campaign

Fatima Bio

By John Marrah

The First Lady of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Madam Fatima Bio, who is fondly referred to as ‘the mother of the nation and girl child defender’, on Friday, 18th October, 2019 in an ongoing national sensitization move, launched the “Hands Off Our Girls Campaign” in the Southern Province town of Moyamba.

Present at the launch were Paramount Chiefs, Members of Parliament, the District Council Head, Ministers, Civil Society activists, students and a host of other stakeholders in the district.

Host Paramount Chief, Foday Momoh Gulama, welcomed the First Lady and entourage to his Chiefdom in particular and Moyamba district in general.

He noted that the program is very essential for sober minded men who would adhere to the message that prohibits them from sexually tampering with young girls and domestically violating women.

“On behalf of the people of Moyamba district, we wholeheartedly welcome you Madam Bio and pray that the message you will disseminate here today will prove to be beneficial for all,” he entreated.

Moyamba District Council Chairman, Joseph Mbogba, in his statement said the people of Moyamba are sick and tired with the persistent reports of rape and domestic violence meted out against women and girls.

“Moyamba District has the highest number of rape cases reported. Violence against women increases every day,” he lamented, adding that as a Council and together with other stakeholders in the district they “will embrace the Hands Off Our Girls initiative,” revealing how they have put certain modalities in place to ensure that the initiative impacts meaningfully in the district.

“As a Council, we have factored the campaign in our 2020 budget, provided an office space in Council that will be overseeing the day to day issues brought forward as complaints,” he affirmed.

Abdul Joe Kamanda, on behalf of Civil Society Organizations in Moyamba, pledged their cooperation to continuously preach against the menace and facilitate the prosecution of perpetrators when necessary.

Longest serving Member of Parliament in the Well of Parliament representing Constituency 061 in Moyamba district, Honourable Veronica Kadie Sesay, said, before the launch of the Hands Off Our Girls Campaign, it has always been her dream and fellow female MPs to see a law set that would put to a halt the regular sexual penetration and sexual violence perpetrated against women and the Girl Child in particular.

She admonished the men present to take the campaign seriously in order not to find themselves behind bars. She reiterated the stance of the President and MPs to eradicate rape and all other forms of sexual offences.

She outlined three major components in the new Sexual Offences Act, which she says would trap offenders, those who compromise and secret solicitors who condone sexual offences against women and girls.

She concluded by admonishing the girls to be modest in their dressing, be steadfast in their educational pursuits and not to allow monetary influence to lead them to become child mothers and dropouts.

In her keynote address, the First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio, stressed the negative aspects of sexual offences on the image of the country, which has turned Sierra Leone into a laughing stock among other nations across the world in terms of the constant rape cases reported.

She called on the Paramount Chiefs of the land to include in their bylaws punitive measures for perpetrators of such crimes as actions by the Judiciary seems to be slow. Madam Fatima Bio further called on the school girls of Moyamba to resist the approaches of men towards them coming in the guise of Good Samaritans.

“Girls, your future is in your hands and your dreams of becoming the next First Lady, Lawyer, Doctor and Minister starts with the firm decisions you make today against the urge for material benefit from sex,” she admonished.

“Thanks to you people of Moyamba for believing in His Excellency’s leadership, but I am here this day to talk against the persistent horror which is befalling our girls,” she noted.

Appreciating the positive contributions of the people of Moyamba, the First Lady on that note took the opportunity to discourage them, especially the men, from the bad habits of sexual violence and rape against the Girl Child.

“As my fathers and traditional elderly people, the fight to put to a stop to sexual penetration and offences is not my fight alone nor his Excellency’s, but the fight of all, and it is on that note I handover the Hands Off Our Girls Campaign for the Moyamba district chapter to my noble Paramount Chiefs of the district,” she enjoined.

Sierra Leone President Discusses Development issues in Russia 

President Julius Maada Bio

By Brima Sannoh

On the 21st October 2019, His Excellency the President, Julius Maada Bio departed Sierra Leone for a week-long visit to the Russian Federation and the United Arab Emirates.

It is understood that in Russia, His Excellency will attend the  maiden Russia–Africa Summit and Economic Forum slated for the 23rd – 24th October in Sochi at the Sirius Park of Science and Art.

According to a State House Press Release, the President will today, the 23rd October, participate in a plenary session of the Russia-Africa Economic Forum, which will provide a detailed discussion of potential growth points of cooperation between Russia and African countries. The theme for the Economic Forum is: “Russia and Africa: Uncovering the Potential for Cooperation”.

It was also reported that on the 24th October, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio will also participate in the Russia-Africa Summit, which will be co-chaired by the President of the Russian Federation, His Excellency Vladimir Putin and the President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, His Excellency Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Chairman of the African Union. The Summit is expected to look at the current state and prospects of Russia’s relations with African countries and the expansion of political, economic, technical and cultural cooperation.

His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio is expected to deliver a statement during the Russia-Africa Summit, where he will highlight Russia’s support to Sierra Leone, the opportunities for future trade and investment and commit Sierra Leone to a lasting economic partnership with Russia. Whilst in Russia, he will also engage in several meetings on the margins of the Economic Forum and Summit to attract investment in Sierra Leone.

From Russia, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio will travel to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he will visit Elite Agro, a leading producer and distributor of agricultural commodities in UAE. Elite Agro and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry are in discussions to sign a Cooperative Agreement for an agricultural project involving 14,000 hectares of arable land at the Rhombe Swamp in Port Loko District. The President is also expected to be taken on a conducted tour of the Elite Agro Farms.

Whilst in United Arab Emirates, His Excellency will also visit Mohammad Omar Bin Haider Holding Group, a leading diversified business conglomerate with diverse interests in real estate, healthcare, education, hotel and tourism, manufacture, infrastructure among others. The meeting between the President and the Chairman of the MOBH Group is expected to focus on the Presidential Infrastructure Initiatives.

President Julius Maada Bio is accompanied by the First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio.

Considered A Strain On The Budget… Office Of Chief Minister Sierra Leone Comes Under Criticism

Chief Minister Prof. David Francis

Commentary

By Fatmata Jengeh

With the country still under austerity that dates back to the last days of the former APC regime, many Sierra Leoneans are of the opinion that President Bio has not been matching words to action in terms of his election promise to reduce government expenditure whilst increasing national revenue, as a way of reducing both the Government’s recurrent expenditure and reducing the national debt.

His critics, who accuse President Bio of having created too many new offices, some say to satisfy his party people, including that of the Office of Chief Minister, ask, what are the roles and responsibilities of the Chief Minister in a presidential system of government, wherein there is an Office of the Vice President?

In India, which has a parliamentary system of Government, the Chief Minister is the real ruler of the State and his role, status and position is very high. He is the effective Head of the State and Government. It is upon his recommendation that Ministers are appointed. He allocates portfolios to the Ministers.

If a Chief Minister is unhappy with a Minister, he can ask the Minister to resign or he can drop him from the Council by reshuffling it. He can even ask the Governor to dismiss a Minister in extreme cases. As the presiding officer of the Council of Ministers, he greatly influences its deliberations. In India, he controls the whole cabinet, which can collapse if the Chief Minister resigns from his office.

As the chief spokesman of the State Government, he explains the Government policies. In the matter of determining the internal policies of the State, the decision of the Chief Minister is final. He works to reconcile the policy of the party with that of the Government. In India, the popularity of the ruling party largely depends on the personality and efficiency of the Chief Minister.

Miscellaneous functions:

It is an important function of the Chief Minister to maintain contact with the people at large.

He keeps a watchful eye on public opinion at the time of formulating government policy and performing his functions.

He discusses the problems and issues of the State and tries to form public opinion in support of his party or alliance through his speeches in the radio, the T.V., public meetings, etc.

Here in Sierra Leone, many people say they find it hard to see clearly the Chief Minister’s defined roles and responsibilities and how he works to provide the State with effective governance.

The Chief Minister was appointed by the President of Sierra Leone on April 30, 2018 to coordinate the operations of all Ministries in the Government of Sierra Leone. The office became redundant in 1978 when Sierra Leone became a one-party State led by the APC’s Dr Siaka Stevens. The incumbent works under the direction of the President to handle the daily operations of the Government, including oversight and monitoring.

He oversees the implementation of the Government’s goals and priorities across all ministries, departments and agencies. In addition to these responsibilities, the Chief Minister is the chair of three sectoral ministries:

Education and Social Development Sector Ministries

Finance and Economic Development Sector Ministries

Peace, Security, and Justice Sector Ministries

NP-Sierra Leone Always Sets the Pace that Others Try to Emulate

National Petroleum (NP) SL Limited

By Amin Kef Sesay

Steadfastness in optimal service delivery has made the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL-Ltd) one of the most outstanding and vibrant companies that is steadily operating, in thick and thin, in this country. Such largely emanates from the dogged determination on the part of 35 former employees of the then British Petroleum company, which decided to fold up its operations and sold shares, which these workers bought out of their end of service benefits and used as seed capital to commence the running of the now renowned NP-SL –Ltd.

Setting up the company was just one accomplished feat, but taking it from that level to where it is today, speaks volumes of the selflessness on the part of the shareholders, who were all Sierra Leoneans, to see their ‘baby’ grow and succeed up to an appreciable stage that they were yearning for. It is this selflessness on the part of the shareholders which eclipsed personal aggrandizement, misappropriation of funds and insincerity to such an extent that the resultant effect culminated into an overall success story.

At this material point in time the company has bagged a whole lot of recognition for its outstanding performances in the line of marketing qualitative petroleum products. It stands to be contested that NP-SL Ltd is the number one oil marketing company in this country, which is equal to none, as it continues to break new frontiers in its expansionist drive.

When the name NP is called, what immediately comes to mind is First for Customer Care and this is not a mere masquerading in borrowed robes, but rather a true accomplishment of what the company fervently believes in and is striving towards actualizing. To the shareholders and Management of the company, providing utmost satisfaction in its service delivery to its esteemed as well as numerous customers is just as important as importing petroleum products into the country. Keen consideration is given to marketing high grade products that customers utilize for the effective performances of vehicles and other gadgets.

Besides, the company ensured that its pumping machines used in Filling Stations are modern and standardized in order to give customers their monies’ worth. These machines are very transparent, as it displays the number of litre pumped and the corresponding prices. Besides, customers concerns and suggestions are taken into consideration when policies are mapped out and Management decisions are arrived at, which makes it possible for various shades of opinions and inputs to be factored into how the company tailors its operations.

With the avowed aim of making their customers feel at home, NP-SL-Ltd has made the procurement of petroleum products very simple by introducing the use of NP Smart Card. NP Smart Card has unique embedded security features which cannot be easily faked by unscrupulous persons and the Card could be topped up to contain a considerable amount of money which a particular customer could use for purchasing purposes, with amounts deducted depending on the quantum of the products so far demanded. Indeed, it is a latest technological device and is becoming very trending.

For effective cooking purposes the company also has on offer for sale NP Gas, a device found in different cylinder shapes, that could be accessed at all the company’s Filling Stations as well as authorized dealers at affordable prices. Environmentally and medically certified as user friendly, NP Gas is presently going like hot cakes and there are energized workers in all the stations that readily offer tips or guidance as to how to optimally make use of this wonderful gadget. As a matter of fact a particular user can easily gain access to gas for refilling purpose.

A marked feature of the company has to do with its one hundred percent ‘Sierra Leoneanship’, having shareholders, Management and general staff who are all indigenes. Such a premium placed on making use of local talents and raw materials are parts of the core bedrock of the much talked about Local Content Policy.

Employing knowledgeable Sierra Leoneans to execute certain tasks has been a cardinal principle that has permeated the company’s existence throughout the periods it has been in active existence and such has been paying meaningful dividends. It also means offering various training opportunities to broaden the knowledge horizons of its members of staff for sound contributions to the company’s viability and buoyance.

Bent on maintaining that stance, the company has been helping in poverty reduction because by offering job opportunities, either directly or otherwise, it is putting monies in the pockets of individuals to take care of responsibilities. Monies are spent internally as opposed to a situation where the company should have concentrated on importing foreign expatriates to do tasks that indigenes could do better.

NP-SL Ltd has, over the years, in its drive to roll out the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility complementing Government’s efforts to enhance improved standards of living. It has offered institutional capacity supports to vibrant entities as was recently done to the National Fire Force by facilitating the construction of a state-of-the-art water facility at the Force’s Kissy Branch, from which water could be sourced to respond to any fire emergency within that part of the country and even beyond to the entire Greater Freetown. This is just a microcosm of the kind gestures that the company has dished out, all with the objective to make lives better.

To have branches in different parts of the country and going further to have presence within the West African sub-region tells of how the company is determined to grow. We now have NP in Liberia, Guinea, Ivory Coast and The Gambia and the vibrant functioning of  all those branches is a true testimony of how successful its shareholders and Management want to see customers enjoying qualitative petroleum products. The company is providing job opportunities in those countries and at the same time paying taxes, which form components of generated revenues that are used by the respective Governments to undertake the implementation of various development programmes and projects.

NP-SL is moving on the right trajectory and deserves all the necessary support it requires to move from one height to another. The company is poised to continue creating meaningful impacts and consciously moving towards the direction of always setting the pace for others to follow.

Sierra Leone’s leading oil marketing company, the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL-Ltd) has been very steadfast in its service delivery of high standard petroleum products, which it imports since this country is not an oil producing nation. All we need to do at this point in time is to give the company all the necessary support needed to make it become much more stronger than it is at the moment.

 

 

Choithram Memorial Hospital Sierra Leone Remains Committed to serve Humanity

By Amin Kef Sesay

News making the round on various Social Media platforms creating the impression that the Choithram Memorial Hospital in Freetown is holistically a charitable entity that must be rendering medical treatments for free, that is without any form payment, has been certainly proven, through sustained, incisive and detailed investigation mounted by this medium has indeed turned out to be completely false, baseless and totally misleading. The name of the hospital, Choithram Memorial Hospital is completely different from how some people misconstrue it to be the Choithram Charitable Hospital. It is as simple as that. Why all the fuss?

It must be noted at this particular juncture that the Choithram Hospital’s connotation of charity simply does not mean free in its totality as it is logical that without receiving any external support or assistance, financially or otherwise, it would be extremely difficult to operate a hospital of such a nature that offers first class medical treatments. How could members of staff be paid? How could Management procure medicines and other equipment?

According to the responsive Management official at the hospital, which has been rated as one of the best in the country as well as by other sources, the entity is run on a cost recovery basis having an outlined policy of admitting patients of all types regardless of their status in society. What this means is that they do admit patients who can afford to foot medical bills but most importantly the hospital also accommodates and treats patients who are so extremely poor to such an extent that they cannot afford to make any form of payment. Based on the information this medium accessed, all patients are accorded the same facilities as Management strongly frowns on discrimination.

“This hospital is supported by the Choithram International Foundation and does not in any shape or form receive any modicum of assistance from the Indian Government,” one of the hospital’s top Management hospital official intimated furthering how they are annually paying the sum of one million and five hundred thousand Leones (Le1.5 million) to the Government of Sierra Leone as lease agreement for the land where the hospital is situated on Hill Station in Freetown.

In justifying Choithram Hospital’s stance on offering qualitative medical treatments, it was divulged that there is a concrete arrangement bordering on annually bringing medical experts from Germany to undertake critical surgeries which most often turn out to be very successful.

It should be noted that just recently the hospital carried out twelve (12) successful heart surgeries for free which in a normal circumstance should have cost the patients fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) each if the surgery should have been done overseas.

It will be recalled that Professor Thomas Crawford and team were in the country recently to follow up and evaluate patients who were implanted by the Choithram country team. Intra Cardiac Defibrillators were surgically implanted alongside the country team free of cost for patients who met the requisite indicators.

It could be recalled that in February 2018 a team of international cardiologists comprising Professor Thomas Crawford from the University of Michigan,Ann Arbor in the US and Professor Zaheer Yousef from Cardiff University alongside the Choithram team comprising Dr.James Russell and the hospital staff successfully implanted several Intracardiac pacemakers for the very first time.

In the wake of that major success the local team headed by Dr.Russell had successfully implanted several intracardiac pacemakers in Sierra Leonean patients who were suffering from bradyarrhythmia, a case of a very slow heart rate that requires treatment and the outcomes have been good.

Going down the annals of history a team of German pediatric surgeons in collaboration with Choithram Memorial Hospital have been conducting free surgeries in Sierra Leone on poor and needy patients below 18 years of age.

The surgeries, done under the umbrella of Bintumani-German Sierra Leone Society, started on the 8th of February, 2019 and ran up to the 23rd of February.

“On the first day, we did eight (8) surgeries and another nine on the second day,” said Dr. Ibrahim Al Naieb, one of the surgeons. “One of the operations was very complicated but it was very good we did it for the patient. We are hoping to perform surgeries on up to 100 patients and we are sure of doing all of them.”

This whole talk about the Choithram Hospital being a charitable entity and as such no payment should be made by patients emerged as a result of a statement made during the recent visit by the India Vice President when he stated that it is a charitable hospital. But this is a non-starter as it must be underscored that the real name of the hospital is Choithram Memorial and not Choithram Charitable hospital.

His statement was completely misunderstood and blown out of proportion  but the question that is on the lips of many well-meaning persons is how could a privately-owned and run hospital be sustainable in terms of offering high class medical treatments pro bono when it is not receiving any external financial assistance not even from the Indian Government?  The answer is simple: Sustainability of running the hospital will definitely be at stake. It must be reiterated that Choithram Memorial Hospital is an independent, privately owned entity devoid of any form of the India Government or any other partner’s assistance.

Apart from offering medical treatment the hospital is on record for dishing out scholarships and other supports to the needy all in the name of helping to alleviate poverty.

We need to get the facts right and stand up for the truth as it is only the truth that shall set all of us free.

 

 

 

Aftermath of 2018 elections… Female opposition member’s life in danger

Kumba Komba.jpg
Kumba Komba

By Saidu Dumbuya

Female opposition politician, Kumba Komba’s life is reported to have been in grave danger.
According to  Kumba Komba, a victims who narrowly escaped the recent attack at their party APC headquarters on Brookfields, the Opposition All People’s Congress APC, after losing the 2018 presidential elections, its hierarchy and some strong party members decided to hold a meeting to address certain issues relating to the uncountable political intimidation and other inhuman treatment meted against their members and supporters by the ruling SLPP.

Madam Komba maintained that the party hierarchy and members were busy discussing when a group of thugs alleged to have belonged to the ruling SLPP attacked the party Secretariat with dangerous lethal weapons disrupted the meeting, brutalized party members including women who where in that meeting.

Madam Kumba explained that ” we were in the middle of the meeting when we
first heard people raining motherly invectives outside the Secretariat,  when we looked through the windows, we saw a large group of people whom we believed were  Kamajors and SLPP youths wearing green T-shirts written with inscription “Paopa for Paopa”. which mean force by force”.

She stated that those armed thugs violently stormed the meeting  and started firing tear gas canisters, pelting  stones, destroying property Worth millions of Leone and carted away property belonging to the party Secretariat.
She explained further that the gas suffocation was too unbearable that she had to hide in the bathroom for safety.

“I was seriously suffocated and couldn’t bear the suffocation, I had to come out “. She said.
Madam Kumba said that no sooner she came out of her hiding place, than the thugs draged her on the floor started punching her here and there.
She said while the thugs were busy manhandling her, the police came at the scene, but sadly, instead of the police making effort to rescue her and others from the hands of those thugs, they fired live bullets at the APC Headquarters’ offices.

She said “I was not shot, but I sustained serious body pains, the police arrested me together with  other members, we were frog matched to the open truck and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) police station”. She narrated.
According to Kumba Komba she slept in the smelly police cell for two days without being charged to court. She informed that they were later released on October 18, 2019 after spending two days in cell.

Madam Komba underscored that shortly after their release from cell, she was at her salon at Pike Street, west part of Freetown when another group of SLPP thugs violently attacked her again and showered several slaps on her  and told her that, they will continue to attack her until they get rid of her life, since she has insisted on supporting the APC.
She pointed out that the SLPP thugs also threatened to kill her children and mother should she continue to support the APC party.

Kumba revealed that she tacticaly escaped using the back door. “I was helped by my shop caretaker Madam Konteh, had it not been her support, I would have been a dead woman by now” she explained in tears.

Madam Kumba also alleged that while she was struggling to escape from the irate thngs one of of them tore her  blouse rendering her to run almost halfbaked.
Sources say, after that unpleasant and brutal attack against Madam Kumba Komba, she is reported to have left the country to an unknown location. Many say this is not the first time Madam Kumba Komba has been violently attacked and  faced death threats from the ruling SLPP members and supporters but times without number.

Before her recent attack she was among the APC party members whom were violently dislodged by the Sierra Leone Police for staging peaceful protest along Siaka Stevens Street in Freetown where she also narrowly escaped and involuntary left the country to seek refuge in an unknown neighboring country.

As we go to press last night the whereabouts of Madam Kumba Komba is still sketchy.
When this medium contacted the police for their own side of the story, they declined making any comments regarding the said matter.
We are closely monitoring the situation.

150 Male Inmates Moved to Mafanta Correctional Centre Sierra Leone

__________________________________
By Leslie Cole – Showers

One hundred and fifty (150) male inmates have been commuted from the Pademba Road Correctional Centre to the Mafanta Correctional Centre, in Tonkolili District, three (3) miles off Magburaka town.

“Three hundred (300) inmates were supposed to have been transported to Mafanta, in order to ease congestion in the Pademba road Centre; the vehicles we have could not accommodate all of them. However, before next week ends, the remainding 150 male inmates would have been taken to Mafanta,” Deputy Director General of the SLCS, Mr. Dennis Harman said.

The DDG disclosed that the beddings, toiletries, kitchen utensils, and food stuffs had all been taken to Mafanta for the in- going inmates.

He said the 300 inmates will be occupying two blocks that were refurbished with funds provided by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) & the International Bureau of Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

“60 officers have been transferred to the Mafanta Correctional Centre, to add to the already 49 officers on the ground.”

It can be recalled that about a month ago, the Pre- trial Detention and Simulation Centre at Kissi town Waterloo, was commissioned, and it is now home to 100 male and 10 female inmates. In addition, the Mafanta Centre now affords the SLCS an added space for 300 male inmates- summing up to 410.

Before these developments, the SLCS had a total holding capacity of 1, 935. As at press time, the SLCS has an accommodation capacity of 2, 345.

Orange-Sierra Leone Commissions New Site at Lugbu Chiefdom, Bo District

By Foday Moriba Conteh

In its bid to enhance reliable and accessible communication services to citizens across the country, Sierra Leone’s leading GSM mobile operator, Orange Sierra Leone, on Friday 18th October, 2019 commissioned their newly constructed site at Kpetewoma village, Lugbu Chiefdom in the Bo District, Southern Sierra Leone.

The event was graced by traditional and religious leaders, youth groups, the Honorable Member of Parliament of Constituency 078 and the Chief of Lugbu Chiefdom and spiced by cultural performances from the community people.

Geo-Marketing Manager of Orange Sierra Leone, Emmanuel James, said that the company is a global company operating in other parts of the world, adding that Orange SL cares about its customers’ condition of services and in that regard, when a request was made to them to improve their services in that part of the country, they adhered, as commissioning the newly constructed site shows how committed they are to provide the best telecom services in Sierra Leone to ensure its customers get an unmatched experience.

He said that Orange-SL is known for adding value to the lives of its customers wherever they operate, noting that as a company, they take cognizance of the fact that Freetown is not Sierra Leone and this has informed their exploration of remote communities in the country to provide them with reliable and accessible services.

He admonished the people of Lugbu Chiefdom to make good use of the opportunity and that they are looking up to them in order to sustain the service in that part of the country.

Hon. Member of Parliament of constituency 078, Alimamy Osman Kamara, who officially commissioned the newly constructed site, expressed appreciation to Orange Sierra Leone for the erection of such a site in his constituency, noting that with the new site, fast and reliable communication in the Chiefdom will be enhanced.

He said that the poor network services was a challenged to them in that part of the country, and this has necessitated the embarking on a dangerous venture of climbing up trees or hills to get courage and make calls, but with the commissioning of this new site, this problem will be a thing of the past.

He encouraged Sierra Leoneans to put their faith in Orange Sierra Leone, as the company is reliable and accessible, and Orange will continue to put smiles in their faces.

Chief of Lugbu Chiefdom, Chief Mamoud Fofanah, extoled Orange Sierra Leone for the construction of the new site in his chiefdom, stressing that with this new site, reliable connectivity will be enhanced in the chiefdom. He also lamented over the previous poor condition of service that had prevailed prior to this new development, but expressed optimism that with the newly constructed site they will have the very best of telecommunication in that part of the country.

He assured Orange Sierra Leone that the people of Lugbu will take good care of the facility, describing it as the property of the people of Lugbu Chiefdom and that since the construction work started, the people have been protecting the facility and they will continue in that direction.

APC Must Manage Its Transition Well or Risk Big Split in Sierra Leone

COMMENTARY

By Amin Kef Sesay

The main opposition All People’s Congress faces a critical future as it stands at the crossroads between its present leadership and a yet unknown future. Within the party, the National Reformation Movement is calling for a radical shift away from the politics of the past to a new democratic era wherein its national officers are elected and not selected.

Although the payoffs for sustainable growth are clear, transitioning to democracy is no easy task, as there is a lot of volatility in the processes.

APC becoming democratic is not simply a matter of ousting the present administration but rather a continuous process that shapes the party’s mindset, principles and importantly its political aims and objectives within clearly defined parameters.

As such, there can be no uni-linear and predictable path to incorporating fully fledged democracy into a party that for long believed in the communist philosophy of the leaders selecting themselves and doing what they feel is right for the party without necessary recourse to its members for their inputs. As such, instilling a democratic culture into the APC, as demanded for by NRM, will be complex and unpredictable. Gains can be achieved only to be backtracked and reversed to later re-emerge.

From the diversity in the country’s recent experiences with political parties and democracy since 1996, parties in transition generally can learn from the costly mistakes made by Charles Margai in monopolizing power in the PMDC and how that eventually led to the party losing popularity and its membership from a very impressive showing in the 2007 elections in which it helped the APC and Ernest Bai Koroma come to power by capturing very crucial votes and seats in parliament in the South.

Lessons to be learned by political parties in transition include:

  1. Move forward incrementally when beginning a democratic transition.

Democracy by definition must include the full range of stakeholders, interests, and principles. There are no shortcuts, knowing that political and social movements are not built overnight and take time to mature. While some political transitions in the past have been characterized by mass mobilizations, incremental changes work in democratic transitions because it allows stakeholders to adapt and mature with the process. As such, small steps are better, rather than waiting for a major change to occur.

  1. Retain a positive and inclusive vision at all times:

Transitions to democracy carry expectations for significant change. That can pose a risk if the reality does not match up as quickly as people hoped. One key aspect is to avoid excessively inflating people’s expectations. Thus, political leaders and other officials shaping the transition process must be able to present a commonly accepted vision of the transition through both long-term goals and modest promises to combat public fear and avoid disillusionment amongst the people.

3.Build coalitions:

Transition needs to focus more on what unites people and with patience and persistence, signal to all actors that they will have a stake in the new dispensation to emerge. As such, partnerships and alliances are important in every multi-stakeholder undertaking, and democracy is no exception. Collaboration and cooperation are at the core of a democratic system centered on inclusiveness, transparency and accountability. Opposition forces, students, women’s groups, etc. need to be included in every process including constitution building. Bridges must be built across and between sectors.

  1. Create and protect spaces for dialogue:

Promoting space for discussion and dialogue is important if democratic transitions are to yield development gains. Dialogue is necessary to increase trust between the members, which will in turn affect the transition success. Discussions need to focus on future common goals rather than previous disputes.

  1. Focus on constitution building:

A constitution is crucial to a political party’s future because it serves as a basic guide post.  Constitutions need to go through revision from time to time to reflect the progressive temperaments of the time that must be scrutinized by interest groups within the party that ask for amendments.

As such, drafting the new constitution should be a truly inclusive process engaging a wide range of participants based on broad goals rather and maintain transparency throughout the process, to help ensure all sectors are on board.

 

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