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Moyiba Town, Sierra Leone Gets New 200Kva Transformer Installed

By Brima Sannoh

The people of Moyiba in the East of Freetown jumped to hilarious exaltation and jubilations on Tuesday 22nd October, 2019 when the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority installed a new 22kva generator to provide electricity to the environs. Prior this time, the Moyiba Community had been deprived of electricity in the past three months causing a lot of losses for residents and other industry consumers.

While installing the generator, EDSA Commercial Services Director Donald Kopoi said customers should protect the transformer as their property and don’t allow it to be overloaded and blown off. To achieve this, he advised that the community must disengage from acts of illegal connections for electricity and or report all electricity related issues to EDSA at Balckhall Road.

Engineer Francis Nyama is the Deputy Director General of EDSA and said the new transformer has been added on caseload of 40watt from the previous one burnt (160kVA), but warned that customers will experience challenges if they affect the capacity and supply of the current generator.

On behalf of EDSA he apologized for the delay in installing the transformer due to procurement procedures that could not be violated.  During the commissioning Hon. Tennison Sandy thanked the Minister of Energy Alhaji Kanja Sesay and officials of EDSA for replacing the transformer. “Development does not choose or want to know which political party you belong, politics is over, let come together to develop our Constituency. Once we have development like electricity, everyone is bound to enjoy devoid of political party affiliation”, he averred.

He warned the people to realise that the transformer is a government owned property and therefore should be protected. Happy residents of Moyiba Community in Constituency 120 took to the streets with dancing and singing in appreciation of the EDSA and the ministry for the generator. They pledged to to safeguard the transformer and report electricity issues to EDSA.

SOS Sierra Leone turns blind eye to a mentally challenged youth

Nathaniel Tucker

By Fatmata Jengbe

While the world is fighting to combat mental health, a swift approach to put a stop to suicide and untimely death, the contrary is happening with S.O.S Children’s Villages in Sierra Leone.

This highlights the case of Nathaniel Tucker who is facing mental health challenges, from childhood to present. The organisation is refusing to take action for Nathaniel after it received instructions from SOS Children’s Villages International, in Austria, to do so.

In the last two decades, the organisation has proven to be perverse in dealing with domestic abuses; sexual exploitation, education abuse, neglect, corporal treatment, to fraud and corruption. International (internal investigations) interventions were made after the abuses were reported in 2016, but was insufficient due to the inclusion of ‘corrupt-minds’.

Apparently, Nathaniel Tucker, now 27, was integrated into SOS Sierra Leone as a baby. Allegations point that he suffered domestic abuse; corporal treatment and neglect at the hands of the administration that inflicted him, and eventually thrown out of the programme pre-maturely.

In the past 3 – 4 years he has been doing menial jobs at the Lumley market, beach road, in Freetown. Most days, he perambulates the streets of Lumley restlessly, posing as a menace to society.

Nathaniel’s story emerged in June 2019 and shared in public domains with the hope that SOS would take action but to no avail. Though the International Office claimed that they have shared the situation report of Nathaniel to the authorities in Sierra Leone to take action, yet they have continued to drag their feet.

Other cases of former participants of the organisation like Nathaniel have exposed the hazards; health, bully, and sexual exploit of the home office.

The International offices in Senegal and Austria in an email gave their reactions to issue by stating that the current management of SOS Sierra Leone has been receiving support, yet no action has been taken.

Sierra Leone Minister of Mines Excels in Russia

Sierra Leone’s Mines Minister, Foday Rado Yokie

By Amin Kef Sesay

The Sierra Leone Minister of Mines and Mineral resources, Foday Rado Yoki, representatives of Russian companies ZYFRA, ALROSA and CHETRA, took part in an interesting panel discussion, “The African Mining Industry: New Russian Technologies and High Efficiency.” As

in Russia, extractive industries form the basis of the economy in Africa. Thirty percent of the world’s mineral reserves are located on this continent.

“According to government data, in South Africa alone, mining contributes eight out of every 100 rand to the overall economy, and accounts for one out of every 40 jobs,” says Igor Bogachev, Chairman of the subcommittee on digital economy of the Russian Union of Industrialists and entrepreneurs.

“At the same time, it is important to consider the harsh climates in which these enterprises are located, the growing health and safety requirements, and the challenges of hiring highly qualified personnel. Without automation and robotics, it would be impossible to solve these problems,” added Bogachev.

“At ZYFRA, we offer regional players automated control system solutions for mining and transport complexes, as well as robotic equipment,” said Pavel Rastopshin, Managing Director of ZYFRA, the first company in Russia to develop a robot dump truck.

“The use of robotic technology is 20% higher compared to conventional machinery.  Thanks to such technology, the driver of dump trucks can transition into a control center operator, overseeing the use of several vehicles at once. This fall, our robots were put to use in the SUEK quarry in Khakassia and Morocco. Our next destination for this technology is South Africa,” added Rashtopshin.

The panellists agreed that traditional mining methods are becoming increasingly costly, while productivity is declining due to high maintenance costs, low equipment reliability, reactive troubleshooting, low equipment utilization and safety incidents.

According to General Maniema Mining Company Chief Executive George Oyema, improving workplace safety and productivity “serves the interests of both Unions and workers, as well as owners and ultimately the State by safely increasing the productivity of the industry.”

The Minister of Mining and Mineral resources from Sierra Leone, Foday Rado Yoki, did extremely well throughout the discussion.

More Resources Needed To Attain Food Security in Sierra Leone

COMMENTARY

By Amin Kef Sesay

In August 2019, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF), Statistics Sierra Leone (StatSL) and the Food and Nutrition Directorate (FND) of  the  Ministry  of  Health and  Sanitation, with technically support from the United Nations World  Food  Programme (WFP),undertook  a  Food  Security  Monitoring  System  (FSMS)  exercise.  The purpose  of  the  FSMS  was to  find  out  the  status  of  food  insecurity  during  the  lean  season.

District level analysis

Among the districts, Bonthe district recorded the highest prevalence of food insecurity (75.5percent), likely as a result of challenging physical access that impeded inflow of food commodities, heavy rainfall that damaged crops and constrained engagement in the main livelihood of fishing in addition to a pest infestation of the staple in this area, cassava.

Kailahun district also registered high rates of food insecurity (70.6 percent), likely caused by limited access due to poor road conditions, lower than average yields of the primary cash crop, cocoa and limited market opportunities(reducing  household  incomes  to  purchase  food)in  addition  to  indirect  impacts  of  the  economic downturn  in Liberia,  which  reduced  cross  border  trade.

In Tonkolili district  (68.6  percent), high rates of food insecurity are likely a result of a reduction in agricultural activities in the district due to increased utilization of agricultural land formining activities.

Food insecurity was also high in Koinadugu district (65.3  percent), representing a chronic problem of very poor accessibility during the rainy season as a result of the deplorable road conditions that characterise this district.

Overall, the FSMS showed a deterioration of the food security situation since September  2018 –the  last  data collection also during the lean season-with the total food insecure population increasing from 43.7 percent to 53.4 percent.  This implies that over half of the population of Sierra  Leone (4,232,593  people) are  not  consuming a sufficiently nutritious diet to live a healthy life. The August 2019 FSMS showed that 4.6 percent (364,605 people) of Sierra Leoneans are severely food insecure, an increase of 2.6 percent from September 2018.

The increase in food insecurity during the lean season –when local production is lower, households have depleted their  food  stocks  and  access  is  challenging  due  to  poor  infrastructure -demonstrates the  current  testing macroeconomic  situation  in  Sierra  Leone,  characterised  by  high  inflation, increasing  food  prices  and  reducing income  generating  opportunities.  Considering  the  extreme  poverty  in  Sierra  Leone  with  the  average  household spending most of their limited income on food, price increases have had a profound impact on the resilience of low income, vulnerable households.

This is reflected in the proportion of households spending over 65 percent of their income on food increasing from 44.8 percent (September 2018) to 56 percent (August 2019). Furthermore a difficult macroeconomic situation has been compounded by recurrent climate shocks – specifically irregular rainfall patterns – including late onset of 2018 rainy season and lowers than average precipitation levels, and above average rainfall in 2019 and widespread incidents of flooding.

With three-quarters of Sierra Leoneans engaged  in  agricultural  production  as  their  primary  livelihood  activity,  irregular  rainfall  of  2018  contributed  to significantly  reducing  already  very  low  agricultural  production,  reducing  incomes  and  household  food  stocks, exacerbating vulnerability and food and nutrition insecurity.

Reduced harvests in 2019 contributed to earlier than usual  depletion  of  household  food  stocks,  which  intensified  the  lean  season. The  heavy  rainfall  of  2019  both damaged  crops,  homesteads  and  reduced  physical  access  to  remote  communities,  thus  reducing  access  to  food during the lean season typified by low agricultural production. The combination of these recurrent climate shocks has had a serious impact on the fragile food security status of vulnerable households in Sierra Leone.

MMCET Sierra Leone Receives 6,000 Pounds Support from UK/Ireland Alumni

By Sumner Kangbap           

To put the tertiary institution on a good stead, the Alumni of the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology (MMCE&T) polytechnic United Kingdom and Ireland Branch on Friday 25th October 2019 donated 61 whiteboards and 300 packets of markers, dusters as well as a projector and ancillary gargets for the college’s Great Hall worth over 6,000 (six thousand Pounds Sterling) to the college administration at an impressive ceremony held at the Great Hall of the Goderich campus.

The items are to be used by the three campuses of Goderich, Congo Cross and Brookfields.

The college’s registrar, Mr. Sheriffu Bangura revealed that the occasion is another step in the transformation of the college.

The Acting Vice Principal of the college, Dr. Mohamed Alie Jalloh revealed that it is a pleasure to welcome all on the special occasion which he described as another red letter day in the annals of the college recalling that when the Acting Principal visited the United Kingdom recently, he engaged the Alumni to give back to their alma mater and described the donation as another milestone in that direction.

He further disclosed that last year the UK and Ireland Branch also donated toilets to the college that greatly helped to improve sanitation on campus, observed that the Alumni is paying back to the institution and commended them for the gesture that is helping to transform the college underscoring that the whiteboards and markers would give way to the blackboards and chalks revealing that the college now uploads lesson notes on its website.

The Acting Principal of the college, Dr. Philip John Kanu disclosed that the Alumni wants to associate with the successes and developments taking place in the college, that he is encouraged by the support he is receiving from people and institutions, that he would crush those who stand on the way of development and encouraged all to come onboard the development and transformation train assuring that the whiteboards, markers and projector would be distributed to the various lecture halls.

According to Dr. Philip John Kanu, the donation was made in record time asserting that the Alumni made a lot of sacrifices to make the donation for which the college would always be grateful reiterating that we must celebrate people when they are alive and not when dead.

He also observed that there are a good number of old students of the college in the United Kingdom and Ireland but only a few are members of the Alumni and cautioned all not be politicize the institution, that he can never be blackmailed or intimidated as has been the case since he took up office underscoring that nobody would stop the upgrading of the college to a polytechnic university.

The Acting Principal added that the college would not accept failures, warned lecturers against changing the grades of students, that some lecturers are complaining about signing the attendance register, that lecturers must work for eight hours during which they must not only lecture but also mentor students, help them with community work and research and acclaimed the Alumni for the invaluable gesture affirming that the college would continue to pray for them.

He also warned students not to use the wrong markers on the whiteboards, appealed to all to do good things for which they would be remembered, that the Alumni is very influential in lobbying to make things happen as well as support the administration to upgrade the college to the first technical university in the country that would produce quality teachers and technicians and appealed to the Alumni for more support.

The representative of the UK and Ireland Branch Alumni, Mr. Mohamed Dauda disclosed that he studied Biology and Chemistry at the college, that he benefited immensely from the college as he had a strong foundation that made him perform well in other areas underlining “do not underestimate MMCE&T. Study hard to benefit one day”.

He also informed that the Alumni was formed four years ago, that there are over a thousand members of the Alumni but only 62 committed members and assured of more donations.

The Acting Chairman of the Alumni’s National Chapter, Mr. Bob Wilson Bockarie stressed that the Alumni has a role to play to transform the college to a technical university and would champion the process, that other universities have been opened in the country without the qualified lectures and facilities, implored all to work very hard towards that drive, commended the administration for transforming the college as all can see the physical improvements taking place in the three campuses of the polytechnic recalling that the Students’ Union election is the best in the country.

In his vote of thanks, Mr. Anthony During, the Students’ Union President, assured that they would take good care of the items for posterity.

Highlights of the ceremony were the introduction of the Alumni and unveiling of the items.

Chair of Sierra Leone Tourist Board Warmly Commends President Bio Pres Bio

Chairman of National Tourist Board, Alieu Tamba Kokobaye

By Ibrahim Babatunde Sesay

The Chairman of National Tourist Board, Alieu Tamba Kokobaye has lauded President Julius Maada Bio for his initiative in prioritizing Tourism in the New Direction agenda. He noted that the tourism sector had been dormant for long but expressed optimism that the revitalization of the sector by the President would enable the sector to be one of the major revenue drivers for  economic growth in the country.

He further acknowledged the proactive approach of the Minister of Tourism, Dr. Memunatu Pratt saying her administration had registered remarkable growth and development in the sector.

The Board Chair was making statement at the launch of the Sierra Leone UNWTO Gender Women and Tourism Chapter organized by the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs in collaboration with the Ministries of Trade and Industry and of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs on Friday 25th October, 2019 at the Family Kingdom Resort, Aberdeen, Freetown.

Chairman Kokobaye further commended partner ministries that added value to the successful launch of the chapter.

Chairlady of the event, Hon. Veronica Sesay expressed her honour to chair the occasion, and appealed to state actors and policy makers to employ more women in top government positions. “What men can do, women can do it,” she added. She expressed thanks to all donor partners and the National Tourist Board for organizing the event, acknowledging that there have been significant improvements in the Tourism Industry with Minister Dr. Memunatu Pratt at the helm of affairs.

Launching the Sierra Leone UNWTO Gender Women and Tourism Chapter, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs Dr Memunatu Pratt expressed delight that Sierra Leone has gained membership into the UNWTO. She revealed that this is the first year Sierra Leone  joined UNWTO as well as attending the conference.

She urged all Sierra Leoneans to market the country locally and internationally. ” We have so many things in the country to market internationally and to help the industry,” she said. She noted that there is a lot of benefits from the UNWTO which will subsequently be of benefit to the country. She thanked President Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio for supporting the Tourism sector.

The Honourable Member of Parliament Constituency 131 who doubles as Chairman of the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on the Tourism Industry, Hon. Mohamed Sheriff Rahman Coker also expressed his delight to be part of the launching ceremony.

He acknowledged the tremendous improvements in the Tourism Industry under the leadership of Dr. Memunatu Pratt as Tourism Minister, assuring that as parliamentary he would do his best to ensure that the Tourism Industry develops.

The event was graced by hundreds of women from all walks of life, as well as a display of culture.

ECOFEST SIERRA LEONE 2019 TO OPEN WITH A JAM SESSION (DJ’S BATTLE)

By Ibrahim Sorious Samura

As Sierra Leoneans and Africans await the best show ever in Freetown on the 30th November 2019, the event will be preceeded by a ‘Dance Jam Session’. This jam session will see 7 DJs from six African countries competing for a huge cash set aside by the organisers.

Two DJs from SierraLeone, One from Ghana, One from Nigeria, One from Malawi, One from Liberia and One from Uganda. The show will start with a dance and jam session by 6pm with 7 DJs, there will be two finalists who will battle for the said prize later in the show.

It is no longer a secret that the 30th November will an ‘all-entertaining’ night, with the best in African music and comedy on one stage, one city. The organisers – Kabaka Multimedia & Entertainment (KME), Empire Entertainment and Cribs International have procured two 100kva generators for the night, well enough to assured fans of an uninterrupted show in terms of power. There will also be an electronic backdrop, the best sound system in Africa from Cribs International, detailed security presence with dozens of performance.

The ECOFEST package is so big for anyone to miss. Basket Mouth from Nigeria, Diamond Platinumz from Tanzania, Jose Chameleon from Malawi, Kwame Eugene &  Kidi from Ghana, Instinct Killers from Guinea, and many others from ten nations. In total, over 15 foreign African and over 17 Sierra Leonean acts (artistes, MCs, DJs and Comedians) will be on stage, in one night in Freetown, Sierra Leone. It appears as a ‘Giveaway’ show for just a meagre sum of Le 30,000 for Open Stand at the Siaka Stevens Stadium. There’s a lot on the night no one can afford to miss, and Sierra Leone is the big winner.

ECOFEST is a Sierra Leonean idea for Africa. This African music platform was built by a young Sierra Leonean lawyer, Abu Bakarr Turay aka Kabaka, who is also the CEO of KME. The ‘Festival of African Nations’ (ECOFEST) was built on a strong foundation to bring African music, comedy, culture on one stage. It is a platform for mutual sharing and festivities.

‘SALONE FOR LAUGH VOL. 5’ WITH MR. YEMATA

By Ibrahim Sorious Samura

Shiaka Kamara popular on stage ‘Yemata D Laughing Matter’ will host his 5th comedy show on the 1st November, 2019 at the Miatta Conference Centre in Freetown. Yemata is an outstanding stand-up comedian in Sierra Leone who has earned his reputation over the years. The ‘Laughing Matter’ is known for his humours, pranks and funny jokes, who usually dislocates his audience from their sitting positions.

He is one of the most educated stand-up comedians in Sierra Leone, with Diploma in Cultural Studies, Division One in History and Sociology, a Masters in Diplomacy and International Relations, and currently he is a second year Law student. He has an international connection with several super stars in the world of comedy. Two years back, he brought Aboki 4 Christ from Nigeria in a night of laughter. Well prepared and fit for any corperate event. He cracks  jokes in both English and Krio.

As usual, part of the proceeds from the show will be donated to underprivileged people in society. Support Yemata on the 1st November 2019 at the Miatta Conference Centre in Freetown for Le 30,000.

 

Sierra Leone Government to overhaul WAEC over Exams Malpractices – Professor Aiah Gbakima

Professor Aiah Gbakima

By Fatmata Jengbe

Examinations are known to play very important roles in our educational system, and the effect of examination malpractice has a negative and positive part of it. Examination malpractice with its disadvantages is affecting all the facets of society negatively. Other effects of examination malpractice include discouragement of students from hard work, low productivity and poor job performances, bribery, corruption, and certificate racketeering.

The ongoing examinations malpractices, especially in public exams, are currently a thorn in the flesh for the current government, which is working round the clock to put an end to them. The Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Professor Aiah Gbakima said on Friday that “no matter the situation we are going to overhaul WAEC”.

This policy statement from the Minister is something that the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) would have to treat with all seriousness considering the humiliation it went through in recent days in the hands of the government. A good number of WAEC staff and staff of other schools allegedly caught in the exams malpractice syndicate have been humiliated in public and others have found themselves behind bars, even though there are no laws in the country prohibiting examinations malpractices. “Examinations malpractice is a headache for the government. The President is treating it with all seriousness,” the Minister remarked and furthered that “We will not relent but we’ll get something done about it.

Prof. Gbakima told the gathering that one of the strategies his Ministry will apply is to have a national dialogue on education to find out what the problems are and get solutions. “This is not about politics but a national event that requires every hand on deck so that we end examinations malpractices across Sierra Leone,” he said. “We need to be disciplined in the educations sector,” he noted.

The Government is currently spending lots of monies on students’ grant-in-aid. Over two thousand students in various universities and colleges are currently benefiting from this support.  “We hope to increase the number in the coming years,” the Minister assured but warned that those that are not doing well will be kicked out of the scheme and replaced with others doing well. “We are going to get their results. I have already told the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Sierra Leone that those who fail to do well should not continue to benefit from the government’s support,” he remarked.

 

Sierra Leone Deputy Labour Minister Vows to Protect Citizens

By Melvin Tejan-Mansaray

The need to protect citizens of any country to get jobs in work places is a fundamental requirement of not only trade unions but Government also. That is why Lansana Mohamed Dumbuya, the Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Security has called for the need to ensuring that the popularization of the National Labour Migration Policy and the Overseas Employment and Migration Act, 2019 across all the districts in the country must be supported.

The Minister acknowledges that there is high unemployment rate in the country but calls on people to make themselves relevant by learning the required skills to be able to challenge the expatriates taking their jobs.

This doesn’t mean that foreigners cannot come and work in Sierra Leone but he advised that the law protects the right of the citizen to get job opportunities. Except other jobs that cannot be occupied professionally due to lack of qualification academically that they can get the liberty to do so.

To ensure that jobs are occupied by Sierra Leoneans with the requisite skills, qualification, and those without skills and qualification, the Deputy Minister said that TVET is good to capacitate young graduates with relevant skills.

The Local Content Act also guarantees that Sierra Leoneans are to occupy senior, middle and lower management levels with a certain percentage while expatriates must present their succession plan, training plans for skills transfer to citizens to take after them.

The Act 2019 lays emphasis that Sierra Leoneans travelling to other countries such as Qatar, Lebanon, Arab Emirates, America, UK, etc will benefit from opportunities of the Act.

There are challenges, though, but with the support of partners like EU, ECOWAS, IOM, Labour Ministry, a blueprint that guides Government to look at the people and the challenges to address them. The policy itself looks at  social protection rights – that everyone ones’ rights must be guaranteed with social protection either as migrants or emigrants.

Launched in August 2018, the blueprint will ensure that the people – the print and electronic media, key stakeholders like TOCU, Immigration, Local Authorities, Social Welfare Ministry, etc about  aware about what is contained inside the policy in order to send the right information  to the people.

The propose of this Act is not just to have a policy but a law that has been drafted and now tabled in Parliament for enactment. “We are calling on our partners to present these documents so people know that there are jobs and steps that we have taken, and we hope that once the law is enacted we will move to all the districts to let people know that there is a law to curb irregular migration in this country,” By Lansana Sesay, Information Officer Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

 

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