Members of the public should know that as part of the vision of the initiator of the idea, Pa Choithram, of establishing a modern hospital that will provide qualitative medical treatment for people from all walks of life, the ultra-modern Choithram Memorial Hospital was founded. Since its establishment, Management of the hospital has facilitated, from time to time, the bringing of specialized medical personnel from Germany and India to render professional medical services to many from different backgrounds on a free of cost basis.
Against the aforementioned backdrop, the Choithram Memorial Hospital will be organizing a free 2 day expert consultation commencing on the 11th April, 2022 to the 13th April 2022 at the hospital premises on Hill Station in Freetown.
This medium was reliably informed that renowned doctors and specialists in the persons of Dr. Ruchir Maheshwari, Principal Consultant, Urology and Dr. Munish Chaudhary, Senior Consultant, Orthopedics and Joint Replacement from Max Healthcare in India will be on the ground to screen and treat individuals from all walks of life for free. They will be treating individuals suffering from Urology and Orthopedics.
It must be noted that Urology is a part of health care that deals with diseases of the male and female urinary tract and includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. It also deals with the male organs that are able to make babies and include the penis, testes, scrotum, prostrate etc.
Orthopedics, on the other hand, is the branch of medicine dealing with the correction of deformities of bones or muscles.
However, it was made clear that for major cases diagnosed, during that period, treatment for such cases will be paid for on a discount basis and if surgery could not be done here then the patients will be referred to India. In the case of minor tests it was stated that such will be done free and for major ones like CT scanning, payment is required.
Max Healthcare is one of the leading healthcare networks in North India and will now be closer even during these challenging times of pandemics.
According to the Medical Superintendent of Choithram Memorial Hospital, Dr Gowrinath M. George, they are aware that it is not everyone in the country that is financially capable to travel to India for specialized treatment which is why they decided to bring experts in the country to offer their professional knowledge and services on a pro bono basis.
Interested persons must note that prior registration is mandatory and they must book an appointment at Choithram Memorial Hospital on the 10th April, 2022 as only limited spaces will be available. To book individuals must call +232-76-541-331.
The leading petroleum importing and marketing company that has been selflessly and positively contributing to overall national development, the National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) has once more demonstrated that it is a pro-active business entity. On the 1st April 2022 the company received the MT Twinkle Star vessel with 5,150 metric tons of petrol at the Kissy Terminal.
This new development took place in the wake of less than a week when on the 27th March 2022 the company also received another consignment of over 6,000 metric tons of diesel at the company’s jetty, where the vessel berthed by 1:00 PM and a day after, the diesel was discharged for onward distribution.
It could be stated with all amount of certainty that despite the current challenges encountered in the process of making the availability of petroleum products possible now accentuated by the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war, the fact remains that as a pro-people company, NP-SL Ltd is going the extra-mile to ensure that these products are accessible to many in the customer.
What is clear for now is that with the quantity of diesel and petrol that has been lately brought in by NP-SL Ltd added to what other oil marketing companies, chiefly Leonco, has come with there is a considerable amount of petroleum products widely available to prevent hoarding, panic buying and the creation of artificial scarcity.
The National Petroleum –Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) has been regarded as a well-positioned institution within the realm of being a very pro-active institution that is always poised to pragmatically put concrete arrangements in place to ensure that the populace in this country gain access to qualitative petroleum products ranging from petrol, diesel, gas to lubricants, including the ever highly demanded Castrol lubricant oil that has been rated to be a very good for the efficient lubrication of various engines.
NP-SL is indeed poised to continue to avail its numerous customers with qualitative products that the company markets.
To make the purchase of fuel very simple NP-SL Ltd introduced the NP Smart Card, which enables organizations and individuals to purchase fuel at ease without using physical cash. By introducing this latest technology, it avails its customers the convenience in conducting transactions at Filling Stations as long there is credit in their NP Smart Cards.
With NP-SL Ltd, Customer Care is always taken paramount as Management ensures that customer satisfaction is prioritized. The company truly deserves commendation in that direction.
With well-motivated members of staff, who know how to efficiently treat customers, NP-SL Ltd has become very endearing to many.
NP Gas is also for sale by the company. It is a gas cooker which has been proven to be safe and friendly for domestic use. Gas is as well available at the company’s Filling Stations which individuals can purchase at affordable prices.
The company is one of the few business entities in this country that strictly adheres to the country’s Local Content Policy by strictly offering jobs to Sierra Leoneans except in situations when expert knowledge and skills are outsourced. This has helped in providing jobs and reducing poverty.
NP-SL Ltd is a major tax payer to the National Revenue Authority and is contributing to Government’s revenue which is used for the implementation of various development programmes.
The company has truly made Sierra Leone proud as it has branches within the West Africa sub-region in countries like neighbouring Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia where they are vibrantly functioning.
Indeed, NP-SL Ltd is a true partner that is truly passionate about deepening overall national development.
Online education, which has been on backburner so long, has suddenly emerged at the forefront of all educational endeavors. We have realized that many things we thought of as impossible prior to the pandemic were actually prevented only by perceptual barriers. Thrust as we are into the mode of ’emergency remote teaching’, it is imperative that online education measures up to the expectations and needs of the learners. This can happen only if both the instructors and the students assiduously equip themselves such that the online learning experiences are worthwhile and memorable.
CODE is offering a unique amalgam of Academic + Skills qualification, first of its kind in the country. An Integrated qualification which comes with both ONLINE DEGREE + OFFLINE DIPLOMA program in an interactive hybrid pedagogy of training delivery, in collaboration with the prestigious University from India, the Manipal University Jaipur as associate partner and the world leader in IT, NIIT as technology delivery partner. Manipal University Jaipur, India offers purely academic courses ONLINE whereas CODE provides skills competence in IT technologies in collaboration with NIIT under offline training methodology.
The requirements are as follows: An applicant must have BECE and WASSCE results, an identity card and address proof.
Why ONLINE Degrees?
Flexible: Students can choose to learn at their convenience. They can rise early, go to bed late, study in long bursts or short ones, use their commute to revise – as per their schedule and lifestyle.
Modern: Study material, discussions, assessments, and doubt clearance are all online, broken down into small, easily learnable sets.
High Quality: Get access to leading industry experts and faculty members, without having to leave your town. All delivered through a best-in-class learning platform.
Cost-effective: No need to leave jobs and forego earnings for higher education. Fees are considerably lower for online programmes than equivalent on-campus programmes and inclusive of all study material.
Recognized: Online degrees are now recognized by the Government, higher education authorities and Corporates as certificates of quality learning.
For the admission forms and other details visit CODE – College of Digital Excellence at 36 Main Motor Road, Congo Cross Freetown or Email: info@codesl.org or Telephone: 073-500600, 073-500500, 030-500500 or WhatsApp: 073-506070
Admissions are now open for the Bachelor in Computer Applications (BCA) and Bachelor in Business Administration (BBA) courses.
At CODE, it is not just learning but empowering aspiring and ambitious individuals not only in preparing them to become industry ready from day one but to be confident, to be the next generation and to be productive new individuals in the society.
As a way of rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility, the JOLAKS Manufacturing Company Limited situated in Wellington, within the far East End of Freetown, on the 1st April 2022 offered food and non-food items to fire disaster victims residing at Peacock Farm, Sorie Lane to be precise, in Constituency 115 Ward 405.
Present were Hon. Alpha Amadu Bah, representing that Constituency, Shoheb Panjwani, General Manager of JOLAKS Manufacturing Company Limited, Mukesh Patel, an official of the company, a cross-section of journalists and the victims.
In his opening statement, Hon Alpha Amadu Bah intimated all present that on the 20th March 2022 a fire outbreak gutted houses on 16 Sorie Lane, Peacock Farm and four days before that another fire incident left a house closer by on 17 Water Lane completely burnt down, both within the same community. He furthered that the two incidents were caused by electrical faults, but thanked God that lives were not lost.
Hon. Bah continued that as the Honourable Member of Parliament representing that Constituency, he decided to mobilize assistance for the victims by contacting corporate institutions operating in the locality. He said fortunately the JOLAKS manufacturing company consented to step in and render assistance.
“If we are gathered here today it is for the sole purpose of giving solace to you for what happened and what you are presently going through,” he informed adding that he has brought officials from JOLAKS to offer a donation to them plus what he also personally came with to give them. He told the victims that what will be offered to them are not commensurate to all what they have lost but said the items would help them rebuild their lives.
He extended thanks to the Management of JOLAKS manufacturing company for the laudable gesture and assured the victims that he will still continue to lobby for assistance on their behalf.
On his part, the General Manager of JOLAKS, Shoheb Panjwani, stated that indeed the incidents were tragic maintaining that for now it is only the victims who are really feeling the actual effect of what happened to them. He underscored that for the mere fact that they are operating within the community they do consider themselves as an integral stakeholder of the community and when situations like such occur they must step in and render whatever assistance they are able to garner.
Shoheb informed the victims that they have come with some relief items which will be handed over to them and assured all that as a company they will try their level best to ensure that the community grows in terms of deepening development.
Other stakeholders within the community including the APC Constituency Chairman, Hassan Sesay and a representative from the community mosque consoled the victims by telling them to be patient, trust in God and be steadfast.
One of the victims, Kalatu Kabia, on behalf of the other victims tearfully and profoundly thanked the Management of JOLAKS and wished them well in their business endeavours.
The handing over of the items which included bags of rice, onions, gallons of oil, cartons of soap, rubber buckets, cups, plates, bowls plus mattresses and blankets provided by Hon. Bah formed the high point of the donation ceremony.
With the economy in bad shape due largely to both internal governance and financial management issues and international economic factors outside of the control of the Government, there are fundamental development issues that should fully engage the mind and energy of the Government going forward.
The most pressing of them is resetting policies and strategies for real transformation in economic policy responses towards protecting and improving livelihoods for the teeming population of young people and women in the informal sector, investing in education and skills development and infrastructure as the foundation for sustained economic growth and social progress in the years to come.
Second is how to correct the long-standing weaknesses in the fundamentals of the national economy which since 2020 have become more complex.
The less-than-ideal trends in per capita income, consumer price inflation, foreign direct investment, current account deficit and the debt-to-GDP ratio show a Government moving gradually towards bankruptcy if not robustly and dynamically addressed.
The full impact of COVID-related disruptions to key global supply chains, rising interest rates and liquidity crisis in major economies are being felt in Sierra Leone in terms of a huge fiscal squeeze, fuel price increase, high levels of food insecurity, youth unemployment and multidimensional poverty.
Revenue and economic growth forecasts in the 2022 budget and expectations of a more positive macroeconomic outlook in the medium term have been adjusted downwards.
Against this canvass, Government has no choice but to institute severe austerity measures and to do a lot more to eliminate inefficiencies and gaps in the allocation and management of public finances.
What Sierra Leone’s key political actors do this year will determine whether the country successfully holds elections in 2023 in a manner that helps to advance the process of democratic consolidation in the ensuing years.
Since 2018, we have seen evidence of tit-for-tat than give-and-take politics, to the detriment of accelerated pursuit of the nation’s development priorities.
Protagonists across political divides and political leaders of all shades at the national, regional, district, and community levels must always remember that two wrongs do not make a right and an eye for an eye leaves both parties blind.
As the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres said in is 2022 New Year’s Day message: “Moments of great difficulty are also moments of great opportunity to come together in solidarity; to unite behind solutions that can benefit all people and to move forward — together — with hope in what our human family can accomplish.”
Thus should all Sierra Leoneans work for the country’s unity, peace, freedom, and prosperity and put her interest above all else.
Under the letter and spirit of the setting up by this Government of the National Commission for Peace and Cohesion there should be seen a recommitment to genuine dialogue between the leaders of the ruling party and the main opposition parties to address unresolved political grievances.
Political parties cannot continue to merely function as vehicles for winning elections. To grow peacefully and inclusively the country must move towards a path of inclusive politics that builds bridges across ethnic, regional, gender, generational and disability status divides.
As representatives of the people from all corners of the country, traditional leaders, MPs, civil society and the media must endeavor to serve as major contributors to the shaping of socioeconomic policies and governance processes to help deliver enhanced life chances to all citizens as dividends of democracy. Continued failure to do so will continue to weaken public trust in democracy and State institutions.
Critically, the way party politics is played has to be reviewed from the ruling party’s point of view if governance of the State is to be inclusive of opposition views, opinions and contributions.
In recognition of their dedication and outstanding performances in carrying out their academic duties within the University of Sierra Leone for the academic year 2020/2021, the Academic Staff Association, University of Sierra Leone has on Friday 1st April, 2022 held its annual award ceremony on the theme: “Celebrating Excellence in Academia”. The award ceremony was held at the Adjai Crowther Amphitheatre on Fourah Bay College in Freetown.
The award ceremony features categories like Outstanding Lecturer within Department, Outstanding Heads of Department, Lecturer of the Year, Head of Department of the Year, Dean of the Year, DVC of the Year, Campus of the Year, Emerging Scholar of the Year, Role Model Award: 30+ Publications, Leadership Award, Excellence Award, Past ASA President Award and ASA Presidents Award to Devoted ASA Members.
Speaking during the ceremony, the President of the Academic Staff Association, University of Sierra Leone, Dr. Williette James described 2021 as a year of far-reaching changes and difficulty yet necessary decisions aimed at the transformation of the ASA- USL were made, adding that during the start of 2021 members of ASA-USL were facing an uncomfortable financial position, salary uncertainty, and severe challenges from the Covid-19 Pandemic all threatening the educational landscape and performances.
“As President of ASA-USL, my role then was to identify and describe those challenges and difficulties to you with the utmost clarity and transparency and we were entirely confident and certain about the path we had to follow for the Association to successfully overcome those many challenges. With that goal in mind, in 2021, we had series of engagements with pertinent authorities in the USL and the Central Government on issues relating to salary adjustments as well as on issues that bordered around suitable learning environment amidst the said pandemic” she revealed.
She informed the gathering that the ASA-USL successfully achieved a 75% salary increase with a cascading impact on all sister universities such as the Njala University (NU), the Ernest Bai Koroma University (EBK) that stood firmly by them and took tough measures together all in lieu of achieving a common goal, and that together with their sister universities, they have, in 2021, made a thorough review of the previously deplorable Conditions of Service (COS) of both Academic and Administrative Staff of all Public Tertiary Institutions in the country which is currently an on-going debate by the courts of all concerned institutions.
The President pointed out that their next goal is to ensure that the new COS is approved to enhance better economic wellbeing of all academic staff, particularized to the University of Sierra Leone, furthering that they have set in motion plans and hope to keep up with their targets for actualizing the revised COS to a reasonable extent, more so as global fuel quandary keeps diffusing with a determination to achieving a desired outcome of their COS is what conjures up an image of working harder – wringing ever more output from our existing inputs.
“My Executive has laid the foundations for a future of orderly, sustainable and profitable growth in ASA-USL. We accordingly undertook ambitious range of structural actions and decisions through appropriate scheme for financial contributions of all ASA-USI members into the objectivity and transparency, ready for validation and implementation. These positive strides, ladies and gentlemen, should transform most of ASA-USL’s operational dimensions,” she disclosed.
On her part, the Chair of ASA Awards Committee, Dr. Aisha Fofanah Ibrahim, said that awards are often nerve racking and make a lot of them jittery and that the award ceremony has not been different, it being both-but they as a committee have ridden the tide and are confident about the process and outcome.
She further informed all that she knows as a Committee they did their best with the information that was available as much of the information needed was not available as nominations were scanty some department heads did not even bother to nominate lecturers and a host of other negligence mentioned.
She concluded by congratulating awardees and encourages them to keep the bar high and give their all to teaching, researching and community service as after all that is what they signed up for.
Delivering a keynote address on behalf of the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, the Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Sarjoh Aziz Kamara, commended the President of the Academic Staff Association for her leadership in organizing the event of which he described Lecturers and Professors as contributors to national development.
He stated that as a Government they have done a bit in adhering to their demands by doing a 75% salary increase and that they aim to do more as conditions improve.
The Deputy Minister revealed that the University of Sierra Leone has a rich history of academia, for being the Athens of West Africa and having been the offshoot of many universities that have emerged, continuing that Sierra Leone currently has six public universities as per the University Act 2021, but maintained that there is a lot to learn from the University of Sierra Leone.
He implored that Fourah Bay College should continue to bear the touch so that it will continue to be the citadel of learning, furthering that university education has to remain relevant.
Sarjor Aziz Kamara congratulated all awardees and implored them to continue their dedication and outstanding performances in carrying out their academic duties within the University of Sierra Leone.
One of the awardees, Prof. Joe A. D. Alie of the History & African Studies, Fourah Bay College, expressed appreciation to the Academic Staff Association of the University of Sierra Leone for recognizing his outstanding performances towards the advancement of education in the country.
He dedicated his award to all those whose lives he has touched through education of which he further motivated other young folks to be committed and dedicated in whatsoever they are doing.
As part of its efforts to continue to put smiles on the faces of its valued and esteemed customers across the country during this month of Ramadan, one of Sierra Leone’s leading GSM Company in the country, Africell SL has on Friday 1st April, 2022 launched its “Di Golden Door” Ramadan Show. The official unveiling ceremony took place at the Africell’s Headquarters in Wilberforce.
Speaking at the launching ceremony, Africell’s Chief Corporate Officer, Joe Abass Bangura, disclosed that as a company that respects all religious faith in the country, it is pleased to join Muslims in Sierra Leone and the world over in heralding the Holy Month of Ramadan.
In that respect, he added that Africell is proud to maintain their tradition of being at the cutting edge of technological innovation in the industry and always bringing innovative promotional events that provide their subscribers with opportunities to celebrate their religious festivals with fun and games and eventually winning great prizes.
Joe Abass Bangura further disclosed that this year’s Ramadan promo dubbed: “Di Golden Door Ramadan Show” will commence on the 4th April and will last on to the 30th April, 2022 and will provide subscribers the opportunity to win more than Le 500,000,000 (Five hundred million Leones) by the end of the promotion.
The Assistant Media Manager at Africell, Nancy L. Toure, further explained that for subscribers to participate in the “Di Golden Door” Ramadan Show they should be Africell subscribers.
She added that Africell subscribers should send blank SMS to or call 777 or perform any transaction using AfriMoney to automatically qualify for the electronic draw for that day.
“Every blank SMS sent, or call made to 777, automatically gives the subscriber a chance at a cost of Le650.00; which is given back as On Net bonus, which must be utilized before midnight of the same day,” he maintained.
Nancy Toure maintained that during the draw, there are two stages which are stage one and two were qualifying numbers will be randomly drawn electronically during the live show on AYV Television which will be linked on AfriRadio and all major radio stations in the country.
He stated that any selected number will be called with the number 077 777-777 and the subscriber is instructed to choose from 1-15and if the subscriber is lucky he/she will have a chance to the “Di Golden Door” where he or she will be asked to choose again from 1-30 and if that subscriber happens to choose the lucky Door which has the 50 million Leones automatically such makes the subscriber a winner.
She, however, reminded subscribers and the general public that the stipulated Lottery Tax on Le500,000 to Le10M which is 10% will be deducted, adding that a tax of 20% shall also be deducted from winnings from Le10M above payable to the NRA.
During a well-attended ceremony held at Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel, Aberdeen in Freetown, the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) has on Friday 1st April, 2021 officially launched its 20th Anniversary Celebration on the theme: “Improving Efficiency through Digitalization for National Development”.
Speaking during the ceremony, the Director General of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, noted that before 2001 the country used to have a pension arrangement that mainly covers the public sector which he said was largely not contributing and had challenges.
He added that Sierra Leoneans who has diligently served the nation were receiving ridiculous pensions upon retirement which he said had implications on the job market, adding that it against such a backdrop that the Government under the leadership of His Excellency President Ahmed Tejan Kabba decided to establish the National Social Security and Insurance Trust in order to address the long range of economic security in the country.
Mohamed Fuaad Daboh stated that the National Social Security and Insurance Trust strongly believes in the core values of respect, accountability, transparency and excellence since its inception in 2001, adding that as an institution they are gratified to officially launch the 20th anniversary celebration of the institution.
He pointed out that all workers in the formal sector, as long as there is an employer-employee relationship, it is the responsibility of the employer to make sure that the employee is registered and contributions are paid on his or her behalf adding that employers are required to pay their employees’ contributions on or before the 15th of every month otherwise it will attract interest and penalties.
The Director General maintained that since its establishment the institution has come a long way in realizing the dream of His Excellency Late President Ahmed Tejan Kabba in ensuring dignity at retirement as well as supporting economic development by investing in the financial sector, hospitality, real estate in post war Sierra Leone.
“20 years ago, the National Social Security and Insurance Trust was launched by His Excellency Late President Ahmed Tejan Kabba at the Lagoonda Entertainment Complex on Aberdeen in Freetown as a hope of every worker in the country after signing into law the National Social Security and Insurance Trust Acts of 2001,” he maintained.
Launching the NASSIT 20th Anniversary Celebration, the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Alpha Osman Timbo, commended the current and past leadership of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust for their tireless efforts in upholding the vales of the institution since its inception.
He said that the National Social Security and Insurance Trust started effective operations in January 2002 with the authority conferring on it by the NASSIT Act No 5 of 2001. He further described the ceremony as a special moment in reflecting on the successes and addressing the challenges of the scheme to ensure that it is kept on a good footing for the benefit of all Sierra Leoneans.
Alpha Osman Timbo recognized and applauded all Sierra Leoneans who actively participated in the establishment of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust that has attained 20 years of existence.
“After a careful look at the existing legal framework giving the employment situation in the world of work coupled with the adoption of several international instruments by the International Labour Organization and the United Nations specifies that every human being has a right to social security. Among these instruments is the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 which in Article 2 states that “Everyone in society has the right to social security,” he averred.
The event was climaxed by the official launching of the 20th Anniversary Celebration of NASSIT by the Minister of Labour and Social Security, Alpha Osman Timbo.
There is no denying that the last two years have added enormously to the cost of living of the average Sierra Leonean that lives on or less than Le20, 000 a day and more fearfully the majority that are unemployed.
With the backs of the poor already against the wall from inflation, the alarming cost of living has been made more critical very recently with the increase in the cost of fuel from Le10, 000 to Le15, 000 which has impacted heavily on transport and food prices right across the country.
From the look of things, the Government of Sierra Leone, saddled with over USD3 billion domestic and international debts, has very little fiscal space to talk of matching wages and salaries with the recent astronomic rise in the cost of living.
The situation would have been hopeful if Sierra Leone had a robust agricultural and mineral export base as it used to in the 1960s when the value of the Leone was stronger than the dollar.
Today the Leone, which about five years ago was exchanging at around Le6000, now exchanges at nearly Le1.3 million. This has greatly impacted all prices, including rent.
Alarmingly also, there seems to be no end in sight for the Government’s appetite to borrow more and more even when it knows that the country cannot raise enough revenue to pay the interest on those debts.
As such, something extraordinary has to be done by the Government to improve on the wellbeing of its citizens.
The Ghanaian President in reaction to the current economic crisis that the country faces reduced the salaries of top Government officials by 30 percent – a symbolic gesture indicating that everybody has to make sacrifices, starting with those that have.
The Government, also to stabilize the price of fuel ,announced a tax cut that starts today.
The Minister of Finance gave the solution when he presented the 2021 budget to Parliament. Government has to rationalize its spending and earning priorities.
The population thought that the Government instead of creating so many new offices and Commissions would have downsized the public and civil service in order to cut down on the huge public sector wages and salaries with no corresponding return in increased national productivity.
The much touted transformation of the agricultural sector to make it a driver of poverty reduction, food security and economic prosperity is yet to be seen, even with a few hundred million dollars having gone into that enterprise since 2018.
The IMF structural adjustment prescriptions that our Government continues to pursue – taking debt not used for economic investment but to pay interest on ever rising debt ( dig hole, cover hole), is simply not the answer to the recurrent economic struggle we face as Government and people.
There is no short, medium and long term solution to the problem of rising cost of living except to create more wealth that is shared among the people through employment, increased salaries and wages, etc.
The monies that we waste on paying a small very privileged sector of the public and civil service, the monies wasted on overseas travel, on expensive vehicles, fuel and maintenance of those vehicles if cut down drastically can go a long way in employing more trained and qualified teachers, nurses, buying essential farm inputs for farmers and hiring farm technicians, etc, whose labour contribute directly to increase in GDP.
At the governance and financial management level, in effecting savings and expanding the economy in ways that will translate into better welfare for citizens, we still have to deal with widespread corruption in Government as identified year after year by the Audit Service, lack of transparency and accountability on the debts we take, a bloated public sector and a very small indigenous business sector which since the 1970s has resulted in huge capital flight every day by foreigners and foreign owned businesses.
As part of their compassionate support to the victims of the Gray Bush & Kaningo fire disasters in the country, Partnering to Serve Humanity Consortium which comprises Tzu Chi Foundation, Healey International Relief Foundation, LANYI Foundation and Caritas Freetown has on Wednesday 30th March, 2022 supported the Gray Bush & Kaningo fire disaster victims with relief supplies comprising food and non-food items. The donation took place within the Gray Bush & Kaningo communities respectively.
The relief items included school supplies and cash donations to support the affected school going children, Rice, Garri, Sugar, Cooking Oil, Palm Oil, Onions, Nan baby milk, NIDO baby milk, Nutrilac baby food. The non-food items include sets of cooking pots, blankets, mattresses, plastic wares for domestic and kitchen use, charcoal stoves and sanitary packs comprising laundry and bathing soap as well as sanitary kits for women and girls.
In his address to the victims, the Liaison Person for the Partnering to Serve Humanity Consortium, Ishmael Alfred Charles, stated that the consortium has been very supportive in responding to disasters whenever they occur adding that in order for a smooth response to the victims an assessment was done in collaboration with NDMA to know the number of affected persons and number of dwelling houses and properties that were destroyed during the fire outbreaks and also conducted a needs assessment to ascertain the needs of the victims.
He maintained that Gray Bush is one of the impoverished suburban areas within the municipality of Freetown which is situated around the coastal slum neighborhood in the Western Area Urban and shares boundaries with Congo Town and Congo Cross slum communities, furthering that Kaningo on the other hand is one of those communities that has formal settlements and is a relatively anew community that comprises residents from different cultures, religion and ethnic groups with decent house but said as they normally say, ‘Accidents know no bounds’.
Ishmael Alfred Charles revealed that on the 13th February & 18th February 2022 respectively fire disasters engulfed the Kaningo and Gray Bush
communities during which 171 victims and 128 victims at Kaningo and Gray Bush were left homeless and devastated by the unfortunate fire incidents.
He pointed out that the fire incident occurred at about 11:20 PM at Kaningo and about 6:45 PM at Gray Bush where a huge pile of smoke engulfed the entire neighborhood of the affected communities of which he said according to eyewitnesses, the fire disasters happened because of an electrical fault emanating from a high voltage of electricity supplied from the national grid.
“The victims were devastated due to the unfortunate incident that happened to them. The fire disasters left the victims not only homeless but also vulnerable as they lost all their properties including school materials, beddings, cooking utensils, clothing, cash and other valuable household properties. Spontaneously, 12 days of cooking and serving victims with hot meal went on from the 18th- 29th March, 2022 in the two affected communities respectively,” he revealed.
The Liaison Person continued that 9 dwelling houses where completely destroyed at Kaningo and 14 houses were also completely burnt to ground level at Gray Bush disclosing how the victims are still stranded outside because there is no permanent accommodation for them to stay in and that the affected victims include men, women, children, lactating mothers, disables and the youth.
He concluded that on Wednesday 30th March 2022, Partnering to Serve Humanity climaxed the hot meal feeding with the distribution of relief supplies which comprises of food and non-food items to these victims.
Nancy Jones, one of the victims at Kaningo commended Partnering to Serve Humanity for the donation of the relief items which she said are very important in terms of cushioning the negative impacts of the fire disaster on them as victims.
She disclosed that during the fire disaster they lost everything and they are currently challenged in securing basic necessities especially food, furthering that since the implementation of the hot meal program in the community such has helped greatly in supporting them and their families.
Ibrahim Sesay another victim at Gray Bush also expressed appreciation to Partnering to Serve Humanity Consortium for the kind donation.
He underscored that things are not really easy for them at the moment but said with the hot meal feeding program that was initiated by the Consortium such has helped them greatly especially their children, furthering that after the fire disaster many families lacked food to feed themselves and their children but said with the relief items supplied to them by the Consortium such will help them and their families greatly in rebuilding their lives.
