At least 6000 acres of land have been acquired in various areas in the provinces for youth to engage in agricultural activities, thus provide employment for them.
The Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs, Hon. Lusine Kallon, has led a delegation to champion President Julius Maada Bio’s New Direction priority in using agriculture as the backbone for the country’s economy.
As a policy directive, the Deputy Minister is currently on a nationwide tour in Kenema, Kono, Magburuka, and Kabala to establish Youth Farms.
In Kenema District over the weekend, the Deputy Minister and his team from the Ministry of Youth Affairs launched the Youth In Agriculture Project. The ceremony was graced by the Mayor of the Kenema City, His Worship Thomas Mbayo, the Deputy Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning-Rex Bhonapha, SLARI and Solidaridad representatives, the District Agriculture Officer and over fifty youth groups in the District.
In his short address, the Deputy Minister of Lands, Hon. Rex Bhonapha said using Kenema was deliberate because of the youthful population and harnessing those potentials required a strong political will which has been demonstrated today.
The Mayor thanked the Youth Ministry for using agriculture as a key strategy to discourage idleness among young people. He promised his unflinching support to the project in the entire District.
In Kono District, the Youth In Agriculture Project had secured 250 (two hundred and fifty) acres of land and 5000 (five thousand) acres of land in Tonkolili District.
In Kabala, the Deputy Minister and his team engaged stakeholders to establish 250 (two hundred and fifty) acres of land to kick-start the project.
Addressing journalists, the Field Manager, Frank Amadu Bio said they are impressed with the development in Masalia village, Masiaka town where the land has been cleared, harrowed and ploughed. He said Masalia will not only become a demonstration site but a place where different agricultural products will be harvested and made available in the market.
Njala University is now in top gear as one of its students recently defeated three participants from other Universities that took part in the pitching of innovative ideas based on Information, Communication and Technology (ICT).
The event took place on August 2, 2019, the final day, of the Commonwealth ICT conference which took place at the Bintumani Hotel from the 31st July to 2nd August 2019.
The well attended conference was hosted by the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) with the Theme: “Broadband for Inclusive Digital Transformation”.
Rural connectivity, Analogue to Digital, Broadcasting transformation, Enhancing local innovation, Emerging technologies, Big data, Youth and ICTs, Data protection, Broadband infrastructure sharing and OTTs were all thematic areas that were widely deliberated by all the participants comprising representatives from within and without the country.
Giving a background of the competition Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, the Chief Innovator of DSTI said, “The Directorate of Science, Technology, & Innovation in partnership with the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), and the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO) invited the general public to submit ideas to its connectivity challenge during its annual Commonwealth ICT Forum.” He furthered that the response was somehow a bit encouraging but expressed disappointment for not having a female participant.
He disclosed how the Connectivity Innovation Idea /Challenge is about making a positive impact by providing or making use of increased quality connectivity in Sierra Leone. Dr. Sengeh pointed out that for someone who is participating in the challenge an individual stands a chance of winning Le 5,000,000 to make his or her idea become a reality, adding that those with good winning ideas will also be given an opportunity to develop a prototype in partnership with DSTI.
The young Dr. Moinina Sengeh said the panel of judges were able to select 4 finalists who were invited to pitch their ideas live on stage at the end of the Commonwealth ICT Forum 2019.
It was a highly competitive and tense moment when the Chairman of the event, Mr. Daniel Kaitibi, who doubles as Deputy Director General of NATCOM, allocated 3 minutes each to the finalists to pitch their ideas.
Mahmoud Gbesssay: Pitched on Educational Television-
Dilating on his idea, he highlighted how the SLPP Maada Bio led Government places premium on enhancing quality education and such is evident in introducing the flagship free quality education that is now benefitting pupils from nursery school up to senior secondary school level. He also mentioned how the idea of encouraging female students pursuing courses in the sciences at the university is a laudable one.
Mahmoud argued that through making use of educational television programs, which he designed, such could greatly help in terms of enhancing and taking education to another level. He underscored that education is the engine for development stressing that efforts need to be made by State and Non-State actors to ensure that everything is humanely done to make education worthwhile. “True individual and national development can highly become possible through educational empowerment,” Mahmoud told the attentive audience, emphasizing how educational television could broaden connectivity and go widely.
He successfully thrilled the judges as well as the audience by the way he marketed his idea and ultimately emerged as the winner.
Dishing out the award to the deserving winner, the Director General of NATCOM, Maxwell Massaquoi, thanked all the participants for showing interest and taking part in the competition. “To develop a proposal within a short-given period of time is really not easy but you guys have proven that with commitment and dedication the impossible can become the possible,” he posited followed by a warm round of applause from the audience.
Mahmoud was declared the winner of not only five million Leones but was also offered an eligibility status to attend the next Commonwealth conference scheduled to take place in London next year. Being absent but participated via telephone his award was received on his behalf by a lecturer cum Director of Information Technology at Njala University.
The other three participants were given consolation prizes of two million Leones each and offered the opportunity to undergo further training to improve on their existing knowledge.
The Milton Margai College of Education and Technology (MMCET) polytechnic on Wednesday 7th August 2019 at the conference room of the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, New England Ville in Freetown signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Chinese Embassy in Freetown to support the Practical Arts Department of the college headed by Mr. Marco Conteh.
According to the MoU, the Chinese Embassy will provide the equipment, vehicles and expertise to train 45 students in the Practical Arts Department to make pottery items as the representative of the Chinese Embassy underscored that the short term course would create jobs and appealed to Government, through the Ministry, to provide waiver for some of the equipment.
As the Embassy cannot ship the raw materials from China, MMCET will provide the space and conducive learning environment for the training of the 45 students, provide the raw materials like clay, oven (s), water and firewood, the MoU further highlights.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education, Mr. Gilbert Cooper, who represented the Ministry, asserted that the MoU is a “fair deal.”
The Ministry of Technical and Higher Education is expected to provide the leave application, coordinate the entire process as well as the duty waiver for the shipment of the equipment.
The ceremony was witnessed by the college’s Acting Vice Principal, Dr. Mohamed Alie Jalloh, who signed on behalf of the college, the Senior Registrar, Mr. Jeff Momoh, the Dean of the Brookfields campus, Mrs. Alima Jumu, the Public Relations Officer, Elizabeth Sesay and the head of the Practical Arts Department, Mr. Marco Conteh.
Too few NGOs seek to leverage their resources to achieve durable social change. In fact, evidence abounds that NGOs often try to bypass government for a variety of reasons. However, those NGOs that endeavor to find and collaborate with committed government officials make big development gains.
Large-scale social change rarely occurs without government playing a key role in policy change, policy implementation, or both. If NGOs, especially those that receive huge international funding, utilize those funds well for their intended purposes of alleviating poverty, in line with outlined government policies and programs, they can make a big difference in the fight against grassroots poverty.
Consider China’s rural legal reforms in the late ‘70s and ‘80s, which helped hundreds of millions of farmers lift themselves from poverty; the 19th amendment in the United States, which allowed women to vote and fueled wider gains for women’s rights; or India’s launch of a unique digital identification system, which has allowed tens of millions of families to access government poverty alleviation programs and services. As such, successful partnership begins with both NGOs and local governments becoming firmly committed to collaboration and convinced of its value.
Consider many of the most impactful NGOs working today; they almost uniformly recognize the potential of working with the public sector; seek out committed government officials, and partner — deeply and over the long term. BRAC, the largest development agency in the world, One Acre Fund, and Partners in Health are three great examples of organizations maximizing their impact through partnerships with the public sector.
There is little reason why NGOs that seek to advance large-scale social change through partnering with government on effective policy change or implementation are still outliers, not the norm. The following tips can help organizations more effectively identify potential opportunities for collaboration with the public sector and seize such opportunities as a path to promoting changes to policy or large-scale implementation that accelerate social change.
Begin with the end in mind: What is the large-scale change you want to help accomplish and what is the ideal role of government in achieving that large-scale change? Is it changing policy? Implementing a solution? Improving an institution? Providing resources? NGOs must plan from the beginning to engage the government to achieve that end.
Walk in their shoes: Understand the perspectives, priorities, and incentives of government representatives. Seek to understand before seeking to be understood. If you do not align your objectives with your government champions’ objectives, you will not succeed.
For instance, Last Mile Health works closely with Liberia’s Ministry of Health to advance the government’s goals on universal health coverage. When asked to provide advice to NGOs on effective engagement with government, a senior official within the ministry recently offered this advice: “You come with your idea. I share my priorities. We integrate the two. And together we achieve stronger results.”
Agree on the problem: Define and get aligned on the problem. If you are not aligned on the nature of the problem, it is challenging to get aligned on a solution. Harvard’s Building State Capability’s Problem-Driven Iterative Adaption approach can be helpful here.
Understand ground realities: Conduct research to deeply understand local challenges and share these insights to add value to your partnerships with government. Better yet, ask government to partner on this research to develop a deep, joint understanding of the problem.
Landesa’s successful partnership with China’s government over decades has included collaborative field research to ensure that ground realities inform the government’s land policy reform. Proximity Design leverages its experience with Myanmar’s farmers’ needs to constructively engage with the government on agricultural policy setting.
Co-create solutions with government: Involve government partners in developing solutions that address the challenges you’ve jointly identified. If you come to your government partners with a solution that is already baked, you are likely missing opportunities to engage more deeply with government, gain their buy-in, and identify more culturally and politically appropriate and impactful solutions.
Changing government policy or advancing government implementation will likely require cooperation from policymakers in different ministries with different interests and agendas; and these likely differ from the incentives of those who are responsible for implementing policy. All will require engagement to meet the goals of your cause.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Ministry of Social welfare Gender and children’s Affairs recently concluded a five day training for Government Officials and Civil Society Organizations on protection of victims of Human Trafficking. The training was held at Dohas Hotel in Bo City.
Speaking at the event, Mr Mangeh sesay, National Project Officer and Trafficking in Persons (TiPs) Focal Point IOM, highlighted the importance of bringing these set of participants to this training. “The fight against human trafficking would not be won without the active involvement and support of these organizations” he noted. He said the training is being funded by the United States Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM). He admonished participants to cascade knowledge acquired from this training to their colleagues.
Mr Dehunge Shiaka, Director of Planning and Coordinator of TiPs Task Force Secretariat MSWGCA on behalf of the government of Sierra Leone thanked IOM and the United States Government for their continuous support towards the fight against human trafficking. He said that the government is also demonstrating strong commitment in the fight against human trafficking.
Recently, he added the National TiPs Task Force Secretariat which is based in the Ministry of Social welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs worked with the millennium challenge Coordination Unit (MCCU) under the office of the vice president, to put together a medium- term trafficking in persons budget for the attention of the Ministry of Finance. He stated that the Task Force is in the process of reviewing the Anti-Human Trafficking Act which over the years proved to be inadequate to serve as deterrent against trafficking and smuggling of migrants.
Since March this year, IOM and MSWGCA have organized several trainings on TiPs including workshops for Journalists, TiPs Task Force, and also law enforcement personnel among others.
Bollore Freetown Terminal has, on 6th August, 2019, rescued victims of the recent flooding due to torrential rains at Kanikay, Akram and Blackhall road in Freetown with over 50 million Leones worth of food items.
The donation came after the three communities were affected by the flood disaster that hit Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown on 2nd August, 2019.
The donated items include bags of rice, rubbers, cooking oil, bags of onion, cubes of maggie, bundles of water, used clothing, bags of sugar, cartons of tea leaf bags, cartons of sardine, tins of milk, cartons of soap etc.
The said donations were handed over to Honorable Abdul Muniru Lansana, of Constituency 121 for distribution among the affected victims in the various communities.
In his statement, Bertrand Kerguelen, General Manager of the Bollore Freetown Terminal stated that even though the company was also affected by the rains, they are more concerned about the welfare of the communities where they operate.
“That is why we are reaching out to help the people in need at this time of emergency,” he said, adding that the company remains committed to lending helping hands in trying times like this.
Honorable Lansana after receiving the donations expressed profound appreciation to Bollore for their swift response to help the affected victims in his communities.
“I must say I am very grateful and appreciative of this gesture and it will go a long way to soften the suffering of affected people in my constituency,” he maintained.
Eku Williams, a Final Honors 2 Law Student of Fourah Bay College (FBC)
By Abibatu Kamara – 9th August 2019
Eku Williams, a Final Honors 2 Law Student of Fourah Bay College (FBC), has emerged winner at the 3rd edition of the Inter-Universities Speech Contest on Anti-Money Laundering/Counter –Financing Terrorism (AML/CFT) Impacts on West African Economies.
This year’s edition, focuses on the theme: “Fighting Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing in West Africa: What Next?”
The speech contest was held at the University of Nigeria, Enugu, on August 6, 2019 and attracted students from Sierra Leone, Nigeria, Liberia and Gambia.
As part of its efforts aimed at ensuring the implementation of effective AML/CFT regimes in its member States, the Intergovernmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has identified youths as an important segment in the fight against money laundering and corruption. This is because evidence abounds that the youths are highly vulnerable to the risk of money laundering and other related crimes.
In the past 10 years, GIABA has creatively engaged the youths and students in the region through a series of awareness and sensitization programs, such as Open House Forums, and Sensitization Campaigns, amongst others. In 2013, GIABA held its maiden Inter-University Speech Contest among undergraduates from the University Community.
The objective of this event was to serve as a platform for promoting knowledge of AML/CFT regimes and exchange of ideas on topical issues by directing the enormous power of human knowledge as a transformative force for the development of member States. It will thus be an avenue to mobilize youths against organized crime by providing them with opportunities to research, write and speak on different areas of AML/CFT in West Africa, thus providing an opportunity for youths to embark on advocacy by helping to disseminate AML/CFT messages to their peers and political decision-makers.
Through youth-focused programs such as the Speech Contest, GIABA ensures that its technical and strategic reports and other products, such as research, evaluation and other reports, are adequately disseminated and used by relevant stakeholders, including youths, to keep them well informed and elicit desirable responses from them as necessary.
A high point of the event was the Keynote Address by the Director General of GIABA, Justice Kimelabalou Aba entitled ‘Consolidating the AML/CFT Framework in West Africa’ aimed at showcasing the mandate, operations and achievements of GIABA in the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing in the region.
The Speech Contest will feature discussions on money laundering, terrorism financing, economic and financial crimes, organized crime, proliferation of small and light weapons, among others, and the efforts and strategies aimed at combating them.
At the end of the event in Enugu, youths formed a well-organized and highly sensitized alliance on AML/CFT regimes; that the number of people, particularly youths that have a thorough understanding of the consequences of AML/CFT, would increase; that there would be more effective collaboration in AML/CFT; and that there would be increased interest in research into topics on AML/CFT.
In his victory speech, Eku Williams thanked Lecturers at FBC for helping him put materials together to participate in the speech contest.
“I am humbled and happy to raise the flag of Sierra Leone high at the contest amidst other Universities in the sub –region”, he stated.
Williams further thanked GIABA for a wonderful and flawless arrangement of the contest which attracted over 300 students and educators from different universities in Nigeria.
Representative of the Geek Express Company, Mark Debbane
Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. Moinina David Sengeh
By Amin Kef Sesay – 9th August 2019
One of Sierra Leone’s leading telecoms companies Africell has launched a Coding Boot Camp in order to promote coding among students in the country.
Computer programming (coding) is the process of designing and building an executable computer program for accomplishing a specific computing task.
The program which attracted students from different schools in the country was done at the Africell American Corner on Bathurst Street on 8th August 2019.
In his address, the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Abass Joe Bangura disclosed that a week ago they attended a conference that was organized by NATCOM where one of the key issues discussed was the need for a digital economy in the country.
He said the Digital Economy is where you do not need to go across to shop and pay bills, but sit at the comfort of your house and conduct transactions using the internet. He said one of the major pillars to build the digital economy is to create a responsive educational system that responds to that environment noting that Africell has been doing such for the past years.
He commended Dr. David Sengeh for his tremendous efforts in pushing innovation forward and helping young innovators across the country.
Speaking to the students present, Chief Innovation Officer, Dr. Moinina David Sengeh said that their age does not matter, but rather they should realize that they are leaders. He encouraged them to see themselves as leaders and not kids.
He disclosed that the country needs minds that think competitively for ideas and that is why the Directorate of Science and Technology was established.
He stated that the launch of the Coding Boot Camp will help students learn innovative ideas which would change their lives and the lives of many Sierra Leoneans. He said the establishment of the Science and Technology Directorate by his Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio is to enhance the improvement of Science and Technology in the country.
He challenged the students to find solutions to problems that will help transform the country.
Representative of the Geek Express Company, Mark Debbane said that the world is changing and there is a need for improvement in the science and technology sector in the country adding that the jobs of the future are related with science and technology and it has many sides. In that regards, he said they are working in partnership with Africell Sierra Leone to ensure the growth of science and technology in the country.
He said the Coding Boot Camp will prepare them for the jobs in the future and developing what they would like to create which will transform the nation.
The meeting was chaired by John Konte and other participants. Students and the press also graced the occasion.
One of Sierra Leone’s mobile operators, Orange SL on 6th and 7th August, 2019 launched Di real 4G in Kenema and Bo respectively.
Speaking at the launch, the Chief Marketing Officer, Orange SL Alimatou Mbaye disclosed that the launch of Di Real 4G in Kenema and Bo is in fulfillment of their promise to the people of Sierra Leone to connect every town and every village for better communication.
She emphasized that subscribers have been enjoying Di Real 4G experience with the largest mobile network that is more reliable than any other network in Sierra Leone.
She said Orange SL is a Sierra Leonean company and they choose what makes life easy for them. She encouraged consumers to swap their SIMs to Di Real 4G in order to experience the beauty of the service and wished them a wonderful time with Di Real 4G service.
Paramount Chief Saidu M. Kapuwa Marbe IV on behalf of the chiefdom and the people of Kenema City welcomed Orange Sierra Leone to their district, saying that he has been using their network.
He applauded Orange Sierra Leone for the tremendous work they are doing in the country, and that he believes that with the launch of the Di Real 4G it will enhance their internet connectivity in the district.
General Secretary Orange SL Haffie Haffner said the launch of Di Real 4G is in response to what they feel is very important at Orange as they believe in providing access to ICT as it is very important for the socio-economic development of any country.
She disclosed that in 2016 they realized that access to telecom services was limited as they had 55 percent mobile penetration which she said only 55 percent of Sierra Leoneans have access to mobile phones.
And that is why when they took over, she said they found that the network was in bad shape, and in that regard they have so far spent 55 million US dollars to upgrade their network as a company and they have connected 925 main localities for the very first time in the country. She further highlighted that Orange is proposed to spend another 24 million US dollars in expanding their network and establishing new sites and giving some 85% of Sierra Leoneans across the country the opportunity to have quality, faster and cheaper services.
Hon. PC Prince Lappia Boima who officially launched the Di Real 4G in Bo City applauded Orange Sierra Leone for giving job opportunities to young people across the country.
He said that he believes that with Di Real 4G internet it will give more access to internet connectivity in the district. He said with Di Real 4G they will be able to send mails easier.
Regional Police Commander South Kapr S. Kamara (AIG) disclosed that the police have been working tremendously to ensure that they protect lives and properties in that part of the country. Adding that they have been working with Orange in terms of providing security for them when they have their activities in Bo District
He assured participants that that they will continue to provide security in the district and make it the safest place for people in that part of the country.
Director of Audit Risk & Internal Control Alpha S. Bundu disclosed that Orange is committed to connect every part of the country as they are proud to say they cover 41 percent of Africa, adding that they have been working relentlessly in order to expand their network across the country.
He also revealed how they have so far spent 55 million US dollars in order to upgrade their network as a company and he further highlighted their proposed plan of spending 24 million US dollars in expanding their network.
He stated that the launch of Di Real 4G in Kenema and Bo will complement the launch of Orange’s Digital Revolution. This revolution ensures a truly high-speed broadband mobile internet and an unmatched life changing experience in digital communication.
He added that they are very proud as a company to say they have the widest network in Sierra Leone covering 80 percent of the country’s population and connecting 925 main localities for the very first time in the country with thousands of Sierra Leoneans now accessing data, voice and financial services.
Kallie Thoronka, a resident of Alikalia Town in the Koinadugu District, is reported to have disappeared from the township on the 6th September 2017, after notice was issued by the Sierra Leone Police in the District on allegation of stabbing of one Amadu Sawaneh in Koinadugu district, who is said to have died later from his wounds.
According to the investigating officer in Kabala Town, Salifu Kamara, when the accused, Kallie Thoronka, heard that he is wanted by the police, he escaped from the district. He further disclosed that during their investigation of an alleged murder by the suspect, a team of investigators, led by him visited the scene of crime in Alikalia Town, where they discovered the body of Amadu Sawaneh (the victim) lying on the street. The body has wounds on the eyes and blood smeared over the victim’s head. The police officers then took photos of the scene and details about Kallie Thoronka from the Town Chief. After getting details from the Chief, they then took the corpse to the district head quarter town hospital.
However, according to one eye witness, Tamba Marah, who was also a member of a Secret Society (Nyenne Society), Kallie Thoronka had returned from Freetown, where he had lost his immediate Family members to the Mudslide that hit Freetown on the 14th August 2017 and was staying with his uncle, Ferenk Thoronka, in the township. Adding that after staying with him for some time, his Uncle, Ferenk Thoronka, asked Kallie to join the Nyenne Society in the Township, but he refused to join them.
Explaining how the incident happened, another eye witness by the name of Foday Sawanneh, told this writer that Kallie Thoronka was in a room in Alikalia Town when a group of young men appeared, singing and dancing Society songs.
The witness further stated that Kallie, who does not understand the tradition and had refused to join the Society, opened his room window to enquire what was going on and in a matter of seconds, before he could close the window, bolt his door and hide, other members of the society had already seen him and immediately rushed into the room, kicking the door open.
Foday Marah further stated that members of the society who were outside began performing some ceremonies with the aim of forcefully initiating Kallie immediately he is brought out of the room. He disclosed that a serious scuffle ensued between Kallie and the other members who were in the room.
With tears in his eyes, he said that during the fighting between Kallie Thoronka and the group of society men in the room, Kallie stabbed one of the society men, who incidentally happened to be his close friend. “That is my close friend,” Foday said. He maintained that after an hour of fighting and into the compound, Kallie managed to escape and has since then not been seen in the Village.
The head of the police investigating team, Salifu confirmed to this Press that the murder case is still under serious investigation and a Warrant of Arrest has been put out for Kallie Thoronka plus a bounty or ransom for any information leading to his arrest.
