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Sierra Leone First Lady takes “Hands Off our Girls” to Kono

First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio

By John Marrah

In her determination to take her flagship program countrywide, Her Excellency the First Lady of Sierra Leone, Madam Fatima Maada Bio, continued the creation of awareness of “Girls being girls not  mothers or sexual slave s” on Saturday, 12th October, 2019 when she launched the “Hands Off Girls Campaign” in Koidu city, Kono District, Eastern Sierra Leone.

In attendance were eminent stakeholders of Kono District including the Mayor of Kono District, His Worship Matthew Komba Sam, Professor Kpakima, Minister of Higher Education, Hon. Rebecca Kamara, Paramount Chief Paul Garba Saquee and a host of many others.

Welcoming the First Lady and entourage to Kono District on behalf of her constituents, Honourable Rebecca Kamara said the people of Kono appreciated Madam Bio’s initiative on the campaign against sexual penetration, rape and torture that the girl child has faced for a long period in Kono.

“Finally, the Hands Off Our Girls Campaign will take full force in our beloved district. For too long our girls have been used and abused by our inconsiderable men and it’s about time we fight together and put this menace to rest,” she maintained.

The Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Professor Kpakima, spoke on the aspect of education as the recipe for girl child. He applauded the First Lady for her courage in inspiring the fight to promote the girl child through education and also discouraging any form of outrage directed towards the girl child by men and boys through sexually penetrating them, stating that it is the main cause for teenage pregnancy and dropping out of school.

He reiterated that the Government is committed to creating an enabling environment for children to be well catered for through the free quality education programme.

“We should give helping hands to girls so that they can get access to education and not to destroy their future”, he admonished.
In her keynote address, the First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio commended the people of Kono for gracing the program despite the fact that it was raining.

She jokingly said perpetrators of the rape and other sexual abuses may be feeling happy to see the downpour praying that such will put the launching programme to a halt.

She pointed out that being born in Kono District it is always an emotional moment for her in trying to give back to that land.
“Today, I have come to discuss something very important with all the women in the district, which is also equally important to all level headed and reasonable men in the district,” she said.

The First Lady added that the name of some good men in the district may have been tarnished by the evil perpetrators highlighting how she is quite aware that Kono District still has respectable and noble men.

“I am here today to officially launch the Hands Off Our Girls Campaign, this campaign as I have always mentioned is not a campaign by me alone, but it is the people’s campaign,” she noted.
“I am officially also handing over this campaign to our respectable paramount chiefs and the humble wives of Kono, those whom I believe are all first ladies from the district,” she posited.

Madam Fatima Bio expressed with dismay how so many girls have suffered the “abnormal behaviour” of men which has resulted to the untimely death of unfortunate girls around the country.

“Our girls are dying every day and it’s no secret, Sierra Leone is the nation with the highest mortality rate not just in Africa, but the whole world”, she lamented.

Madam Fatima Bio furthered that due to negligence on the side of the parents and community stakeholders, the same wrong thing is seen repeatedly often where girls at young age are impregnated and at the end die during labour.

The First Lady also disclosed that in as much as Kono District is known for its religious tolerance, it is also the district with the highest number of rape cases reported per year. “We must not condone or accept these people in our society; people who are staining the name of our district and destroying the future of our children”, she defiantly said.

The Hands Off Our Girls Campaign was launched less than a year ago by Her Excellency Fatima Bio which is aimed at putting a stop to rape, sexual penetration, sexual related violence amongst others.
Kono District is the second district in as many days to get the awareness of the Hands Off Our Girls Campaign behind Bombali District in the north where the First Lady also launched the initiative on Friday, 11th October, 2019.

Sierra Leone Maritime Administration Boss Wins ACC Admiration for no-nonsense stance against Graft

Ken Philip Sondai

By Babatunde Sesay

The Anti-Corruption Commission, through its Scorpion Squad, on Wednesday 2 October 2019 raided the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA), arrested and detained 4 staffs.

Based on information it received that a cartel of rogues, disguised as staffs that has for years diverted revenue generated on behalf of the SLMA for their own selfish gains the ACC decided to go into operation. While the suspects who had been held by the ACC have been released pending ongoing investigations, a reliable source at the ACC has informed this medium of Francis Ben Kaifala’s admiration for the no-nonsense SLMA Executive Director who continues to lead by example.

Ken Philip Sondai is one of few people under the New Direction who work closely with the ACC to ensure accountability and transparency and has been very supportive in the fight against corruption at the SLMA.The ACC said they were informed by a source at the SLMA, who is very close to the Executive Director, that Mr. Sondai has on a regular basis invited ACC to conduct routine audit and review of the administration’s activities and procedures.

The Commission further stated that it would like to bring to the notice of the general public that articles being shared on social media suggesting a pending investigation into the activities of the result-oriented Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration are untrue. It pointed out that certain unscrupulous APC scribes at the SLMA are believed to have been behind the nasty smear campaigns against Mr. Sondai.

Mr. Ken Philip Sondai assured this medium that he will continue to work hard and in consultations with ACC to deliver results. “His detractors will bow their heads in shame while he excels,” an inside source intimated.

Rated 1st for Customer Care…   NP-Sierra Leone takes Local Content Policy to Another Level

By Amin Kef Sesay

The National Petroleum –Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) has been considered to be a big blessing to this country in terms of its unwavering commitment and pro-active stance in always ensuring that members of the general public have easy and ready access to qualitative petroleum products that the company imports and markets.

It is amongst the most successful privately owned and operated business entities this country can boast of that have withstand varying external shocks, within and without,  but admirably is steadfast in its service delivery.

A 100% indigenously owned and operated company, SL has over the years, successfully extended its operations country-wide and even beyond to the West African Sub-region in Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia where it is doing extremely well with regards service  delivery, rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility, availing job opportunities, offering new products among a host of other things that it is churning out.

Very mindful that without their cherished customers there will be no NP-SL, the shareholders and Management have made customer care a number one priority which is why the company is synonymous with 1st For Customer Care. With the conviction that every experience matters, the Management is very receptive to new initiatives, ideas, suggestions and concerns as long as they could help in shaping the policies that the company outlines from time to time that will be translated into tangibles on the ground.

In order to give maximum and optimal satisfaction to customers, NP-SL has always ensured that it operates in tandem with international standards and best practices so that after any service delivery customers get the good feeling that they have derived value for money. The company’s filling stations are state of the art structures having modern calibrated pumping machines that are transparent and accurate in terms of measurement.

Their attendants are well mannered, always courteous and ready to assist both old and new customers whenever they are in doubt of what to do. Most have tire repairing sections, shopping marts and relaxation points where they can spend time doing what they think is right to do. All these facilities are made available to make customers feel at home and be comfortable.

“I always carry my NP Smart Card with me just in case my car’s fuel gauge will show red and I may not exactly have the required amount of money to refill or even if I have it such could be for another purpose. With my card I can just breeze into any NP Filling Station and by using my card the attendant will pump the quantity of petrol I need,” Vidal Smith, an engineer intimated adding how the card’s security features are unique and could not be easily falsified.

“When I first heard of ‘Your fuel on Smart Card’ I thought it was a joke but only realized its efficacy when I started making use of it,” he furthered saying he is really finding it very convenient in doing so and as such prevent him from withdrawing big cash from his bank account for purchasing fuel adding how it as well help in also saving him time.

NP Gas is now the talk of the day as numerous individuals are everyday coming to the realization that it is very suitable for cooking purposes without posing any serious health risks. Manufactured in different cylinder sizes NP Gas is marketed at all the company’s filling stations and by authorized dealers going at affordable prices. Advantageously, NP Gas can be refilled with gas that the company imports and markets making them simple for customers to continue their use.

With regards rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility, NP-SL Ltd is rated high as it has been contributing effectively in improving lives and communities. The company has been making meaningful interventions, meaningfully supporting entities , like it did lately to the National Fire Force by facilitating the construction of a water facility at the Force’s Kissy Branch, in order to capacitate it with water supply to respond to any fire emergency in that part of the country and in other areas within Greater Freetown.

These interventions, worth millions of Leones, are ways by which the company is magnanimously giving back to society. Lives have indeed changed for the better as a result of NP’s interventions.

Utilizing local skills and talents has been topmost in the agenda of discussions relating to national development. The argument for embracing the Local Content Policy borders around enhancing entrepreneurship, comparatively making use of less financial resources to pay for accomplished tasks and creating job opportunities thereby reducing poverty.

NP-SL has made it an established policy to give priority, in terms of employment, to Sierra Leoneans as long as they are in positions or competent to perform. The same is replicated everywhere the company is operating. Such an acclaimed stance is contributing greatly towards poverty reduction and improving lives.

NP-SL, many have confessed, is indeed a big blessing to Mama Salone and it is indeed really poised to continue to do more and more to foster socio-economic development. However, that could quickly transpire if strict compliance is actualized by those entities that should make available what really belongs to NP. In other words, to give to Ceasar what belongs to Ceasar.

Africell-Sierra Leone Signs MOU with UN Women

Chief Corporate Officer of Africell, Joe Abass Bangura and Dr. Mary Okumu

By Amin Kef Sesay

To support gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls in Sierra Leone Africell-SL on Tuesday 15th October, 2019 launched a partnership with the United Nations Women Sierra Leone at Bathurst Street Freetown.

In his address the Chief Corporate Officer of Africell SL, Joe Abass Bangura, stated that the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with UN Women is a culmination of what both organizations have agreed upon to cooperate in promoting Gender Equality and Women Empowerment.

He disclosed that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Africell-SL and United Nation Women will cover 3 core areas of cooperation and they are:

  1. Advocacy action on ending violence against Women and Girls.
  2. Male engagement in advocacy and actions for gender equality and the empowerment of women.
  3. Institutional capacity strengthening on gender equality and the empowerment of women in Africell.

Joe Abass further said that Africell-SL has five keys areas of intervention which include:

  1. Establishment of a national toll-free line to report Sexual and Gender Based Violence cases;  
  2. Hoisting up of Billboards carrying “Ending Violence Against Women and Girls” messages;
  • Use of Afri Radio for media engagement during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Based Violence (and beyond);
  1. Production of joint campaign messages on advocacy materials on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls.
  2. Using other multi-media and communication initiatives to campaign on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls

He added that UN Women will also be working with Africell to revamp the development and management of gender related policies.

“There is no argument that Africell is a leading sponsor of all things concerning women in the country from the signature program of our First Lady, Madam Fatima Bio – The Hands-Off our Girls Campaign to the Well Woman Clinic’s Annual Breast Cancer campaigns;  from the Annual Women Mean Business Awards to the Power Women 232 Annual Network Ball; from Rozzy’s education through entertainment project to Star Zee’s ‘Yes to Book n Pen Musical – and of course the recently concluded Miss Sierra Leone Beauty Pageant,” he maintained.

Joe noted that the entire world is in agreement with the need to end all forms of abuse and violence against women, adding that the world over society is doing more to create a better atmosphere that empowers women.

He said that Africell has been supporting all initiatives to get women and girls more involved in national development, more engaged in promoting social justice, economic growth, security and leveraging their unique talents, make them strong partners in unlocking and building potentials all across the country.

He added that women and girls make up more than half of the planet’s population further underscoring their commitment to women’s empowerment. He said almost 1/3 of their permanent staff at Africell are women and they will continue to work on increasing the number.

He applauded UN Women on behalf of the Management and Staff of Africell, for their continued strive for global gender equality and women’s empowerment.

UN Women Country Representative, Dr. Mary Okumu expressed appreciation to Africell-SL for giving them the opportunity to sign a partnership with them adding that this partnership will enhance the fight on violence against women and girls in Sierra Leone, adding that with the toll free line that will be launched after the partnership such will increase accountability and reporting of violence meted against women and girls across the country. She noted that UN Women had been working tremendously with stakeholders on the number one national priority which is ending violence against women and girls.

She disclosed that His Excellency President Maada Bio is a HeforShe champion for UN Women and he has been inaugurated by UN Women for championing the rights of every Sierra Leonean but with more focus on women and girls mainly by using male engagements in championing such in the country.

She called on the media to support the campaign as the Fourth Estate is very critical in giving out the right information to the public in order to end violence against women and girls in the country.

In another development, the Chief Corporate Officer of Africell, Joe Abass Bangura and the Station Manager of Afri-Radio, John Konteh, were both inaugurated by UN Women as HeforShe campaigners

To Accelerate Sim Registration… Orange Sierra Leone Partners with Drivers and General Workers Association

By Fatmata Jengbe

Orange-SL has on Monday 14th October 2019 sealed a partnership with the Sierra Leone Motor Drivers and General Transport Workers Association with the objective of discharging sim registration for all members of the Association in all motor parks first starting within the Freetown Municipality. The forming of the partnership took place at Texaco Lorry Park in the East End of Freetown.

According to the National President of the Sierra Leone Motor Drivers and General Transport Association, Alpha Amadu Bah, the partnership between Orange and the Sierra Leone Motor  Drivers and General Transport Association is a laudable venture adding how they are ready to work with Orange to ensure that the outcome becomes successful. The President pointed out that the Union nio has a membership of over 72,000 across the country.

He assured Orange Sierra Leone that the partnership between his organization and Orange Sierra Leone will ensure that they serve as Ambassadors of Orange Sierra Leone with a view to ensure that all their membership using Orange network are registered across the country.

He expressed thanks and appreciation for the concern shown by Orange Sierra Leone to countenance his union, citing that the visit of Orange SL staff to register his membership, will further strengthen the relationship between the Motor Drivers’ Union and Orange Sierra Leone.

The Drivers Union President told the Orange teams to access all the 37 Lorry Parks presently in Freetown to conduct the exercise.
Mr. Bah pointed out that as the Union’s President, he will not stand by and allow the membership to default and go the wrong way.
The security of the country, he indicated, is the most paramount and noted that the Sim Card registration will also have huge potential benefits for the membership of his union.

He also frowned at those who are in the habit of misusing and using GSM companies’ systems to threaten to kill others or engaged in fraudulent tricks, and that the current move to register sim cards in the country will put such activities out of the system.

Alpha Bah pleaded with Orange to facilitate their agents  to visit all their various parks and register the sim cards of their members sim cards.

Head of Compliance at Orange-Sierra Leone, Gerald Cole informed how some time ago, NATCOM asked all GSM operators to register their subscribers’ sim cards by taking vital bio information. He disclosed that they started off with registering drivers in 19 motor parks across Freetown.

Gerald added that the membership of the Sierra Leone Motor Drivers’ Union like everybody will need valid Identity Cards or Passports and drivers’ license to be able to register their sim cards.

This information, according to him, is critical for their data base and it would also aid affordable communication. The Compliance Manager also indicated that the exercise is also intended to enhance the digital revolution in Sierra Leone.

He further informed the Drivers’ Union that Orange-SL cares about the security of Sierra Leone and hence the reason for them to always collaborate with other vital sectors in strengthening security systems as well as robustly responding to mitigate security threats in the country.

He said the company is working tirelessly to help Sierra Leoneans benefit from the company’s unique products and services at affordable prices at all times.

The Secretary-General of the Sierra Leone Motor Drivers and General Transport Association, Kainnamu Kumabeh II, noted that in the wake of the partnership such will help the Association to register their members’ sim cards.

He also said they have informed their membership to register at the various stations across the country furthering how the registration is important to their association because through their cooperation it will reveal that the Executive body of the Motor Drivers is law abiding.

He reiterated that they have made it known that everybody should register his or her sim card with all the information to be entered into a data base system which will be used for different purposes. He said it will also help people to use their sim cards responsibly in order to enhance respect for law and the security of the State.

Kainnamu Kumabeh II also noted that Orange Sierra Leone is a better partner in the development of Sierra Leone.

He continued that the union has a President that cares for all, adding that with such a partnership they now have the hope that the union will benefit a lot during and after the Sim card registration exercise.
Orange Sierra Leone, according to him, has over the years worked very hard in helping the union in diverse ways and cited the printing of bill boards, calendars and other major assistance.

“Public Confidence In The Sierra Leone Judiciary At Its Lowest”- Hon. Chernor M. Bah

Hon. Chernor Maju Bah (Chericoco)

By John Baimba Sesay

The parliamentary leader of the main opposition All People’s Congress, Hon Chernor Maju Bah, has bemoaned the increasing lack of justice in the country. In an exclusive interview with this writer, Hon. Chernor Maju Bah (Chericoco) lamented that “confidence in the Judiciary of Sierra Leone is at an all time low”.

The opposition leader, fondly called Chericoco, himself a lawyer of high standing and one time Deputy Speaker of Parliament, was reacting to the Chief Justice’s failure to assign critical constitutional cases for hearing. In particular, Hon. Chericoco spoke about the appeals brought forward by opposition MPs over what he called “their illegal removal from Parliament”.

It followed what many described as an infamous High Court ruling on a petition filed by the ruling SLPP against some elected APC Members of Parliament. The ruling paved the way for the removal from Parliament of about ten opposition MPs.

The APC appealed the ruling and the Hon Maju Bah said, the appeals were filed on  June 10th, 2019, well within the timeframe given by the court to do so. But four months on, the said cases have not been assigned, contravening  Section 78 (4), of 1991 Constitution.

The relevant provision states that ‘The Court of Appeal shall determine an appeal and give judgement thereon within 4 months after the appeal was filed’.

“Sadly, the four months period to empanel and hear our appeals expired on October 10th, 2019 as a result of deliberate failure on the part of our judiciary,” fumed the APC parliamentary leader.

Hon. Chernor Maju Bah also said the failure by the Chief Justice to assign these cases is a clear and inexcusable violation of the Constitution and that this inaction has put a slur on the country’s already dim rated judiciary.

“The more the Chief Justice suppresses justice in the country, the more illegality thrives in Sierra Leone,” said the APC Parliamentary Leader.

Hon Bah further asserted that such brazen miscarriage of justice, of a Chief Justice deliberately refusing to assign cases that are against the government, is unprecedented. “The right to hearing was always guaranteed under the democratic governments of Late President Ahmed Tejan Kabba and former President Ernest Bai Koroma,” said the visibly angry opposition leader.

Hon Bah goes on to state that what the Chief Justice is perpetuating amounts to a violation of the rights of citizens to free, fair and impartial hearings as per the provisions of Section 23 of Act No 6 of the 1991 Constitution.

Hon. Sirajin Rollings-Kamara, one of the APC MPs affected by the ruling and who was removed from Parliament, recently expressed similar sentiments of disappointment and lack of confidence in the judiciary.

In an open Letter to the Chief Justice, Hon. Rowlings-Kamara said, since their appeals have not been assigned, he and his colleagues would seek justice somewhere else, an apparent reference to the West African Court Of Justice.

The APC MPs are not the only ones disappointed with the Judiciary. One time Attorney General and one of Sierra Leone’s best known international jurists, Abdulai O. Conteh has also chimed in. In a social media (whatsapp) post this writer has seen, Conteh, in responding to Hon. Rawlings-Kamara’s open letter, said, it’s a shame that the MP had to resort to an open letter on such an important matter.

Referring to the findings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission which found lack of access to justice as one of the factors for the Sierra Leone’s decade long war, Conteh lamented that it was unfortunate that the judiciary has still not learnt its lessons.

It could be recalled that apart from the appeals in question, the opposition All People’s Congress had petition cases filed against Members of Parliament of the ruling SLPP, which the Judiciary has also failed to hear while similar petitions filed by the SLPP have long been ruled upon. In fact, it’s the ruling on those SLPP petitions that the APC had filed the appeal.

Again, following the April 2018 Presidential run off, the APC and a few of its senior members also filed petitions against the elections results, those too, have never been assigned.

Other infractions include what appears to be a pattern of denial of bail to APC supporters arraigned before the courts on issues relating to political activity.

The outburst by the opposition APC leader in Parliament comes in the wake of a proposed bi-partisan meeting  on  Tuesday, October 15th, 2019 between the APC and the SLPP to look into several long drawn infractions which the main opposition APC believes the ruling party has committed against it and its members.

This proposed meeting followed a summit almost two months ago at State House, between  President Julius Maada Bio and former President Koroma. The objective of the summit, according to a joint communique by the two parties, was, among other things, to foster dialogue, peace and national cohesion.

Indian Vice President meets President Bio, announces major areas of cooperation

Vice President of India, Shri Venkaiah Naidu and President Dr Julius Maada Bio

By Alim Jalloh

Honourable Vice President of India, Shri Venkaiah Naidu, has met His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio on Sunday 13th October 2019, where he announced major areas of support to Sierra Leone that will impact economic development in the immediate future at State House, Freetown, Sierra Leone.

He praised the government for ongoing economic reforms and disclosed that the agreement with Export–Import Bank of India would, therefore, open a credit line of US$ 30million to support Sierra Leone with a major irrigation development project, boost agricultural productivity at the Tomabom rice project and eventually achieve food self-sufficiency. He encouraged public private partnership and private sector enterprises.

In a joint press conference, Sierra Leone’s Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh and his counterpart said other agreements the two governments had signed were for the establishment of a joint commission, cultural exchange programme and capacity building, which resonated with the President’s flagship human capital development programme.

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Nabeela Tunis, and Director of Telecommunications Consultants India, Mr. Kamendra Kumar, also signed an MoU to participate in the e-VBAB Network Project, a technology upgradation Pan-Africa e-Network venture.

Emphasising the importance of the meeting, Vice President Naidu, who concludes his 3-day visit to Sierra Leone on Monday 14 October as one of only two countries in Africa, said that was the first-ever high-level visit the West Africa nation had had from the Republic of India.

He was accompanied by the country’s Minister of State for Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries, Shri Sanjeev Kumar Balyan, a Member of Parliament in the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of India, Shri Ramvichar Netam, and senior officers of the Government of India.

President Bio paid tribute to the long-standing relationship between the two countries, citing the role they played as peacekeepers with the United Nations in post-war Sierra Leone. He said the Indian community had also contributed through business to the economy of the country.

“Sierra Leone and India have had a long-standing relationship. Today, as a country, we want to assure the people of India that we will continue to strengthen that relationship for our mutual benefit. Enjoy your stay and thanks for visiting Sierra Leone,” he said.

Vice President of India, Shri Venkaiah Naidu, has met President Dr Julius Maada Bio

Vice President of India, Shri Venkaiah Naidu and President Dr Julius Maada Bio

Vice President of India, Shri Venkaiah Naidu

Rabies Awareness must be heightened in Sierra Leone -HED Manager

Harold Thomas, Ag. Programme Manager HED & DHSE Communication Lead, Ministry of Health and Sanitation

By Ibrahim Sorie Koroma

The Acting Programme Manager Health Education Division in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Harold Thomas who also doubles as the Communication Lead at the Directorate of Health Security and Emergencies has called on the media to raise awareness on the risk factors of animal bites (dogs & cats) which can sometimes lead to rabies infection.

Mr. Thomas made the plea at a regional review meeting organized for District Health Education Officers /Social Mobilization Coordinators, Station Managers & Health for All Coalition District Coordinators in the South East and North West Regions in Kenema & Port Loko districts on Wednesday 9th October & Friday 11th October, respectively.

In his presentation, Mr. Thomas said that there has been an increase of dog bites in communities across the country, adding that Cases of animal bites are more reported for dog bites and that there are more animal bites (dogs & Cats) cases reported in 2017 but there has been a steady increase already in 2019

He also said that Bo has been the highest reporting district of dog bites in 2 of the 3 years reporting period, citing that most of the cases on animal bites from the neighboring districts are reported in BO. Mr. Thomas attributed the increase reporting of animal bits (dogs & Cats) as a result of the recent improvement made in the MoHS surveillance System.

Mr. Thomas said that the Ministry of Health and Sanitation is concerned about animal bites because of the possibility of rabies infection from domesticated and wild animals and that is why they are now promoting elimination of rabies in domestic and bush animals. “When a rabid animal/dog bites someone the issue has moved from the health of the animal/dog to the health of the human”…  He continues…  “That is the more reason the Ministry of Health & Sanitation is calling on the media to support in the area of awareness raising /public education on the risk factors of animal bites/rabies, as prevention is better than cure”. Mr. Thomas Urged the Media.

He said rabies is found in mammals; animals that can give birth to their young alive and can suckle. He continued that in Sierra Leone, the primary source of rabies is dogs and that the fatality rate of rabies is high noting that there are 4 known survivors of rabies in the world.

He advised  that when a dog has bitten someone that dog should not be killed, but should be isolated and observed for 10 days for signs and symptoms of rabies and if signs and symptoms persist the victim should report to the health facility for palliative treatment/care and the rabid dog should be reported to a veterinary/livestock officer.

Mr. Thomas also advised parents to warn their children from disturbing dogs, especially lactating and hungry dogs, as it puts them at risk of being bitten by dogs with further risk of rabies infection.

He further called on people to be responsible pet owners and argued the issue of stray dogs, as these dogs were some time owned by people, but could not care for them resulting to what is known as stray dogs.

He closed by calling the attention of people to take note of the signs and symptoms of a rabid dog and he advised people to refrain from them. He cited that a rabid dog salivates continuously with saliva running from its mouth and swags as it moves and has spots in its body. Are times a rabid dog can be cool and as well be aggressive?

 

Sierra Leone RSA Board Chair Assures Stakeholders in Moyamba & Pujehun

By Mohamed Lamrana Jalloh

The Chairman Board of Directors of The Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) Sheikh Mustapha Bawoh at has told Stakeholders in Moyamba, Mattru Jong and Pujehun that the SLRSA cannot succeed without their support.

He made this statement at a Jam packed hall of District Stakeholders in Moyamba, Mattru Jong and Pujehun during the formal commissioning of the Authority’s 3 branch offices in the above mentioned districts.

Mr. Sheikh Bawoh said, the success of the SLRSA hinges on the shoulders of its stakeholders. He said the role of stakeholders both at national, Community and Regional levels should not in anyway be overemphasized.

He admonished them to take full advantage of the opportunity by ensuring that all vehicles; motor bikes,   are licensed and insured. and that riders and drivers must always carry their Driver’s License and respect law enforcement officers.

“This is one of the series of goodies you stand to benefit from the the Management Team if the SLRSA and by extension the president Bio’s New Direction government depending on the support and positive collaboration we get from all stakeholders,” Mr. Bawoh said.

It could be recalled that in about a year ago after his appointment as the Chairman Board of Directors of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority – SLRSA, Mr. Bawoh has not only been providing the necessary support to the Executive Director Panda-Noah but has made it his responsibility to ensure that the Authority succeeds in delivering quality, efficient and sustainable service to the people of this country and thus help change the many negative stories on our roads.

 

 

AIM Sierra Leone Endorses ‘Bondo’ as part of Culture but Frowns on Cutting

By Ahmed Sahid Nasralla (De Monk)

The Amazonian Initiative Movement (AIM) is doggedly poised to transform the traditional Bondo Society in order to maintain our culture and tradition, but is calling for the elimination of  the ‘harmful’ act of cutting.

In partnership with Purposeful, AIM is implementing a pilot project on the first alternative rite of passage in Sierra Leone commencing in December 2019.

The organization, working in five Northern districts of Port Loko, Karena, Bombali, Tonkolili and Koinadugu, has trained Soweis in Port Loko district and has had three public declarations of Soweis to stop the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The Soweis have handed in their working instruments, including their head ties in return for blue and yellow head ties as a sign to show that they are Soweis but are not practicing FGM anymore.

The Soweis are sent to adult literacy school to learn the basics; how to write and spell their names; and they are also empowered with basic skills in agriculture. The aim is to replace their livelihood and to train them to conduct the Bondo without any harm to initiates.

“I want people to know that I am part of the Bondo society and I like it so much but I hate FGM because of my experience and that of other women and children which I witnessed. We still have the highest infant mortality rate in the world but yet we are afraid to talk about FGM. If we don’t talk about FGM it will be difficult as a country to address infant mortality because one of the things promoting that is FGM,” said AIM’s Founder and Director, Rugiatu Neneh Turay.

According to AIM, Sierra Leone has more Bondo bushes than schools, hospitals,’Igbalehs’ and ‘Gbanikas’ and the North and North-West practice the worst form of FGM.

“Every village in this country has a Bondo bush and in the northern part, you have what we called ‘Yanka’ where women are still taking about two to three years inside with girls. All those years inside there they are not attending school. So If any Government is talking about promoting education, the focus should be more in the rural communities than in the urban towns,” noted Rugiatu.

Rural women and girls are the ones suffering the most, according to AIM. Most people that are educated hardly involve their children but they are the ones sponsoring the construction of Bondo bushes. It is difficult to find a politician in the North that is sponsoring the building of Bondo bushes but in the South and East, politicians have been bankrolling their construction, it also claims.

“We want politicians to stop the act of constructing Bondo bushes because they are not doing same for the Poro society. They are taking advantage of the high illiteracy rate among rural women to promote what will always put them at the back. We must put a stop to this,” Rugiatu appealed.

The organization has received 150 girls for training, but they are going to be properly scrutinized to ensure children below age 18 are excluded.

“The Bondo society is for women, not children,” Rugiatu emphasized. “We are not accepting anyone that is below the age of 18. We want people to see and admire them and that is the value we want to bring back.”

Within the same project, they will also be trained on the use of signs and language. Unlike male secret societies such as Ojeh, the organization has realized that members of the Bondo society have degrading ways of verifying if one is a member.

“So we have decided that inside the bush, we will develop language and signs. Those that have gone through the practice should be part of the training to understand the signs and language. We need to stop degrading ourselves when we meet at the Bondo bush,” said Rugiatu.

Furthermore, AIM is implementing a project called ‘Replacing the Bondo bush with schools’; working with children and communities that have agreed to replace their Bondo bushes with schools.

In Tonkolili district recently, reported AIM, a community agreed to remove a Poro bush (the male version of Bondo) and the organization is now building a school in its place. The community agreed that the entire section should have a single Poro bush and the organization is in talks with the Soweis to also have one Bondo bush.

The organization believes this will help them monitor the Bondo bushes and ensure no cutting takes place.

“If we do not start to protect our children at this age for them to know that they are being trained into womanhood through our culture, they will think that everything about a woman is pain. The Bondo society is an institution where we meet and interact irrespective of our political alliances, educational background and status. When we are in the society we are all the same and so we want to ensure we bring back the good things that have been eroded,” said Rugiatu.

She added: The focus for now is to stop the cutting but we want to make sure we bring the good things back and we are ready to do so this December 2019. We are calling on everyone to see the need to join the campaign to maintain Bondo without FGM. Bondo is our culture and it is my identity as a Sierra Leonean woman but the trouble in there which is not good hygienically is what we are trying to address.”

 

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