Karate Federation & National Olympic Committee Host Annual Japanese Ambassador Karate Championship

March 7, 2023

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

The Sierra Leone Karate Federation and National Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Games Association-Sierra Leone in collaboration with the Japanese Embassy in Sierra Leone has on Saturday 4^th March, 2023 hosted the annual ‘Japanese Ambassador Karate Championship’ at the YWCA New Hall at Brookfields in Freetown.

The event was attended by the Japanese Ambassador, HE Mochizuki Hisanabu and other dignitaries.

This medium understood that the aim of the championship is geared towards promoting in Sierra Leone the culture of the Japanese people, of which Karate is an integral part.

Delivering a statement, the Japanese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Mochizuki Hisanabu expressed delight to be part of the event describing it as a laudable venture towards promoting the culture of the Japanese people in Sierra Leone.

He expressed his impression with the performances and show of display by the participants of which he said he is looking forward to see more Sierra Leoneans involved in promoting the culture of the Japanese people.

Mochizuki Hisanabu encouraged participants to make good use of the opportunity to showcase their talents adding that he is also looking forward to see them winning gold medals in the future in international tournaments including the Olympic games. He concluded by reaffirming the Embassy’s support.

Master Victor Edward Amara, President of the Sierra Leone Karate Federation, disclosed that the emblem of the Sierra Leone Karate Federation includes the Japanese flag signifying the importance of Japanese culture in the country further underscoring that it teaches discipline and self-defense furthering that the championship is recognized globally as other countries are organizing similar events.

The championship attracted 52 participants ranging from the ages of 7 to 50 and the categories include Kata and Komitay. The referees also took part in a seminar for Kata and Komitay before the athletes competed.

Master Victor Edward Amara expressed his gratitude for the support but also raised concerns about the lack of funding from the Japanese Embassy. One of the key expectations of organizing the championship was to win scholarships for athletes who need coaches and camping equipment, but nothing has been received in terms of support from the Embassy.

It must be noted that karate in Sierra Leone is gaining momentum in the country and the NOC has pledged to put more efforts in popularizing the discipline.

Worthy of note is that the success of karate in Sierra Leone is evident as the country has won nine gold medals with no full support from the Government or other organizations.

What is expected is that the newly-elected Executive Board of the Sierra Leone Karate Federation hopes to change that narrative and make karate a more prominent sport in the country. Quite interestingly, the President of Sierra Leone has even invited the karate team to a dinner to celebrate their success.

Climaxing the ceremony was the presentation of medals to the lucky winners and certificates to all the participants by the Japanese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Mochizuki Hisanabu and other dignitaries present at the ceremony.

Gento Dilates on the Reality of his Mayoral Aspiration

March 7, 2023

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

As time continues to go by so the political tempo in the country keeps rising .What is now certain is that the SLPP has now identified a Presidential Flagbearer in the person of President Julius Maada Bio, his running mate, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh and its Mayoral Candidate, Mohamed Gento Kamara.

However, on the other hand, the main opposition APC party has only identified its Presidential Flagbearer in the person of Dr Samura Kamara but his running mate and Mayoral Candidate have not been made public up to the time of going to Press.

As the clock continue to tick towards June 24, 2023 it is usually the case in these trying times for those who are aspiring for political positions and especially the supporters of the two dominant parties, SLPP and APC to keep outdoing themselves in trying to make themselves relevant to the electorates, win their support and votes.

While all the politiking is taking place, a rumour is been widely peddled physically and via the social media that Mohamed Gento Kamara, is mainly aspiring to be elected as Mayor of the Freetown Municipality because he is only interested in amassing wealth for personal aggrandizement and going further to state that he may want to use his position as Mayor to make himself filthy rich at the expense of residents of the Freetown Metropolis.

In order to clarify that to know whether the allegation was true, the SLPP Mayoral Candidate, Mohamed Gento Kamara, willingly granted this medium an interview. During the interview ,he candidly intimated that had it been for self riches and self aggrandizement, he has no reason for aspiring for the Mayoral position of Freetown or even stepping into the pool of politics because he had been blessed by God with the pleasures of this world (riches) maintaining that he is really content with what he has.

The man of the moment, Gento, continued that he has always reiterated when addressing his people that his focal vision is to sway away from anything that will destroy the attainment of paradise underscoring that if becoming the Mayor of Freetown will contravene that he will ask God not to grant his aspiration.

He mentioned how he has always loved serving his people in their best interests and in the interest of Allah concurrently.

The affable, charismatic and result oriented political aspirant used the opportunity to beseech Freetonians to come together with undivided attention in making sure the leadership of the municipality of Freetown is saved from savages.

Gento pointed out categorically that he can tell, with no personal animosity, that the leadership of Freetown has dwelled in the hands of poor leadership calling on all to elect a reasonable leader who will serve in the interest of Freetonians.

He enjoined all to join the Gento Movement, vote him as the next Mayor and make the expected change for Freetown,

On International Women’s Day, UNFPA and UN Women call for Harnessing the Digital Age for Gender Equality

March 7, 2023

We are living in an increasingly digital world that provides new and exciting opportunities for growth and development. And yet women around the world are disproportionately left behind when it comes to accessing and benefitting from these opportunities. This year’s International Women’s Day, observed on the 8th of March, makes an urgent call for digital progress to benefit all people, under the theme ‘DigitALL: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality.’

It is a call to celebrate and recognize the contributions of women and girls who are advancing digital technology and building gender-responsive innovations and a reminder that innovation and technology are major drivers of change that can break negative trends and reach those who are most likely to be left behind.

Globally, women face a stark digital divide. Women make up only one in five artificial intelligence workers, and an analysis of artificial intelligence systems across industries found that nearly half demonstrate gender bias. A recent study by UNICEF found that boys in developing countries are 180 per cent more likely to own smartphones than girls. In Sierra Leone, only 17 per cent of women use mobile phones for financial transactions, compared to 30 per cent of men according to a USAID study. Women and girls also face the worst aspects of our social media age, with online harassment and bullying becoming routine for far too many across age groups, professions and sectors of society. In fact, research indicates that at least 38 per cent of women globally have personally experienced online violence and this rate is rising.

In Sierra Leone, we have an opportunity to challenge these trends. The Gender Equality Act, signed into law in January 2023, provides an important platform and new momentum to build coalitions and work with the public and private sector and development partners on commitments to advancing gender equality, including by closing the gender divide in digital access.

UNFPA and UN Women are committed to working with all partners to harness the digital age for gender equality, building on ongoing efforts, including initiatives that promote equal participation of women and girls in science, technology and innovation. All of us, as stakeholders in Sierra Leone’s development, have an important role to play in ensuring that technological progress advances gender equality, benefiting all. This includes committing to:

Ensuring that all digital learning, training and capacity building opportunities include equal numbers of girls and boys or women and men,
Enforcing a zero-tolerance approach to gender-based violence and online harassment, abuse and hate speech against women and girls,
Funding initiatives that support women and girls to create gender-responsive innovations and technologies that address their needs,
Collecting data on the current digital gender divide and systematically monitoring progress to close gaps in digital access,
Sensitizing decision-makers in Government, business, academia and other sectors on the development impacts of the digital gender divide, and
Increasing quality, accessibility and affordability of digital infrastructures for all.

The digital age offers unprecedented opportunities for tackling poverty and inequality and improving the well-being of women and girls. However, the transformative power of innovation and technology cannot be realized if it is not activated for women and girls. Let us commit to making the digital world safer, more inclusive and more equitable, for the benefit of all.

#PowerOn to create an equal digital world.

Authors: Setcheme Mongbo is the UN Women Head of Office in Sierra Leone, and Nadia Rasheed is the UNFPA Country Representative in Sierra Leone

Internal Affairs Minister Assures of Qualitative & Higher Grade Passport

March 7, 2023

According to the Minister of Internal Affairs, David Panda Noah, the new passport launched by President Julius Maada Bio has all security features with higher grade chip ( The SLE 78 chip) that replaced the P5.

The Minister allayed the fears of Sierra Leoneans that Netpage, the company responsible for the printing out of the passport, has all what it takes to produce quality passports for its customers.

He maintained that he renegotiated the passport contract and had visited the office of the manufacturer.

He added that the company will open stations in New York, London, Bo and Makeni to provide quality service to customers in the near future, saying the company is pouring millions of dollars of investments into the business.

Minister Panda Noah also confirmed that passport has never been sold above $100, describing the five million Leones on the sale of an emergency passport as ‘false’.

He assured fellow countrymen that they had invested so much on the E-Pass port that meets CEDEAO standard.

NP-SL: Highly Recognized for Efficacy in Petroleum Marketing

March 7, 2023

National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL-Ltd)

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

The most outstanding and widely recognized petroleum entity that is doing well within the business landscape of this country is indisputably NP-SL Ltd. The company has gained both internal and international recognition for its efficient service delivery to its many esteemed customers. It is therefore no big surprise for the well-established company to be bagging commendations, accolades and awards from reputable institutions in and out of the country.

One thing which has made NP-SL Ltd to stand tall among other entities hinges on putting premium on effective customer care delivery. The company is highly distinguished for being 1^st for Customer Care, as it strives to give optimal satisfaction to its esteemed customers right across the country. In all its petroleum transactions the company does so transparently as it has modern calibrated machines at all its Filling Stations which are highly capable of pumping and displaying the exact quantity of fuel demanded for, be it petrol or diesel, as well as the price. This gives buyers the feeling that they are not cheated when purchasing fuel.

In the same direction, the company has good, up and running tanker vehicles which transport fuel from the fuel depot to the various Filling Stations everywhere in the country. Maintenance is always done on these vehicles to ensure that they are road worthy; something which the Management of the company takes very serious. The importance of regularly doing so is to really ensure that petroleum products are timely delivered to various parts of the country in order to prevent the occurrence of any form of shortage that may affect daily activities and lives.

A company that was established by thirty-five (35) Sierra Leoneans years back, it was made a laid down policy by the Shareholders and Management of the company that special preference must be given to indigenes who have the requisite qualifications in terms of job opportunities. Interestingly, this decision is in tandem with the country’s Local Content Policy which aims at making use of our local resources, both human and material, instead of depending on external resources. This has made it possible for indigenes, who were hitherto unemployed, to now be gainfully employed and be at vantage positions to take care of individual responsibilities. With all amount of justification it could be said that NP-SL is a very caring business entity.

The company has set the pace of expanding its operations in the West African sub-region by establishing branches in Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and the Gambia where they are effectively marketing petroleum products. By doing so it is providing job opportunities for locals in those countries and by extension regularly paying taxes to the Governments of those countries which are used to fund different development projects.

This bold step undertaken by the company is a mark of a company a serious entity that is taking business to a higher pedestal.

NP-SL is renowned for making available NP Smart Card and introducing NP Gas. In this modern age when efforts are being made to operate cashless societies and going digital there is no other moment than this when transactions in petroleum products should not follow suit. With the NP Smart Card, a particular customer could purchase fuel via using the card, just stating the quantity required which is debited from the amount in the card.

The customer can credit it again in order to make future purchases. The biggest advantage is that a customer can properly schedule or budget for the amount of fuel he or she will need over time, meaning that he or she has saved the headache of having to raise cash for the sole purpose of fuelling his or her vehicle. Using the card makes it less time consuming to buy fuel and prevents the movement of physical cash which maybe a customer could use for another emerging need or the cash could be stolen. NP Smart Card is now trending and many are now going for it.

With NP Gas, the cooking needs of individuals are easily solved as it is quick in terms of performance as a cooker. Environmentalists have validated its safety in terms of less emission of dangerous gases and it is manufactured in different cylinder sizes, very portable and easily refilled by purchasing gas at the company’s Filling Stations or its authorized dealers.

With all amount of justification, NP-SL is a thriving company among the myriad challenges it is surmounting. The company is indeed a true development partner that is positively contributing to the socio-economic development of individuals, entities and the country as a whole.

Youth Unemployment Still a Major Challenge

March 7, 2023

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

Sierra Leone has come a long way since the brutal 1991-2002 civil war, which left tens of thousands of people dead, properties worth hundreds of millions of Leones destroyed, countless numbers displaced, many amputated and the country’s economy and institutions in tatters.

Research shows that unemployment was identified as a major cause of the eleven years’ old conflict. It therefore becomes very worrying that twenty-one years after the war was declared officially over by the late President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah in 2002, youth unemployment is yet to be satisfactorily tackled in the 21^st Century by the immediate past and the current Governments. We logically leave the future out, because we cannot determine what would happen tomorrow.

It is important to note that even though our universities and colleges are churning out thousands of graduates on a yearly basis, the hard and burning fact is that these youths graduating from these institutions are at the mercy of staying unemployed for as long as they cannot find a job, or are resorting to taking up jobs or engaging in activities they were not cut out for. This is to say, a good number of youths while in college know their fields of study and where they hope to work thereafter but they do not have the vaguest of ideas where they would find employment or who would employ them after graduating.

However, it should be understood that Sierra Leone is faced with a two-tier youth unemployment challenge. On the one hand, we have youths who after acquiring college education cannot find work simply because the work is just not there. Then we have the other group of youths who do not possess any academic qualifications and neither have any skills. This last group of youths is the one whose members oftentimes end up committing petty and grand crimes, indulging in drugs and alcohol and other sub-societal behaviors. This is not to say that educated youths too do not fall into this category.

Truth be said, the immediate past and the current Governments do have employment of youths – skilled and unskilled as part of their socio-economic growth agenda. But according to research, the main problems which deter successful youth employment schemes are many as they are different. While some youths may be obliged to take up car washing for example as employment to lift them out of temporary poverty, there are others who look at this employment as denigrating and below their status.

But the one good thing that has been done and which many youths appreciate is the setting up of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) which admits youths after graduating from college, trains and prepares them for potential employment and sends them on work experience to different work places and if they are lucky, will find themselves retained as permanent staff in the places they do their work experience.

The same does not apply for unskilled youths. However, the good thing is that the past and the current Governments have been making inroads into providing more and more skills training projects for youths who lost out on college education but can learn skills that would make them gainfully employed or self-employed.

Be that as it may, it suffices to say that youth unemployment will not go away all together soon. The reality is that the Government needs to be proactive enough and design attractive packages for private sector entrepreneurs to embark on creating employment opportunities for youths. It is a fact that Government alone cannot employ everyone. It is also true that the private sector is the biggest employer and if the incentives are rewarding enough, private sector involvement in job creation is the way forward.

Unfortunately, it would seem that Sierra Leone is still grappling with youth unemployment in a big way. As a country, we are still not out of the woods because youth unemployment is still a major challenge and possibly a security threat for this administration and the ones to come.

Caritas Freetown Commends EU Commitment to Support Credible Elections in Sierra Leone

March 6, 2023

Caritas Freetown, has commended the financial contribution of the European Union (EU) to support elections in the country slated for June 24.

According to the Executive Director of Caritas Freetown, Fr. Peter Konteh , that contribution will facilitate the creation of a conducive environment for free, transparent, peaceful, and credible elections.

The European Union in Sierra Leone announced on Monday, February 27, that it had committed several millions of Euros to build the institutional capacity of electoral management bodies and civil society organizations in Sierra Leone ahead of the country’s general elections.

“The EU and its Member States have committed over 7 Million Euros to support transparent, inclusive, credible and peaceful elections in Sierra Leone in 2023,” the EU in Sierra Leone said.

The EU in the country added, “Team Europe supports the project ‘Fostering Peaceful, Credible and Inclusive Elections in Sierra Leone 2022-2023’”.

Fr. Konteh urged Sierra Leoneans to utilize the support given by the EU to elect credible leaders.

The EU support, he said, should give every citizen in the country the opportunity to reflect on their duty and responsibility in the electoral process.

“Our collaboration as a country with the EU should be based on a strong democracy, with free, transparent, peaceful, credible, multi-party, and multi-candidate elections,” he says.

In his response note, the Caritas Freetown Executive Director highlights the need for Sierra Leoneans to exercise their duty to vote.

He says, “Voting is not only a fundamental right but also a responsibility that helps to shape the future of your country. By casting your vote, you are actively participating in the democratic process and making your voice heard.”

“Before the election, it is important to stay informed about the candidates and their platforms,” Fr. Konteh says and adds, “Research the candidates’ backgrounds, qualifications, and track records to determine who you believe is the best fit for the job. Attend campaign events, debates and town hall meetings to hear the candidates’ perspectives on the issues that matter to you.”

The EU’s project, “Fostering Peaceful, Credible and Inclusive Elections in Sierra Leone 2022-2023” is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) with contributions from Ireland and from the Union.

The other implementing partner is the ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) Regional Programme “Peace and Security Architecture and Operations” with contributions from Germany and from the EU.

The Union has described its support to the Sierra Leonean general elections as “strictly non-partisan and aimed at building the institutional capacity of electoral management bodies and civil society organizations for effective, inclusive, and peaceful electoral operations.”

Meanwhile, Fr. Konteh has called on the people of God in Sierra Leone to observe calm before, during, and after the June 24 elections.

“On election day, make sure you know where your polling station is located and bring any necessary identification documents. Be patient and respectful of other voters and follow all the rules and regulations of the polling station. If you encounter any issues or irregularities, report them to the appropriate authorities,” the Caritas official admonished.

He added, “After the election, accept the results and respect the outcome, even if your preferred candidate did not win.”

The Executive Director concluded by saying: “Remember that democracy depends on the peaceful transfer of power and it is the responsibility of all citizens to support the democratic process and work towards a better future for Sierra Leone.”

NP-SL’s Enhanced Local Content Compliance Positively Impinges Lives

March 6, 2023

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

NP-SL Ltd is one of the few privately managed business entities in this country that have been strictly adhering to the country’s Local Content Policy as it continues to tirelessly work round the clock, engaging oil producing companies in business discussions, to always ensure that the supply of petroleum products is continually flowing in or maintained.

Such a pro-activeness, on the part of the company, has made it quite possible for Sierra Leoneans to gain employment in the company and for stocks to last over periods of time in order to avert the occurrence of shortages.

Interestingly, NP-SL is not a Government entity or appendage; no politician has a share in it as its shareholders are mere ordinary Sierra Leoneans, starting with 35 of them who some time ago bought shares from the Government out of their end of service benefits to establish what today has become a towering entity (NP-SL) to reckon with in the business landscape.

As had been fallaciously propagated by certain ill-motivated persons, who do not mean well for this country, that there are certain politicians that have vested interests in the company, our investigations have proven otherwise.

NP-SL is a 100% indigenous company to the letter and it has weathered various storms that could have dwarfed it or left it to extinct save therapeutic intermittent Managerial injections that keep it upright and on the right course.

Demonstrating its true Sierra Leonean identity the company has maintained a policy of strictly adhering to the Local Content Policy ensuring that it has a maximum indigenous staff in its employ. What this actually means is empowering our brothers and sisters to access employment opportunities and reduce poverty.

As a matter of fact some of its members of staff continue to benefit from various trainings that have afforded them the conduit to imbibe useful skills to efficiently carry out certain tasks. If we are counting the number of companies that have upheld the Local Content Policy, without any iota of doubt, NP-SL could be seen at the top.

This intrinsic nationalistic posture of the company runs through and it is a sine qua non to overall national development. If such a compliance rate should have been followed by other local companies, willingly, without any pressure from the relevant authorities then indisputably this country should have been miles away in its development trajectory.

Business Management experts have made it abundantly clear that the way and manner in which customers are cared for in terms of talking to them, making them feel at ease go a long way in attracting them. Such should be done sincerely in order to make them more important. NP-SL for a very long period now has mastered that art and executing it so well which definitely is paying dividends.

1^st for Customer Care was earned by the company because it has been widely acclaimed by many for solidly executing such.

In its drive to optimize customer satisfaction the company went the extra mile to install calibrated pumping machines which are not only modern but trustworthy, as opposed to old pumping machines which certain unscrupulous individuals used to cheat unassuming customers.

This is helping to repose confidence in customers that they are dealing with a very transparent entity. The friendliness of their pump attendants is very impressive and they are always there to timely respond to various concerns.

Still within the purview of 1^st for Customer Care, the company is always in position to enter into payment plans with its reliable and dependable customers including Ministries, Departments and Agencies for supplied fuel and lubricants as long as all the necessary modalities have been put in place.

When cognizance is taken of the fact that some of these institutions receive intermittent budgetary allocations then such an arrangement is very significant. Its significance in real terms borders on functional continuity of those institutions as they will be assured of supplies of petroleum products in as much as they keep honoring their obligations.

For those who have not tried NP Gas for the first time it is now time to give it a try. Designed in sizable varying cylinders and sold at various NP Filling Stations, this cooking device has been rated as one of the best that is on offer for sale. NP Gas is safe, user friendly and portable. Trying it will spur you to recommend it to others.

NP Smart Card is now in vogue and is one of the latest technological devices used to purchase petroleum products. Using it has attendant advantages as evident in procuring fuel at any time of the day even during times when monies could not be accessed from banks. It is secured, easy to use and very quick. It is now trending.

To crystallize proposed projects into tangible realities on the ground, Government needs the required financial resources to effectively do so and one sure way is from collection of taxes which is the mandate of the National Revenue Authority (NRA). NP is one big tax payer to Government and it has been doing so timely.

NP-SL remains undaunted, unperturbed amidst all the challenges it is going through and conscientiously it is steadily contributing to the socio-economic development of the country as well as positively changing communities and lives.

EU Mission Supports 2023 Elections with Over 7 Million Euros, Underscores Neutrality

March 6, 2023

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

Officials of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone (HRCSL), on the 3^rd March, 2023 paid a courtesy call on the European Union (EU) Delegation to Sierra Leone at their Leicester Peak Office.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Joseph Benmanking Kamara, in a statement, mentioned how the Commission extended request for a courtesy call on the delegation because of their monitoring role to ensure that human rights are observed.

Commissioner Hassan Samba Yarjah elaborated on the Commission’s Elections Preparedness Strategy which he said has five pillars – public education, monitoring, complaints handling, capacity building (District Human Rights Committees, Law Enforcement Officials, and Staff) and a Special Report on the Elections.

He noted that the Commission has made huge gains in its service delivery, especially through complaints handling adding that the Mobile Complaint Hearing which was introduced by the Commission has provided the much needed service to deprived communities.

Commissioner Yarjah said it is the view of the Commission to have Commissioners resident in the regions for the June elections to help profile and improve on response time to complaints on elections.

The EU Head of Delegation, Ambassador Manuel Alexander Muller expressed delight in meeting the HRCSL formally. He said most of their programs were cross-cutting hence they have been working with other international organizations to support various initiatives. He said the Commission can tap into some of the initiatives through the other development partners to support its efforts to the elections.

It was made known that the EU has committed over Seven Million Euros in 2023 alone to Sierra Leone, working with ECOWAS and UNDP to promote credible, peaceful and transparent elections.

In a statement issued by the EU, it was categorically stated that the organ or body does not favor any political party or candidate but rather the Mission wants to see credible election processes and voting where the votes of everyone will count.

The EU mission also stressed that its mission is to continue supporting democratic governance in Sierra Leone just like they have done over the years and will continue engaging the citizens on the elections.

New Freetown International Airport Now Operates as an ICAO Certified Airport

March 6, 2023

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

During an auspicious and highly publicized event that took place on the 3^rd March, 2023 at Kaffu Bullom Chiefdom, Lungi to be precise, within the Port Loko District, attracting many people from different walks of life, His Excellency, President Dr Julius Maada Bio officially commissioned the brand new Freetown International Airport which was constructed by Summa Group of Turkey on a Build Operate Transfer basis.

The new international airport will replace the old Lungi International Airport which was built by the British Colonial masters in 1945 during the Second World War.

Worthy of note is that President Bio drew wide commendations for taking the bold initiative to approve the construction of a modern airport at Lungi with state of the art facilities and technology.

By meeting the ICAO – International Civil Aviation Organization standards and by complying with Annex 14 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation, 1947, the new airport has been certified.

It must be underscored that previously some flights refused to fly to Sierra Leone because the airport was not certified and they couldn’t risk the chance of flying to a country that is not covered by insurance. The Freetown International Airport is now been operated as an ICAO certified airport.

In his address during the programme, President Bio told the audience that the day is a great and a new one further commending the SUMMA Group of companies for delivering on their commitment.

He intimated how they promised two years ago further maintaining that in spite of the COVID-19 outbreak and the global economic headwinds and downturns, they worked hard and two years on, they have delivered.

“You have proved yet again that “talk and do” is not mere talk,” he figuratively stated underscoring that it is a mindset; it is an attitude and it is about work ethic — working hard and making good on promises, and delivering outstanding outcomes, once more thanking them for demonstrating the “talk and do” attitude.

The President expressed gratitude for demonstrating that Sierra Leone is a credible and conducive destination for foreign direct investments adding that the private sector in Turkey can be assured that Sierra Leone is open to more Turkish investments.

He extended thanks to the Office of Presidential Infrastructure Initiatives, the Ministers of Transportation; the entire leadership, and all stakeholders in the transportation sector including the Sierra Leone Airport Authority and the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, for their dedication in ensuring that the event is happening.

President Bio stated that the International airport at Lungi that they inherited was a cramped-up, dome-like structure with unmaintained, barely-functional and very uncomfortable facilities.

He lamented that the experiences at the arrival and departure concourses, the luggage carousel, the airport foyers and exits were a far cry from what passengers would ever experience at modern airports all over the world.

According to him, passenger volumes hovered around a low 200,000 saying runways, taxi ways, air aprons were in good condition but needed repairs bemoaning that the country was at 20% compliance with ICAO requirements.

He said the airport levies were about the highest in the sub-region underpinning that such was the legacy of the APC Government.

The President informed that they have since carried out repairs and increased the safety and compliance rating of the airport divulging how they procured a new fire engine, navigational aids, runway lighting, and invested in emergency services maintaining that safety and other international ratings of the airport improved dramatically over the last four and half years.

He said the experience of flying into Lungi has been better and more comfortable for passengers saying in spite of COVID-19, passengers volumes have climbed steadily revealing that more air carriers have added Sierra Leone to their list of destinations stressing that was not merely enough for them.

The President said the New Direction manifesto had established a clear view for working within a regional vision to develop “a sound and seamless regional air transport system that is safe, reliable, efficient, affordable, well connected within West Africa and integrated within the global network.”

He said if their goal was to enhance global civil aviation safety, improve Sierra Leone’s air links within the global transportation network, improve passenger safety and comfort, and create an economically viable and ultramodern international airport that would become an economic growth node, then they had to take a new direction.

President Bio informed that Mamamah was a debt of $350 million USD and a debt with interest adding how International financial institutions and their partners had warned against such huge debt.

He said even before they dug a single hole at Mamamah, the APC had already spent millions of dollars on questionable land acquisition maintaining that it was going to involve forcible destroying a village and moving people saying that an environmental studies contract was awarded to one company that even the EPA did not have much input on the studies adding that only tentative meteorological studies were done.

“An international airport is not built on the basis of tentative meteorological studies,” the President stated disclosing that the APC Government was going to demolish an entire village and all its 23 houses stressing how no firm plans were made for their suitable relocation and for over five years, nothing was done saying road works and civil works to the site should have started to site that was never even started maintaining that they started all the questionable negotiations way back in 2013 and five years later they were still negotiating how many million dollars in debt they would leave Sierra Leone in.

President Bio said Mamamah is about 60Km from Freetown whilst Lungi is about 15Km from Freetown by sea.

He said the airspace of Lungi International airport and the new Mamamah airport is overlapping, the distance between the two airports is 42Km – which means that the airport would not have met the requirement of 20Km procedure control arguing how therefore there was going to be an airspace conflict so Lungi had to be shut down.

The President told the audience that the international airport was going to move from Lungi informing that Lungi would have become a ghost town with great job losses for young people.

He said there was no provision for radar control at Mamamah pointing out that the airport was going to be smaller adding that there would have been no jetways so people still had to walk or be bussed across the apron to the terminal building saying Phase I work for Mamamah Airport was going to be completed in 4 years and that was not going to even include a VIP or Presidential terminal.

According to him, Electricity was to be supplied by dirty diesel generators costing millions of dollars and the grid expansion to the proposed airport was not even funded.

President Bio stated that he knows it is now a political season and challenged all to compare Mamamah with what they have done.

He said first they are not moving the airport from Lungi to Mamamah. “We did not move the airport to the South-East as some bad politicians would let you believe,” he said adding how they believe that Lungi and Port Loko deserve to still be the international gateway of Sierra Leone.

The President said they do not believe that Sierra Leone should be indebted with hundreds of millions of dollars of debt with interest just to build an airport.

He said the airport is bigger and more modern and it has been built with zero cents in debt on a Build, Operate and Transfer basis informing how the Turkish people used their own money to build the brand new terminal and new facilities not owing them nothing saying after operating the airport for some years, they will give the airport to the country for free.

Even in the midst of COVID-19, the President said, Sierra Leone is the only country in the entire West Africa that one company invested such a huge sum of money in an infrastructural project and completed it in record time.

He said the funding model – BOT – is one way which even countries like the UK, US, Germany, France etc used to build large infrastructural projects.

President Julius Maada Bio told the audience that since 1967 when the Lungi International airport runway was expanded, it is the first time in the history of this country that a completely new international airport terminal has been constructed maintaining that no Government has ever done such massive infrastructural development in that sector.

He said they undertook that investment because they believe that it promotes job creation, boosts new sectors of growth (tourism), supports international trade, and attracts new investment streams in other sectors.

The President said additional investments in international standard hotels, convention centres, and more are being considered for the general airport area and that can only make the airport even more attractive to new carriers, tourists, and businesses.

He expressed expectation that their friends, the SUMMA Group of companies will keenly consider the local content laws in employing and training locals as well as giving opportunities to local businesses.

“We still believe and will work towards constructing the Lungi bridge,” he said but added that in the meantime they have reconstructed and modernized Tagrin Ferry terminal and brought in ferries.

He said the Resident Minister, Northwest has told everyone what they have done in Port Loko District saying they have done more in all areas of infrastructure, education, healthcare, agriculture, and created more jobs in mining, the service industry, construction here in Port Loko than any Government has ever done.

He challenged bad politicians to present their own records in Port Loko concluding that the country now has an ultramodern airport terminal that is three times larger than the existing terminal and has brand new facilities that will accommodate up to a million passengers a year.

The President said more carriers, it is hoped, can take advantage of Sierra Leone’s strategic location to make it a major Transit hub in the sub region particularly for air passenger traffic to South America and Europe.

“We now have on offer a safer, modern, and very comfortable airport,” he stated saying he is therefore very proud to commission the new Freetown International Airport which he termed as a sustainable and modern airport that will generate economic growth and national development.

On his part, the Minister of Transport and Aviation, Kabineh Kallon, stated that the new airport would open up Sierra Leone to the world, adding that the newly constructed airport was an indication that the country was moving in the right direction.