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Meeting With Tourism Minister…   British High Commissioner Discloses Interest in Youth Development & Women Empowerment

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By Foday Moriba Conteh

Lisa Chesney MBE, British High Commissioner to Sierra Leone, has on the 28th February 2022 expressed interest in the Tourism Ministry’s youth development and women empowerment programmes. She made that disclosure during a meeting with the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt at the Ministry’s Headquarters, on Kingharman Road in Freetown.

The British High Commissioner, who has been to many parts of the country thus far stated that Sierra Leone is a beautiful country with a lot of potentials especially in its tourism dimension. She acknowledged and applauded the strides and initiatives the Ministry has embarked on for which she expressed interest in working with the sector in creating jobs for youths and women engaged in beach cleaning and waste management which will be coordinated by the wider British Chamber of Commerce.

On her part, Minister Pratt welcomed the High Commissioner to the Home of Hospitality saying that she was delighted to have her at the Ministry. She explained that since her appointment in 2018, the Ministry has been engaged in a lot of activities especially in rebranding the image of Sierra Leone to the international community. She noted that she had been to the World Travel Market in London three times, but because of COVID the focus had been on domestic tourism which she said has yield dividends. Minister Pratt explained the efforts the sector is placing on wildlife tourism and also expressed interest in working with international organizations in wildlife tourism.

Minister Pratt continued that the Ministry enjoys cross-ministry coordination and partnerships that have been forged with line MDAs. In the area of youth development and women empowerment, Dr. Pratt said her desire is for those engaged in beach cleaning and waste management to be trained and work in bigger cleaning businesses. She called for increased private sector investment as it is the greatest challenge the sector is facing.

Parliament Enacts the Professional Engineering Regulatory Council Bill

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By Esther Wright

Parliament of Sierra Leone has on the 1st March, 2022 passed into law with unanimity a Bill entitled “The Professional Engineering Regulatory Council Act 2022”.

The Bill seeks to make provision for the establishment of the Professional Engineering Regulatory Council with the responsibility to regulate the practice of engineering in Sierra Leone, including the registration and discipline of professional engineers and to provide for other related matters

Responding to questions and concerns raised by Members of Parliament, during the debate, Deputy Minister of Works and Public Assets, Hon. Philip Tetema Tondoneh assured the Honourable House of the implementation of the Act, in light of the extension of offices and recruitment, registration of professionals. He went on to say, restructuring and capacity of staff would be part of the rollout process.

The bill the Minister informed is repealing the parent act to meet the current demand.

At the Committee Stage, parts and clauses of the bill including the composition of Council Executives and their years of experience, fine, imprisonment, administration, gender consideration amongst others form part of the examination.

The bill went through scrutiny by the Committee of the Whole House and was unanimously passed into law with some amendments.

As Fire Incident Hits Blind School… Leone Rock Metal Group Donates Essential Items to Pupils

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By Abdul Malik Bangura

Recently, the Milton Margai School for the Blind was on fire that ravaged the female dormitory of the school with four kids wounded leaving others with psychosocial distress. One of the first persons to visit the scene was the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary School, Dr. Monina Sengbe who called for the support of “the wider community to step in and help them get back to normalcy.”

Against that backdrop, Leone Rock Metal Group stepped in to support the Milton Margai School for the Blind to ameliorate the plight of the visually impaired kids.

The mining company donated to the School 20 mattresses, 20 bed sheets, 10 cartons of Braille papers, 10 cartons of toilet soaps, 3 bales of used cloths, 90 school bags and sachets of water which all meant to support the kids in order to live in a very conducive environment.

Meanwhile, during the donation held at the school compound on Wilkinson Road in Freetown, the company’s Public Relations Director, Michael He said Leone Rock takes its corporate social responsibility (CSR) as one of its top priorities and has always been active in implementing CSR projects. He told the kids that nothing can stop them to have clear goals in their lives and should not let current conditions make them feel frustrated in achieving those goals.

The Director of Community Affairs of Leone Rock Metal Group, Judith Kosseh, said the company is sympathizing with the kids at a very unfortunate moment in their lives. She thanked the teachers and caregivers of the school for the good work they have been doing all this while and in caring for the visually impaired kids.

Presenting the donated items on behalf of the company, Salim Sillah, Director in the CEO’s Office dilated on the company’s CSR projects and said he feels delighted that senior staff of the company decided to come and share with the visually impaired kids during such a time like. He spoke about the activities of the company in the iron ore industry of Sierra Leone, and assured that in the coming days, the children will be visited individual members of staff who will be around to do personal donations.

Responding to the donation, the Principal of the Milton Margai School for the Blind, Salieu Turay, expressed gratitude to the company for remembering the disable kids at this moment of their need. He gave a breakdown of events of the fire incident and expressed the view that the donation made by the company is indeed timely and will address the welfare challenges of the pupils.

A female pupil of the school gave the vote of thanks, during which she expressed delight for the donation and prayed for the success of the company in the pursuance of its aims and objectives.

Note:
Leone Rock Metal Group is the parent body of Kingho Mining Company Limited and Kingho Railway and Port Company Limited. Kingho Mining Company Limited operates the Tonkolili Iron Ore Mines, whilst Kingho Railway and Port Company operates the 192 Kilometer railway as well as the Pepel Shipping Port.

To Enhance Professionalism…   MRCG Endorses SLAJ Disciplinary Committee Hearing Session

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By Amin Kef Sesay

With the objective of enhancing professionalism within the media landscape of the country and to promote the adoption of self-regulatory mechanisms, the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG) on the 1st May 2020 supported a SLAJ Disciplinary Committee hearing session with Regional Executives and representatives of National media. The programme took place at the Harry Yansaneh Hall, SLAJ headquarters in Freetown.

SLAJ in a press release issued on the 29th April 2020 launched the newly constituted Disciplinary Committee established pursuant to Article 14 (3) of the SLAJ constitution. The Committee’s mandate “shall be to adjudicate upon matters of indiscipline and professional misconduct of individual members of SLAJ.”

In his statement, the Chairman of MRCG-SL, Dr Francis Sowa, expressed that the work of the Committee and the enforcement of the SLAJ Code of Ethics is very important as it would help SLAJ to regulate the conduct of its members in line with international best practices.

“This type of sessions are very important  as they send a clear signal to the wider public that journalists are now ready to regulate themselves in their respective media duties across the country,” Dr Sowa indicated.

The President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, thanked the MRCG for their support and appreciated the regional executive members and heads of national media organizations for coming together to promote the work of the Committee.

The SLAJ President said that the Committee is made up of seasoned practitioners from the media, legal profession and civil society in order to have a balanced composition. He also stated that there are media monitors at district and regional levels.

In a PowerPoint presentation, the SLAJ President discussed the relevance of the Code of Ethics of SLAJ which he said is useful towards achieving the self-regulation mechanism. He further discussed articles of the SLAJ Code of Ethics.

Abu Bakarr Sheriff Esq., Secretary General of the SLAJ Disciplinary Committee, pointed that the Committee is a platform for the promotion of responsible journalism in the country.

“Our journey towards ethical and professional journalism can only be reached with the collective efforts of committed members for success in the fight,” Abu Bakarr Sheriff Esq said.

Marcella Samba-Sesay- Executive Director of Campaign for Good Governance (CGG), a Civil Society activist, who is the Vice Chairperson of the SLAJ Disciplinary Committee stated that the blend of media practitioners and civil society in the Committee would lead to advocacy for better media and professionalism.

“The Disciplinary Committee will not only look into ethics and complaints, but also empowerment of the media profession,” said Marcella Samba-Sesay.

The new Committee is expected to help guide journalists to professional reporting and provide a platform where complaints brought up by members of the public against journalists will be looked into.  The Committee is set to start receiving complaints from the public and its monitors.

Union Trust Bank Limited Ordered By High Court Judge to Pay Le5M to Defendant  

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By Elkass Sannoh

In the Fast Track Commercial Court on the 26th February 2022, High Court Judge, Hon. Justice Lornard Taylor in a matter between the Union Trust Bank Limited (Plaintiff) and Pajah & I.J. Limited and others (Defendants) ordered the bank to pay the cost of Five Million Leones to the Counsel of the second Defendant as cost.

Justice Taylor gave the order after dismissing the preliminary objection of Counsel for the plaintiff, Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marrah.

In his objection, Counsel for the plaintiff stated that the second Defendant/Applicant, Habib Pajah, no longer had locus in the matter and that the court is functus of the case against the second defendant in view of the order given by the court on the 8th November, 2021.

The action brought by the plaintiff against the second defendant who was a surety for a bank debt maintained that the second accused executed a legal mortgage for its property with respect to facilities granted to the 1st defendant.

In regard to the action against the 2nd defendant, he made an application praying that the case against him be dismissed on the grounds as contained on the face of the said application.

The court ruled in his favour by dismissing the application made against him.

Based on the dismissal, Counsel for the second defendant wrote the bank demanding re-conveyance of the property mortgaged, citing that the judgment delivered by the Court dated 8th November 2021, which indicated that the second defendant was no longer surety for any debt whatsoever owed to the plaintiff by the first defendant.

The plaintiff refused to re-convey the mortgaged property. The refusal of the first defendant to re-convey the said property prompted preliminary objection.

Commenting as to whether the second defendant has locus or not and whether the court is functus with respect to the application, the Hon. Justice Taylor said, “the ruling of the court dated 8th November 2021, dismissed the case against the 2nd defendant. But does it mean that the 2 defendant no longer has locus in the matter or does it mean that it is the conclusion of a matter, a party’s voice cannot be heard?”

The judge answered in the negative and further stated that, there are several instances wherein post-judgment can be made but never seen a situation where they are challenged successfully.

“Hence, a successful litigant seeking to encore a judgment for declaration of property will need to come to court before the judgment can be enforced.”

Justice Taylor said that the litigant cannot be deprived of this right on the grounds that he has no locus.

He therefore ordered that the plaintiff pay a cost of five million Leones (Le. 5,000,000) to the Counsel of the second defendant and further dismissed the preliminary objection accordingly.

Op Ed-   Might Makes not Right, Unjust Wars are Doomed to be Lost

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By Josep Borrell

At this dark hour, when we see Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine and massive disinformation campaigns and information manipulation, it is essential to separate lies — invented to justify what cannot be justified — from facts. The facts are that Russia, a major nuclear power, has attacked and invaded a peaceful and democratic neighbouring country, which posed no threat to it, nor provoked it. Moreover, President Putin is threatening reprisals on any other State that may come to the rescue of the people of Ukraine. Such use of force and coercion has no place in the 21st century.

What President Putin is doing is not only a grave violation of international law, it is a violation of the basic principles of human co-existence. With his choice to bring war back to Europe, we see the return of the “law of the jungle” where might makes right. The target is not only Ukraine, but the security of Europe and the whole international rules-based order, based on the UN system and international law.

His aggression is taking innocent lives, crushing people’s wish to live in peace. Civilian targets are being struck, clearly violating international humanitarian law, forcing people to flee. We see a humanitarian catastrophe developing. For months, we pursued unparalleled efforts to achieve a diplomatic solution. But Putin lied to the faces of all who met him, pretending to be interested in a peaceful solution. Instead, he opted for a full-scale invasion, a fully-fledged war.

Russia must cease its military operations immediately, and to unconditionally withdraw from the entire territory of Ukraine. The same goes for Belarus, which has to immediately stop its involvement in this aggression and respect its international obligations. The European Union is united in offering its strong support to Ukraine and its people. This is a matter of life and death.

The international community will now in response opt for a full-scale isolation of Russia, to hold President Putin accountable for this aggression. We are sanctioning those who finance the war, crippling the Russian banking system and it access to international reserves.

The EU and its partners have already imposed massive sanctions on Russia that target its leaders and elites and strategic sectors of the Kremlin-run economy. The aim is not to harm the Russian people, but to weaken the Kremlin’s ability to finance this unjust war. In doing this, we are closely aligned with our partners and allies – the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, South Korea and Australia.

We also see many countries from around the world rallying to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine, including our friends in Africa. The African Union has been joining this call. We stand together on the right side of history in the face of Russia’s horrifying attack on a free and sovereign country.

To justify its crimes, the Kremlin and its supporters have engaged in a massive disinformation campaign, which started already weeks ago. We have seen Russian State media and their ecosystem peddling untruths in social media networks with the aim to deceive and manipulate.

The Kremlin propagandists call the invasion “a special operation”, but this cynical euphemism cannot hide the fact that we witness a fully-fledged invasion of Ukraine, with the aim to crush its freedom, legitimate Government and democratic structures. Calling the Kyiv Government “Neo-nazi” and “Russophobic” is nonsense: all manifestations of Nazism are banned in Ukraine.

In modern Ukraine, extreme right-wing candidates are a fringe phenomenon with minimal support, without passing the barrier to enter the Parliament. The Ukrainian Government did not cut the Donbass off and it has not prohibited the use of Russian language and culture. Donetsk and Luhansk are no republics, they are Ukrainian regions controlled by Russia-backed and armed separatist groupings.

We know this -and many Russians know this. There have been courageous protests in cities across Russia since the invasion started, demanding the end of the aggression against a peaceful neighbouring nation. We hear their voices and recognise their courage in speaking out, and we also see many prominent public figures in Russia protesting this senseless invasion.

I continue to work with our partners around the world to ensure the joint action of the international community against the Kremlin’s behaviour. On 25 February, only Russia vetoed a UN Security Council Resolution on Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, with China, India and the United Arab Emirates abstaining .From all over the world, countries condemn Russia’s attacks and at the General Assembly, the entire international community needs to join forces and help to end Russia’s military aggression by adopting the related UN Resolution. We particularly thank Albania as co-penholder of the resolution.

With this war on Ukraine, the world will never be the same again. It is now, more than ever, the time for societies and alliances to come together to build our future on trust, justice and freedom. It is the moment to stand up and to speak out. Might does not make right. Never did. Never will.

 

Like Charles Margai, Like KKY?

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By Amin Kef Sesay

Once upon a time in the recent past, there was a very powerful political king maker called Charles Francis Margai. So powerful was he, that he and his political party, the People’s Movement for Democratic Change,(PMDC) working in partnership with the then opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party succeeded in unseating the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

The rise and fall of Charles Francis Margai, both as a politician and as a political party leader, should be very instructive for the likes of the leader of the National Grand Coalition in Parliament, Dr Kandeh Yumkella who is being actively wooed by the leader of the Sierra Leone People’s Party to side with him ahead of the 2023 Parliamentary and Presidential elections in 2023.

President Bio knows the importance of having numbers on his side and has already successfully brought onboard his campaign train the influential in the North-West Hon. Alpha Khan and Victor Foh, both of the APC.

There are in our society people of immense influence who can galvanize popular support in their communities. Having the support of such people of influence in a political party brings good dividends in the area of electoral advantage.

The success of a party in a certain area depends to a great extent on their support. These are known as populist leaders who are many a time even more powerful than the men and women that elect.

To win the support of such people brings rewards at election time. The governing party therefore always tries to weaken an opposition party by persuading such community leaders to defect to the Government side as it brings benefits to them.

Political defections are not new in Sierra Leone politics. A governing party always tries to weaken the opposition. This is what Sierra Leoneans learned from the politics of Sir Milton and his half brother Sir Albert Margai. The two Margais were experts in fishing out big fishes from the net of the APC in the 1960s.

After the return of democracy in 1996, ahead of the 2012 elections, it can be recalled that Joseph Bandabla Dauda returned to the APC fold, followed by heavy weights like Tom Nyuma of Kailahun. The popular Western Region Chairman of the SLPP, Lansana Fadika, quit the SLPP and defected to the APC.

Popular SLPP politician and one time aspirant for the SLPP aspirant for SLPP flag bearer, Alhaji Usman Boie Kamara and Kadie Johnson-Cole, quit the SLPP and defected to the ruling APC.

Former APC politician Alhaji Yayah Deen Kamara returned to his ancestral party. Lansana Fadika, Usu Boie Kamara, and Kadie Johnson-Cole, Late Sanfa Adams of Magburaka, were all defectors.  So also was  Stephen Ngaojia who quitted the PMDC to join the APC. Even Ernest Koroma at one time joined PDP-Sorbeh.

Thus, cross carpeting or political defections are a normal feature of the game of politics that has been played over the years by both SLPP and APC parties that have ruled the country since independence.

It is therefore not a big deal as such as every governing party wants a comfortable and steady majority to easily pass legislation in Parliament and thus make the opposition impotent.

Opening Conference on Human Trafficking…   Pres. Bio Discloses Efforts are made to Structure & Monitor Labour Migration

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By Esther Wright

President Julius Maada Bio has on the 28th February 2022, during the opening ceremony of a national conference on human trafficking at the Freetown International Conference Centre, Bintumani Hotel publicly renewed his commitment to working with stakeholders and development partners to address trafficking in persons, which is considered as a form of modern-day slavery that constitutes a crime against the individual and the State.

In his keynote statement, the President stated that within the policy and regulatory space, they had worked across Government and with partners to launch a comprehensive national migration policy for Sierra Leone.

“We are making efforts to structure and monitor labour migration through the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in ways that make migrants less susceptible to exploitation and trafficking. There are more possibilities for inter-agency and partner collaboration to get labour migration right.

“Domestically, we are reviewing and improving on the Anti-Human Trafficking Act of 2007, Act No. 7. The Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Bill 2021 is more expansive, in accord with international best practices, and addresses a wider variety of crimes including debt bondage, sexual servitude, illegal removal of organs, and all forms of migrant smuggling,” he said.

He called on the international community to significantly increase the risk of trafficking in persons, assuring them of Sierra Leone’s readiness to cooperate with Governments and organizations that are or will work towards those steps.

“Working with partners, the Office of the Vice President and the Ministry of Social Welfare have also established immediate strategic priorities for reducing human trafficking in Sierra Leone from 2022-2023. These strategic actions include training investigators, law enforcement officials, first responders including social workers, and judges. It will also involve stakeholder and community engagements on identifying, reporting, and cooperating on prosecuting human trafficking cases in all its forms.

“But we also believe that we can and we should harness the power of data to augment our fight against trafficking in persons. I am pleased to hear, for instance, about the work of the IOM (International Organization for Migration), Irish Embassy, the EU, APRIES, the EU, and the US Government. I am also pleased to hear about the work of Professor David Okech that supports training Sierra Leoneans to use data to inform counter-trafficking programmes and policies,” he said.

In a welcome statement earlier, Minister of Social Welfare, Honourable Baindu Dassama, said that the motive behind the conference is to bring together all stakeholders working to reduce child trafficking in the country, adding that the issues of women and girls were at the center of the conference because they were those highly affected by the ugly inhuman treatment.

In a goodwill message, First Lady Fatima Maada Bio said the conference was a significant milestone, where all stakeholders converge to discuss, plot and map out a comprehensive national strategy to combat the global menace of trafficking in persons. She added that domestic or internal trafficking of especially young girls and women mostly from rural communities to cities across the country, accounted for a significant percentage of citizens being exploited for sexual and labour purposes.

“The Office of the First Lady, through our ‘Hands Off Our Girls’ campaign’s thematic pillar of Trafficking in Persons, has embarked on comprehensive awareness-raising and advocacy campaign programmes against both domestic and international trafficking over the last three years. Our advocacy played a leading role in the declaration of rape as a national emergency as well as the reviewing and strengthening of the Sexual Offences Act and the establishment of the special court for sexual offences,” she recalled.

United Nations Resident Coordinator in Sierra Leone, Dr Babatunde A. Ahonsi, said that trafficking in persons, was a hideous criminal activity that constituted an affront to human dignity as it often entails serious human rights violations and abuses. He further noted that the Government of Sierra Leone, its development partners, including the UN, are working together to tackle trafficking in persons despite various constraints related to the COVID-19 pandemic and the adaptability of the traffickers to evolving situations.

“This National Conference is a timely opportunity to reflect and plan for actions to continue the joint fight towards ending Trafficking in Persons in Sierra Leone. The United Nations in Sierra Leone, through IOM and UNODC will continue to support the strategic priorities of the National Trafficking in Persons Taskforce, looking pragmatically at the 3Ps and the outcomes of this National Conference,” he concluded.

Dr. Victor Massaquoi Succeeds George Khoryama as Chairman of IMC

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By Amin Kef Sesay

The newly appointed Chairman of the Independent Media Commission (IMC), Dr. Victor Massaquoi has on the 25th February 2022, officially took over office during a handing over ceremony organized at the Commission’s headquarters on 54 Siaka Steven Street in Freetown which was well attended by Commissioners and staff of the Commission.

The outgoing Chairman, George Khoryama, in his handing over statement outlined the achievements and challenges his administration faced while he was Chairman of the Commission.

He stated among other things that his administration engaged media practitioners on the repeal of Part V of the 1965 Public Order Act that criminalized libel; championed the enactment of the IMC Act 2020 and facilitated the engagement of media practitioners on compliance issues, through training of radio station managers and newspaper editors across the country. He said the IMC, in collaboration with NASSIT, organized a nationwide sensitization and training tour on compliance with the provisions of new the IMC Act 2020 that required media owners to pay NASSIT contribution for journalists employed by Media Houses.

He also intimated the incoming Chairman and Commissioners that his administration produced four (4) video documentaries that border on the Commission’s activities and other relevant engagements. He noted that under his watch the Commission achieved the revitalization of the Advertising Advisory Committee as well as the review of the 2007 Media Code of Practice on print and electronic media, which validated document was handed over to the Minister of Information and Communication (Mohamed Rahman Swaray) for drafting and Parliamentary approval.

George Khoryama concluded by informing the incoming Chairman and Commissioners that during his tenure, the Commission registered 39 radio stations out of 191, 6 television stations out of 23,47newspapers out of 229 newspapers and 6 magazines out of 24.

Among those achievements, the outgoing Chairman mentioned some of the lingering challenges faced by the Commission over the years some of which he maintained included untimely and incomplete disbursement of Government subventions to the Commission; lack of road worthy vehicle, low staff morale and poor condition of service, which had resulted to a spate of unmotivated staff which has resulted in frequent resignations of senior staff.

He therefore implored the incoming Chairman, Dr. Massaquoi, to be mindful of the many challenges faced by the Commission, which he emphasized should not be treated with kids gloves.

The incoming Chairman Dr. Victor Massaquoi commended the successes highlighted by the outgoing Chairman. He acknowledged the challenges catalogued and noted that challenges will always surface at the helm of transition and are highlights of a successful determinant of any organization. He assured Commissioners and Staff that his focus will be to build on the foundation of his predecessor through innovative idea and futuristic development strategy.

He said the 2020 IMC Act will be fully intensified to adapt new changes within the media landscape that will foster effective and efficient media regulation. He said, with his ‘Go-Getter’ personality, he will knock on doors to ensure that the Commission regains its successful glory. Dr. Massaquoi said, he will always consult the erstwhile Chairman for advice when the need arise. The ceremony was climaxed by the introduction of Commissioners and members of Staff by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Khalil Kallon.

SLCB Listed as Best Bank in Sierra Leone According to Global Finance Rating

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By Theresa Kef Sesay

The Global Finance has presented its 28th annual listing of the best banks worldwide and names of the best global, regional, and national winners from more than 160 countries and regions.

Among the listed banks, the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB) emerged as the Best Bank in Sierra Leone. Taken into consideration was SLCB’s strong national performance and dedication to innovation as Global Finance announced the country winner’s award in the world.

The Editors of Global Finance, with input from industry analysts, corporate executives and technology experts, selected the winners for the World’s Best Banks 2021 using the information provided by Banks and other providers as well as independent research, based on a series of objective and subjective factors.

The Judges considered performance over the period from January 1 to December 31, 2020, except for global winners, for which developments in the first half of 2021 were also considered. Global Finance then applied a proprietary algorithm to shorten the list of contenders and arrive at a numerical score, with 100 signifying perfections.

The algorithm weights a range of criteria for relative importance, including knowledge of local conditions and customer needs, financial strength and safety, strategic relationships and governance, competitive pricing, capital investment and innovation in products and services. Once the Judges narrowed the field, they examined the final criteria, including the scope of global coverage, size and experience of staff, customer service, risk management, range of products and services, execution skills and use of technology.

In the case of a tie, the Judges lean toward local providers rather than global institutions.

The panel also tends to favour private-sector Banks over Government-owned institutions. The organizers concluded by commenting that the winners are those Banks and providers that best serve the specialized needs of corporations engaged in global business; hence, they seek to honour not the biggest institutions but the best: those with qualities companies should look for when choosing a provider.

It must be noted that despite the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bank increased its commitment to serve its clients, accelerating its digital transformation to improve its efficiency.

For its corporate clients, SLCB deployed the SLCB Mi Yone Online Banking platform that enables businesses to bank online. Among the platform’s capabilities include the creation of additional accounts; viewing of balances, transactions, loan details; funds transfer to own and third party accounts; blink payment and chatting with the Bank in real-time.

The Bank also launched its cashless payment services based on its SLCB Mobile App platform: SLCB Quick Pay enables cashless payment to be done in shops and supermarkets across the country. The introduction of its Mi Yone SLCB Visa Cards as a multipurpose vending companion gives access to users to shop online and access ATMs in Sierra Leone and worldwide.

The Mi Yone SLCB Premium and Debit cards are acclaimed as convenient, secure and easy to use with low transaction charges and affordable maintenance fees. At the same time, the Bank increased its money transfer services to include Western Union, Money Gram, Ria, Small World that permit clients to do their international payments quickly and directly into their accounts.

SLCB maintains lead in corporate giving as it donated more than Five Billion Leones to the Government and NGOs fighting the pandemic; engage in fighting other health challenges and contributing to developmental projects in the country.

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