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Sierra Leone News: Fishing Ban Was meant To Replenish Stocks

Fishing boats set to go to sea in Tombo.

The Sierra Leone government closed the country’s waters to fishing during the entire month of April to give flagging fish stocks a chance to rebuild. During that period industrial fishing companies were not allowed to fish, but artisanal fishers were.

Both industrial and artisanal fishers appeared to support the closure, the first of its kind, amid declining catches and an influx of virtually unregulated foreign fishing vessels that locals complain are wiping out fish stocks and putting them out of business. Officials declared the closure a success, as part of Sierra Leone’s broader effort to formalize and gain regulatory control of its fisheries. However, outside experts have expressed doubt that the move would do much to improve the country’s fisheries.

The fisheries minister, Emma Kowa Jalloh, said at a March 28 press conference that the main reason for the closure was to give the fish an opportunity to breed. She expressed concern over the numerous challenges the country is facing as a result of illegal, unreported and unregulated (often called IUU) fishing.

Kowa Jalloh said the government is taking a suite of measures beyond the one-month closure to ensure the country’s enormous fisheries potential is fully harnessed. Among them, she said, will be pushing for co-management of the country’s fisheries by stakeholders from industry, government and civil society; improving the reliability of data to enhance marine resource management; registering artisanal fishing boats; and appointing a national master fisherman to handle the affairs of fisherfolk. She pointed to a newly built fish-landing facility in the town of Tombo as an example of progress.

Fisheries Minister, Emma Kowa Jalloh spot checks a cold-storage facility in the capital Freetown to see that fish is available for the local market
Director of Fisheries, Khadijatu Jalloh, at her office

An artisanal catch in the town of Tombo.
Fishermen arrange their gear in Tombo. Many local artisanal fishermen supported the recent one-month closure of Sierra Leone’s waters to fishing by industrial vessels

“Guinea and Senegal implemented closed seasons, other countries also have closed areas,” the ministry’s director of fisheries, Khadijatu Jalloh, told Mongabay. “Sierra Leone is trying to implement both.”

In addition to the closed season Jalloh described the ministry’s restriction of industrial trawlers from working within 6 nautical miles (11 kilometers) of shore and the designation in 2012 of four marine protected areas closed to certain kinds of fishing. Seven years on, however, these protected areas have yet to be implemented. She also pointed to efforts to make artisanal fishing more sustainable by training local fishermen to report crimes to the authorities.

Despite the difficulties, the fishing sector is growing: according to Jalloh, in 2012 a comprehensive canoe registration effort recorded 10,700 canoes; in 2018 the number had grown to 12,000. “Everybody sees fishing as a lucrative business; you go in the morning, by the time you come back in the evening you have something to sell and make money,” Jalloh said.

Despite taking a hit to their bottom lines, the country’s industrial fishing sector cheered the recent closure. “The close season affected our business; certain overheads have to be covered by our own reserve,” Bassem Mohamed, president of Sierra Leone’s industrial fishing association and managing director of Freetown-based Sierra Fishing Company, one of the country’s top seafood suppliers, told Mongabay. “But in the end we support the idea because it is a big step the government took to tackle the challenge of fish depletion.”

An artisanal fisherman from Tombo, Mohamed Suma, said he and his colleagues were elated about the closure. For the first time, he said, locals felt the government was concerned about them and had taken a step to protect their interests. “The closed season is relevant for the restoration of the fish stock; however, the period is too short,” he told Mongabay.

According to Suma, things have gotten so bad that fishermen now spend days at sea, only to return with smaller catches than before. He outlined a number of grievances against the industrial fishing vessels: encroachment into the coastal zones meant for exclusive use by artisanal fishers, accidental yet costly destruction of artisanal fishers’ gear, and tragically, collisions at sea that have injured and killed artisanal fishers. He called on the government to take immediate action to protect artisanal fishers’ interests and safety.

Officials were likewise positive about the effect of the closure. A public notice from the ministry declaring the end of the closed season states that the navy, Joint Maritime Committee, Maritime Police and Artisanal Fishermen Consortium monitored the waters during the closure, and a specially formed task force monitored the supply chain to ensure no illegally caught fish entered.

“I consider the closed season a success; for the first time in the history of Sierra Leone there is a breathing space for fish,” said Salieu Sankoh, director of the World Bank’s West African Regional Fisheries Program (WARFP) in Sierra Leone, which funded two seven-day surveillance boat patrols during the closure. “You will liken it to every day 10 thousand boats are in the sea running after these fish stocks and about 100 industrial fishing boats rove those waters 24 hours, chasing the same fish stocks.”

Since 2010 the World Bank has been attempting to assist Sierra Leone and other West African countries improve governance and sustainable management of their fisheries and reduce illegal fishing. This has included helping artisanal fisherman develop local bylaws that restrict fishing using certain kinds of gear and during certain days, according to Sankoh.

A key principle of the overall effort has been controlling access to fish stocks, he said. “In Sierra Leone people don’t need to obtain permission to engage in fishing activities, so one can build a canoe in the morning and go fishing the evening,” he said.

However, not everyone was so optimistic about the effect of the closure. “A fishery closure is always welcome, but it has to make sure that it is long enough, and that backdoor fishing (illegal fishing) is controlled,” Dyhia Belhabib, a fisheries researcher at the NGO Ecotrust Canada, with expertise in the fisheries of West Africa, including Sierra Leone, told Mongabay in an email. “If we look at the case of Sierra Leone, and how rampant illegal fishing is, there is no way a one-month ban of industrial fishing achieves much.

“Even if it did, and even if there was effective control of all fishing (legal and illegal), the moment the fishery opens again, the fishing frenzy by industrial vessels will start again,” Belhabib added.

She said about 20 percent of the industrial vessels licensed to fish in Sierra Leone have been involved in criminal activity and nearly 80 percent of fishing companies operating in the country have vessels involved in IUU fishing — and that’s not counting unlicensed vessels. “We are talking about banning high risk vessels from fishing in a country where MCS [monitoring, control and surveillance] is relatively weak,” she said, adding that satellite tracking of automatic identification system signals from fishing vessels indicated there was plenty of fishing taking place in Sierra Leone’s waters during the April closure.

“While I think that a fishing ban for industrial vessels is urgent, if this ban is not accompanied with a strong monitoring control and surveillance strategy, it may only increase illegal fishing and mask its effects,” Belhabib said.

Weak enforcement of fisheries laws is an acknowledged problem in Sierra Leone. According to a fisheries ministry official who requested anonymity to avoid putting their job at risk, even when illegal fishing vessels are detained, no sooner they are brought to shore than they are released again. “Our efforts seem futile, and there is not much we can do, as the orders from above upturn our good work,” the source told Mongabay. “Mostly, we are caught between the lines; they see us as the bad people,” the source said, referring to upper-level ministry officials.

Uzman Unis Bah’s work has been featured in print and online in Pan African Visions Magazine. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mass communication from the University of Sierra Leone and a certificate in media campaigns for development and social change from the Radio Netherlands Training Center. In 2018, he represented Sierra Leone at the forum for Internet Freedom Conference in Accra, Ghana.

 

Sierra Leone News: Prison Officers Must Work & Talk -SLCS DG Enjoins

Director General of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service- Mr. Joseph Lamboi

The Director General of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service- Mr. Joseph Lamboi has introduced a system that compels Officers- in- Charge of Correctional Centres in the country to give accounts of their work publicly, to both senior and junior officers alike.

This, according to Mr. Lamboi, is the new shape the once- in- a month town hall meetings are going to take. The town hall meeting used to be known as the ‘Director General’s parade’. It is through that platform that issues of importance are discussed among officers. In the past, the platform used to be dominated by the DG.

Addressing the gathering, the DG said he made unannounced visits to eight centres in the provinces, including centres in the north- east, one in the east, and one in the south.

He explained that his visit was inspired by the fact that he wanted to share experiences, views, and information with officers in those parts of the country, adding he took key messages to them.

“I told them that the former DG did a lot to place the SLCS on strong footing.

This new administration, however, can achieve much more through coordination and devotion. At the end of the day, if we succeed, the glory will be ascribed to every one of us.”

The DG revealed that centres which do not record escapes, deaths, disease outbreak, riots, and make payments into the government’s consolidated fund from the proceeds of community service or industrial work done by inmates, will be awarded at the end of the year.

Touching on the matter of Welfare Fund being credited on a monthly basis by officers, Mr. Lamboi said under his leadership, he will make sure officers enjoy its benefit while they are alive. He recalled that the money used to be made available to officers, only in time of trouble.

 

 

 

Sierra Leone News: Financial Sector Stinks of Corruption & Human Rights Abuses -CHRDI

Abdul Fatoma-CHRDI

There is widespread and systematic corruption within the banking sector in Sierra Leone. There is evidence to suggest that regular and widespread criminality has been committed by the financial services industry for several years, chiefly amongst which is lack of due diligence on politically exposed persons. Accountability and transparency need to be restored to the financial services industry, as confidence in the economy is built on the essential pillar of trust. The financial industry must not be able to commit and profit from controlled fraud and money laundering, despite this is becoming a way of life for some bankers. Financial sector firms should ensure that any engagement in high-corruption contexts proceed according to international norms of transparency and accountability.

Corruption and bribery profoundly affect vulnerable communities, either by misdirecting funds that could be spent on healthcare, education, or other public goods, or by preventing participation in the democratic process.

The most disturbing information reaching us is that the banks have been engaged in shady activities, for which the Central Bank, Bank of Sierra Leone is yet to provide satisfactory explanations for. There is a strong public suspicion that the Banks are in the habit of diverting state revenues into private ownership.  According to several evidences we have, it is alleged that the UBA Bank in Sierra Leone engaged in similar activities. This is a serious dent on the financial sector’s already battered image.

CHRDI’s investigation of both National Social Security Trust (NASSIT) and the National Revenue Authority (NRA) has further evidence pointing to criminality in lending by the UBA Bank in Sierra Leone. At one point, a highly suspicious movement of state money took place within a separate account operated at the bank and the NRA, named SLL54012527004

(Account name- Account payable). The amount involved is Le. 754,969,279.66. However, this sum was diverted from Account payable A/C with a debited narration (Additional Tax Assessment Yr 2012 and 2013) and credited Transit account at Charlotte Street.

Evidence we have gathered from staff and victims of human rights abuses in the banking sector confirms that corruption disproportionately impacts the poor more than the rich in Sierra Leone.

Increasing risks of fraud and corruption should serve as a wake-up call that even the best run financial institutions can be victims to. It is an established fact that cunning employees and third parties bent on criminal intent can cause irreparable harm to the financial sector. This will damage public confidence in the government, slow down the delivery of services and the provision of public goods. It can also divert public funds to unlawful ends and reduce political competition, democratic and economic development, social equality and the rule of law.

A catalogue of failures in the design and enforcement of anti-money laundering laws has been enabling banks to help politicians from some of the most corrupt political parties to use government money to fund lavish lifestyles, while their constituents and the general population live in poverty.

Many of the direct human rights risks and issues faced by the finance sector are generic to all businesses, such as those relating to the treatment of employees, example as alleged in a particular case at the UBA Bank, Sierra Leone where staff were reported to have been subjected to inhuman treatment.

We have evidence that a former staff who was alleged to have been involved in fraudulent activities and was taken to the CID for further investigation and put in detention for two weeks but he continued to provide service to the bank whilst in detention. In another incident, a female staff was arrested and locked up for 24 hours and later sacked for non-valid reasons.

Several Sierra Leonean citizens who work in the financial sector continue to face human rights abuses. We have recorded a high number of these alleged abuses which can qualify for possible legal actions against the banks and we are calling on more people to come forward with their stories. For example, the Ecobank has been recently updating their customer details and the banks software system. After working a full week (Monday to Friday) the bank has been forcing its staff to also work on Saturday and Sunday throughout the months of May and June without any additional pay and rest. Young mothers are forced to abandon their children and families over the weekend. Some can’t even attend church. We believe that this is nothing short of inhumane.

In 2011, the UN Human Rights Council unanimously endorsed the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (Guiding Principles), the first international instrument to assign companies the responsibility to respect human rights. The responsibility to respect human rights, as defined by the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (“the Guiding Principles”), requires that business enterprises adhere to the following:

(a) avoid causing or contributing to adverse human rights impacts through their own activities, and address such impacts when they occur

(b) seek to prevent or mitigate adverse human rights impacts that are directly linked to their operations, products or services by their business relationships, even if they have not contributed to those impacts.

Since the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) in 1948, the responsibility to protect human rights has primarily fallen on governments. In the early 2000s however, it became increasingly clear that the freedoms enshrined in the framework could also be violated—and promoted—by the private sector.

CHRDI is more committed than ever to continue the fight against corruption in Sierra Leone, wherever it occurs and it shall continue to be a critical part of our organisation’s work to end extreme poverty.

 

 

 

Sierra Leone News: Ahead of Saturday SLAJ Election… D-Monk Launches SALT Manifesto in Grand Style

Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Executive Elections, Ahmed Sahid Nasrallah alias D-Monk

On the 8th July 2019, one of the Presidential aspirant in the upcoming 13th July 2019 Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Executive Elections, Ahmed Sahid Nasrallah alias D-Monk, launched his Manifesto at the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists Headquarter on Campbell Street in Freetown during a well-attended ceremony that attracted journalists from various backgrounds as well as some relevant stakeholders.

The document which is tagged the SALT Manifesto, with the word, SALT, standing for Stimulate, Appreciate and Learn, Transfer, according to D-Monk, is in sync with the priority concerns of journalists in Sierra Leone.

He said when he and his team visited media houses to declare his intention to run for President in the 2019 Elections, they engaged colleagues and asked what their concerns were as practitioners and what kind of leadership they desire.

“What we have put together here is a manifesto which resonates with the feedbacks we got from the majority of journalists. So, from those concerns, we decided to prioritize four (4) key issues that are close to the heart of every journalist in Sierra Leone,” the Monk told the august  gathering adding that the major issues encapsulated  border around  WELFARE, GENDER, MENTORSHIP and UNITY & INDEPENDENCE.

With regards welfare, he said, Media Houses are generally struggling to survive as businesses and therefore consequently, the welfare needs of journalists and their conditions of service are challenging and growing. “This is also having an impact on the quality of journalism in the country. If we have to work towards achieving independent and professional journalism, we need to give full attention to the working conditions of journalists and the viability of media businesses,” he noted.

Monk informed that his Executive will look at journalists’ welfare and working conditions from two angles: legal and economic. On the legal side, it is against the law for employers to pay their workers below the minimum wage.

“The law also requires payment of tax to NRA and a social security contribution to NASSIT for their employees. On the economic side, media houses argue that business is bad and that incomes don’t match expenditure. In other words, it is not profitable.

He maintained that while his Executive would not promise a quick fix solution or resolving the welfare and media viability issues entirely they would confront this perennial challenge in a holistic manner.

Monk promised doing the following:

  • I will encourage media owners to set up a Media Owners’ Association (MOA).
  • My Executive shall bring together all the stakeholders (SLAJ, the Independent Media Commission (IMC), the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG, the Labour Congress, Ministry of Labour, WIMSAL, the Sierra Leone Reporters Union (SLRU), the MOA, relevant Government agencies and other partners) to begin an engagement process that would inform the next steps in addressing this challenge.
  • We are aware of MRCG’s efforts in helping media houses set up structures that are conducive for the viability of the media. We wish to engage more and play a more active role to support these efforts. At the level of the MRCG, of which SLAJ and its affiliate bodies are key components, efforts are also already underway towards helping media houses in the area of professional management and resource mobilization to enable them be well structured and financially viable.
  • My Executive shall deepen our engagement with the IMC. We shall work with the IMC to create a platform for the Commission to have conversations with the media and seek to understand the challenges and opportunities for ethical and professional journalism. I will work with the IMC to dedicate more time and resources to working with the media to understand and discuss their challenges and together find sustainable solutions.
  • I will talk to debt recovery firms whose responsibility it is to go after debtors and recover monies owed to media houses. The process is safe, efficient, fast and it saves our colleagues the stress of hiring a lawyer to go to court. Most importantly, I will engage these firms to agree on a reasonable percentage fee they take on each recovery so that media houses get most of their monies back which otherwise could have left unpaid. Beyond that, my executive will urge media owners to maintain a system within their organisations that guarantees payment for published adverts to ensure sustainability.

In the area of Gender this was what he said:

I recognize that gender inequality is a major challenge in media. While we acknowledge that discrimination, harassment and inequality on the basis of gender are not limited to the media, SLAJ must make it a priority to deal with these issues within the media. This is why my Executive shall make gender a priority. The media is male dominated; in terms of ownership and representation in leadership positions across individual media institutions as well as SLAJ and its affiliate bodies.

Out of a total of 546 members only 124 are women. We see significant changes in the electronic media, but the print media still has a long way to go. How many women do we have as Station Managers/Editors? How many women media owners do we have? Women in the media suffer unequal distribution of assignments in the newsroom. The male reporters are given assignments to cover hard news while female reporters are given soft beats. Gender sensitive reporting in the media is low. These are only a few of the challenges our female colleagues face, and my Executive shall ensure that:

  • We work with our colleagues in WIMSAL and other pro-women groups to support our female colleagues to take their rightful place in SLAJ and in the media. While we do not have control over the employment policies of media houses, my Executive shall support efforts aimed at formulating policies that make the newsroom more conducive for our female colleagues.
  • I will encourage media houses to adopt gender policies within management level and in the newsroom.
  • We have among us not only practicing journalists, but also some of the brightest minds in media education and research. Some of them have done extensive research on gender in the media. My Executive will continue to put such works into use, organize events that popularize their findings and recommendations, while we continue to promote research, learning and conversations around gender because it is only when we educate ourselves that we would be able to change our mindset on discrimination based on gender.
  • My Executive shall work with WIMSAL and other groups and organisations to increase training and capacity building on gender issues for women, but more importantly our male colleagues. If we are to tackle inequality, it is important that all are adequately educated and are on the same page. We will also increase access to training and other opportunities for women specifically.
  • My Executive shall promote investment in and support for more females in the association and the profession in general. I will make as a centerpiece of my tenure the rebranding of the profession to be more inclusive and a friendly space for young females to aspire to.
  • My Executive shall support affirmative action policies to increase the voices of females in the sector and to ensure that they can thrive. I will invest in reviewing policies, processes and opportunities that engender bias and discrimination and make sure we move towards a more gender equitable association.
  • My Executive shall work to transform the way gender and women are reported and represented in the media. I will be a credible spokesperson and champion against rape and sexual violence and work to ensure that our colleagues have the resources and training to report on these issues with professionalism, and in ways that do no further harm to the survivors.
  • My Executive shall set up a gender advisory panel that would comprise members and people from civil society to advise on gender and conduct periodic gender audits that inform the way we formulate policies. This panel shall also work to conduct training that would help our members cover women and girls better.
  • I will work with WIMSAL and Media Initiative for Women and Girls Empowerment (MIWGEM) to complement their media school clubs as breeding grounds for women in the media.

As for mentoring ,the SLAJ Presidential aspirant stated that one of the current realities in SLAJ is that over 50% of the membership is below 30 years of age. He said a lot of water has gone under the bridge for SLAJ with regards ethics, integrity and professionalism.

“As a way of molding our young membership into a crop of professional journalists, it is important that we create a system through which young journalists can be mentored. It is no secret that before any formal systems of journalism education, journalists were recruited and trained through apprenticeship and mentoring. A lot of people benefitted from these apprenticeships and mentoring. Much as we want to encourage and support formal education, we also want to maintain this culture because it is an invaluable part of how we nurture our talents. Training this next crop of journalists is therefore a matter of priority,” he said.

He told newsmen that his Executive shall work with the relevant partners – in journalism and education as well as media development organisations- to develop a mentorship programme for young journalists. Apart from the formal programme, my Executive would also work to pair young journalists with senior colleagues who shall volunteer their time to mentor the younger ones and advise them on matters related to their career.

As far as unity and independence is concerned he said as SLAJ their founding fathers and mothers once came together in unity to form the legacy that journalists all enjoy and are so proud of.

“Unity in the Association and its affiliates is key in making us the potent pressure group that we are. Unity, they often say, is strength,” he affirmed highlighting that Executive would work to ensure SLAJ remains one body after WINNING the forthcoming elections.

He noted that they would ensure that after the elections, everyone will feel like a winner.

Dilating on the Repeal of the Criminal Libel Law D-Monk told those present that every SLAJ Executive since 1971 has made the fight to repeal the Criminal and Seditious Libel Laws a priority.

“Every Executive builds on the achievement of the previous. The outgoing Executive (of which I was a key figure) has taken a giant step in the repeal process which is now at Cabinet level. There’s now a clear light at the end of the tunnel. My Executive will take it up from there and finish this long and arduous race once and for all,” he disclosed greeted by a thunderous applause from the audience.

He concluded by maintaining that the SALT approach will help look inwards and appreciate the power, resources and opportunities from within and utilize them for the benefit of all journalists.

“Hence my campaign sub-slogan- is Powered by the power from within. Together with my team, we can help us, the government and our people to identify and use our assets towards improving the lives of us all by releasing and nurturing our assets that are already there. In doing this, we will focus on only one thing: Ask crucial questions,” he asserted.

 

Sierra Leone News: Sierra Leone-China Foundation Pays Courtesy Call on Chinese Ambassador

Members of the Sierra Leone China Foundation has paid a courtesy call on the new Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone at the Chinese Embassy in Western Freetown

A cross section of members of the Sierra Leone China Foundation has paid a courtesy call on the new Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone at the Chinese Embassy in Western Freetown. The purpose of the visit was to share the work and vision of the Foundation with the new Ambassador and to acquaint him with the strategic partnership that the Foundation has always  maintained with the Embassy.

The delegation informed the Ambassador that Sierra Leone and China have enjoyed a long-standing bilateral relationship dating back to the 70s, and that, the Foundation was borne out of the genuine desire to foster friendship and cooperation between the two countries. China’s role and contribution in the country was catalogued and such contributions include but not limited to infrastructural development, investments in trade or commerce,  medicine, human resource capacity development and humanitarian  interventions like during the Ebola and mudslide disasters. The delegation praised China for its sisterly love and its unwavering commitment to working with Sierra Leone and to improving lives.

The new Chinese Ambassador was given a detailed or elaborate brief on the work of the  Foundation and how the Foundation intends to hit higher heights, while also being reminded on a very strategic Sierra Leone China conference that was organized at the Bintumani  Hotel in 2018. The Foundation further informed the Ambassador that his predecessor was very cooperative and that they were ready to pick it up from the impressive point that he stopped and to seize the historical momentum with the new Ambassador.

Responding, the New Chinese Ambassador extended the good wishes of the people of China to Sierra Leone while also expressing his gratitude to the group for a commendable visit .He assured the Foundation of always keeping his doors open and encouraged the visiting members to do everything possible to maintain the Foundation. He said China’s relationship with Sierra Leone is always rooted in a win-win philosophy, adding that China was truly committed to sharing a common future with Sierra Leone.

The Sierra Leone China Foundation is a registered and an actively and legally functioning Foundation in the country which seeks to strengthen China-Sierra Leone ties and to complement the work of the Government in that direction.

 

 

 

 

 

Sierra Leone News: MTHE meets Public Tertiary Institutions

Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Prof. Aiah Gbakima

On the 4th and 5th of July 2019 in the Eastern City of Kenema, major public education stakeholders in Sierra Leone converged  to identify and discuss progress and challenges faced by public tertiary institutions over the last one year.

At the stocktaking retreat organized by the one year old Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE), various universities, colleges and polytechnics made presentations bordering on the status of their institutions in line with an eighteen-point terms of reference given to them by the Ministry.

Representatives from the University of Sierra Leone, Njala University, Milton Margai College of Education and Technology, Freetown Teachers College, EBK University and Eastern Polytechnic were unanimous in showering accolades on the current leadership of the higher education Ministry.

According to the higher and technical education administrators, they had not enjoyed a cordial relationship based on mutual respect and trust in the past as they do with the current dispensation.

While funding remains a major challenge across the board, the tertiary institutions have managed to make significant progress in debt management, staff welfare, infrastructural development and digital migration, using internally generated funds and government subventions.

Delivering his keynote address, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Prof. Aiah Gbakima described the gathering as a unique opportunity for education stakeholders to discuss the past, present and future of technical and higher education in the country.

He emphasized the need for admission into the universities to be strictly based on merit and for registration to be done online.

He said staff and students discipline could enhance professionalism and support a conducive learning environment.

He also spoke of the need to speedily review outdated academic curricula.

According to him, the retreat was meant to review the status of the tertiary institutions in line with an eighteen-point activity plan given to them about a year ago.

Minister Gbakima announced that the University Act is being reviewed.

The Minister urged Njala University to return to proper agriculture system including the introduction of college farms.

He called on the universities to put in place a system that will discourage delay in issuance of certificates.

The Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Dr.Turad Senesie disclosed that the rationale for the retreat was to review progress, identify gaps, and map out the way forward for the various institutions.

The retreat, he said, was also meant to identify and learn from administrative best practices among the institutions.

He reiterated President Bio’s passion for education, especially with regards to improvement of middle level human resource.

He bemoaned the status of institutions that are not producing the required output and urged them to take realistic steps to enhance standards.

Tertiary Education Commission’s (TEC) Prof. Algalie used the forum as an opportunity to refresh memories of the participants about the roles of TEC, which include registration of tertiary education institutions, approval of programs, quality assurance, and payroll management for public institutions among others.

TEC, he said, has successfully revised the TEC Act and Regulations, initiate process for accreditation of five universities, engaged teaching service commission on payroll management and midwifed the revised University Act.

He mentioned issues of recruitment of executive and adminstrative staff, and conditions of services as major challenges faced by TEC.

Presenting on behalf of the University of Sierra Leone, Prof. Foday Sahr said a strategic plan spanning 2019-2023 has been developed.

An ICT Directorate, according to him, has been established with competent personnel.

The University has established an ICT portal for online registration, he said.

According to him, the curricula has been reviewed in line with the job market.

“The University is currently rehabilitating existing structures and constructing new ones,” he said.

Prof Sahr disclosed that Students Union elections have been successfully conducted for IPAM and COMAHS, with FBC pending.

He furthered that the University has installed CCTV cameras in all examination halls.

“There is prudent fiscal management at all levels,” he assured.

Principal of Njala University, Prof. Abdullah Mansaray disclosed that his administration inherited a huge financial liability.

He reported that Njala has been able to largely fulfil all the eighteen points terms of reference with the exception of payments of outstanding end of service benefits and ex- gratis.

Njala, he said, has discovered a near-extinct plant species.

He pointed out that work for the completion of the new school of education building at Bo campus has commenced, adding that hostels, laboratories and faculties have been rehabilitated.

He said funding has been a major challenge, in addition to inadequate lecture facilities and offices for staff.

Prof. Momoh of the EBK University highlighted several gains made by his institution over the last one year, including digital migration, prudent financial management, capacitating staff and students’ discipline.

Dr. Philip Kanu of MMCET displayed in a PowerPoint presentation dilapidated structures his administration inherited and how much progress has been made to transform the institution.

Major rehabilitation works have been done on infrastructure and two staff bus and students’ bus have been purchased using internally generated funds and support from government.

Prof. Lahai and Dr. Samba Moriba presented progress made and challenges faced by the Eastern Polytechnic, while the FTC also made a presentation capturing gains and challenges.

The retreat ended with discussions on best practices on prudent financial management, digital migration and quality assurance among others.

 

Sierra Leone News: Fatima Bio Demonstrates Sincere Determination to Combat  Cancer

Mrs Fatima Bio

Her Excellency, Fatima Bio, was in unity with other First Ladies as they supported and participated in a plenary session on the elimination of Cancer in Africa.

Mrs Bio is excited that First Ladies are taking initiatives in supporting their husbands, in seeking African solutions to our problems. The event organized by the First Lady of Niger, Her Excellency, Madam Malika Issoufu, shows commitment and a drive to develop Africa.

She was in Niger, for the African Union and OAFLAD (Organization of African First Ladies for Development) summit which commenced on the 4th and ended on the 8th July.

She was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Solomon Jamiru Esq and the CEO of Maada & Fatima Bio Foundation, Paul Massaquoi. She was received and celebrated by H. E. Laila Malika Issoufou, the First Lady of Niger.

She believes in the holistic development of Africa and for African First Ladies to play key roles in sustainable development. The untapped potentials of African youth is part of what needs to be addressed. With changing funding environment, First Ladies are working together under the umbrella of OAFLAD, to develop effective programmes encompassing various countries. OAFLAD are committed to positive change in Africa.

“As we work towards ensuring access to quality and affordable health services, we will work to ensure gender equality and women empowerment and enhance both empowerments,” OAFLAD.

The summit looks into challenges and constraints faced by women and children including the vulnerable population. OAFLAD believes that it is only when issues of such nature are discussed that government of different countries will  prioritize them.

The theme for this year’s assembly is “Collaborating to Transform Africa: Addressing the Needs of Vulnerable Populations”. The delegation also looked at the strategic vision 2019 – 2023.

On the 5th July 2019 she attended a Dinner and award ceremony hosted by First Lady Lalla Malika Issoufou of Niger. It was held at Radisson Blue Niamey, Niger.

The dinner was for First Ladies and top dignitaries including stakeholders and partners in the fight for women empowerment in Africa.

Persons that have shown exemplary commitment in their various charitable causes were awarded cash donations in recognition of their work.

Sierra Leone News: Statistics SL Becomes Member of the United Nations Statistics Commission 

In a new development, Sierra Leone, represented by Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has been elected a member of the coveted United Nations Statistics Commission, one of five (5) African countries for a period of four (4) years from 2020 to 2023 to develop standards and norms for statistical activities and support countries’ efforts to strengthen their national statistical systems.

According to the Statistician General, Professor Osman A. Sankoh, this is due to the country’s transformative ethics of sourcing out, compiling and disseminating of credible data for national development ventures.

Professor Sankoh furthered that their newly adopted policy of data credibility generated interest in their activities in a matter of months, with the positive outcome of government commitment to Stats SL and renewed donor trust and funding for data collection.

Under his leadership which commenced a year ago, the Agency has published and popularized more than three reports to be adopted by government entities, local and international bodies, including researching entities. This has significantly limited the publications of inaccurate data by third parties without the prerequisite holistic image of prevailing circumstances and underlying issues.

As a member of the United Nations Statistics Commission, Sierra Leone will facilitate the coordination of international statistical activities and support the functioning of the United Nations Statistical Commission as the apex entity of the global statistical system.

 

Sierra Leone News: NP-SL Bags Best Company of the Year

General Manager NP-SL, Kobi Walker

As one of the most viable, sustainable companies that has been operating in this country for a very long period now and has stood the test of challenging times, the National Petroleum (NP) Sierra Leone Limited has proven beyond all reasonable doubts that it is making meaningful and positive socio-economic contributions to overall national development.

It is against this backdrop of excellent performances that on the 6th July 2019 the company was bestowed the prestigious honour of being the “Best Company of The Year” during the National Business Award 2018/2019 held here in Freetown.

Bagging such a prestigious award undoubtedly is indeed a very clear manifestation of how NP-SL is held in high esteem by many institutions and individuals for its efficacy in churning out best customer care services and being a result-oriented entity.

Receiving the award on behalf of the company, General Manager of NP-SL, Kobi Walker, first thanked the organizers of the programme furthering how they felt humbled for being recognized as a best company. “I want all and sundry to know that we are dedicating this award to the 35 Sierra Leoneans, whom we refer to as the founding fathers of NP-SL, extolling their foresight, selflessness, relentless efforts and dedication to establish this illustrious company that continues to spread its tentacles near and far to the admiration of many amidst the challenges we do face,” he profusely expressed appreciation.

It must be noted that the National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Management and its shareholders are always in agreement about what is good for the company, consumers and the country as a whole. In other words, both the Management and shareholders of this indigenous company are always energised and are of the view that they must be on top of situation in ensuring that the required stock of petroleum products are available to serve the nation thereby preventing the occurrence of shortage.

As a matter of fact, one of the outstanding characteristics which continue to catapult the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited to an enviable position is its efficacy in impressively rolling out effective service delivery to its numerous esteemed customers near and far.

NP prides itself in ensuring that the interests of its numerous customers are well addressed to the best of the abilities of its staff in all their locations.

“We are very mindful that our customers should be our number one priority which is why we are very keen on doing our utmost at all times to give them optimal satisfaction,” Kobi Walker frankly informed.

Indeed, it will not come as any surprise to many, especially those dealing with the company, that in all its state of the art, customer friendly filling stations located in various parts of the country qualitative as well as timely services are always implemented in accordance to customers’ needs which has made the company to be rated as one of the most efficacious indigenous business entities that this country could really boast of.

For always ensuring that there are high grades of petroleum products available on the market has continuously restored customer confidence in the company.

The way and manner in which the company is exceptionally operating continues to impress many especially with its spectacular posture.

Although varying and emerging challenges keep rearing their ugly heads, one of which is the fluctuation of the dollar exchange rate to the Leone, within the context that the company purchases petroleum products using the dollar to do so, creating a situation whereby whenever the exchange rate is high NP –SL spends more to procure the dollar and vice versa, however, it has been trying all its best to keep business going.

Of course the company continues to offer various job opportunities to Sierra Leoneans without discrimination as long as they possess the requisite qualifications.

Management of the company thought it wise that if it is dealing in selling gas then the citizenry must be offered a basic gadget that functions with that product. This was how making available NP Gas for safer and convenient cooking purposes was introduced.

NP Gas is user friendly, readily available, cheap and very guarantee to use, a fact that has been corroborated through various interviews conducted to sound the opinions of people around the country. These gas cookers are found in all the filling stations operated by the company.

To be in line with latest technological trends the company has availed its customers the opportunity to use Smart Cards for purchasing purpose, meaning that buyers could top-up their cards to the tune of any amount which they can use intermittently to procure petroleum products. This has made it convenient for easy transactions to be done avoiding carrying huge physical cash or using chits and many are comfortable with that arrangement.

Astonishingly, as one of the only outstanding 100% indigenous company that has stood the test of time going the extra mile to establish branches in Liberia, Guinea, Ivory Coast and The Gambia which are vibrantly operating, is indeed no mean feat; it is an accomplishment worthy of recognition and indeed something good to write home about.

The company is doing exceptionally well in all the countries it is functioning and indeed there are prospects for further expansion.

Timely payment of taxes to Government makes NP one of the largest taxpayers to Government.

With all the sterling strides the NP-SL had and is making that continue to deepen sustainable socio-economic impact in improving the country’s economy and individual standards of living it did not come as any big surprise to especially those who are au fait with its operations for it to be awarded as the Best Company of The Year during the National Business Award 2018/2019.

From what this medium got from its Deputy Managing Director this recent singular achievement will serve as a motivational platform to forge ahead.

 

Sierra Leone News: Thomas Moore Conteh Emerges as Best Civil Society Leader of the Year

Thomas Moore Conteh

The African Consulting Group (ACG) has awarded Executive Director of the Citizens Advocacy Network (CAN), Thomas Moore Conteh, as “Emerging Best Civil Society Leader of the year” during the National Civil Society Award 2018/2019 held on the 6th July 2019 at the Golden Tulip Hotel, Aberdeen Freetown.

According to ACG the aim of dishing out the awards is anchored in the belief of recognizing leadership and to empower individuals as well as organizations that have been playing tremendous roles in society which are very essential to moving the country forward.

The National Professional Awards also aim to raise the profile of dedicated professionals in the public and private sectors and highlight the contributions they are making towards developing a fairer, sustainable, peaceful and prosperous future for all Sierra Leoneans.

Commenting after receiving the Award, Thomas Moore Conteh disclosed that, “This award is heartily dedicated to the cause of promoting the ideals of human rights, the rule of law and democratic good governance in our beloved nation”.

This is not the first award Thomas Moore Conteh has received. In 2018 he was awarded and certified as a Youth Ambassador and also one of the 100 Most Influential Youth in Sierra Leone by the Federation of Patriotic Youth and Child Advocacy Network, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and the National Youth Commission. He was also recognized among the 100 Most Outstanding Sierra Leoneans 2019.

His organization, Citizens Advocacy Network (CAN) has been working to strengthen and expand democracy, human rights, the rule of law, electoral processes, monitoring and evaluating government’s policies and programs in Sierra Leone.

The Organization networks with citizens to build political and civic consciousness, to safeguard elections and promote citizens participation, openness and accountability in Governance and he has been a key player in achieving the objectives of the organization.

Because of his outstanding performances in the field of civil society that is why his contributions have been recognised globally.

“I remain humble and committed to promote the ideals of human rights, the rule of law and democratic good governance in our beloved country,” he proudly stated.

 

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