Home Blog Page 800

At Main Law Courts…   Forty-Seven Inmates Set Free as Judicial Week Continues

Judicial Week.jpg

By Esther Wright

Forty Seven (47) inmates, who were incarcerated for various offences, have been discharged by six Judges of the Superior Court of Judicature presiding over cases at the main Law Courts building in Freetown during the ongoing Judicial Week.

Among the 26 Judges deployed by the Honorable Chief Justice, His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards across the country to review a total of 1,013 cases are Hon. Justices Jamesina King, Alhaji Momoh-Jah Stevens, Komba Kamanda, Monfred Sesay, Ansumana Ivan Sesay and High Court Judge, Hon. Justice Adrian J. Fisher.

Out of a total number of one thousand and thirteen (1,013), 111 of these inmates had been incarcerated awaiting trial without indictments; 138 on prolonged adjournments due to lack of empanelled jurors, 181 on bail but unable to fulfill their bail conditions to secure their release, 47 were serving unjustifiable and disproportionate sentences from Magistrates with no Summary Review application in their favour and 532 were incarcerated with no admission to bail for possible bailable offences.

The discharged persons were before the Courts for various offences ranging from wounding with intent, murder, robbery, conspiracy, fraudulent conversion and sexual penetration among others.

With support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Judicial Week is financed by the Government of Sierra Leone.

The Judicial Week continues till Friday, 4th February 2020 with more cases to be reviewed and decided in the interest of justice and fair trial.

As Pressure Mounts On Government to Act… Speaker of Parliament Sees Need to Outlaw FGM 

Parliament.jpg

By Amin Kef Sesay

Following a petition submitted to the Speaker of Parliament, in his Chambers at Parliament Building by Anti-FGM Campaigners led by Rugiatu Nenneh Koroma nee Turay for onward transmission to the Head of State, and Leaders of political parties in Parliament, with a view to outlawing FGM practices in Sierra Leone, excluding the Bondo Society, Hon. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu has disclosed that  he has consented to the task of presenting the memorandum to the Head of State as well as to the Leaders of political parties in Parliament on behalf of Anti-FGM Campaigners.

He made it categorically clear that he was not against the Bondo Society, but shared the concern of the campaigners that FGM be outlawed in the country, whilst acknowledging that it might sound unpalatable to a certain section of society for traditional reasons. He also stated that he knew it was hard to change tradition, but as a great believer in change, good traditions needed to be preserved while discarding bad ones.

He further stated that no society could afford to remain backward and primitive forever and that it was natural for countries to go through an evolutionary process and Sierra Leone is no exception.

He said that the time has come for our country to evaluate its cultural practices and decide as a people what is good to be preserved and what is not good to be discarded. He further added that this should be done not by force, but by persuasion and affirmed that there is already a Standing Committee on FGM in Parliament.

In a related development, Women’s rights organizations across the country and around the world have on the 1st February, 2022 come together to co-sign an open letter calling on the Government of Sierra Leone to criminalize Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) and protect women and girls from the harmful practice. Such came in the wake of the tragic death that was attributed to FGM.

It could be recalled that on the 20th December 2021, 21-year-old Maseray Sei allegedly died from acute bleeding and shock a day after being subjected to FGM, and such was confirmed by the post-mortem carried out on 14 January.

Also, few days following Maseray’s death, in a different region, a 15-year-old girl was admitted to hospital for urgent treatment after suffering serious complications due to FGM.

Sadly, these are not isolated incidents in Sierra Leone. Many women and girls in recent years have died or experienced devastating harm as a result of FGM, and during the latest holiday period, there were widespread reports of hundreds of young women and girls being cut.

Sierra Leone has one the highest FGM prevalence rates in Africa, with 83% of women and girls aged between 15 and 49 years having undergone the procedure according to the 2019 Demographic Health Survey.

Internationally recognized as a gross human rights violation, FGM involves the partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for non-medical reasons. It is a form of violence against women and girls, a manifestation of gender inequality and discrimination, and recognized by the United Nations as a form of torture.

Short term complications arising from FGM include: hemorrhaging; infections; severe pain; urine retention and other urinary tract problems; and psychological trauma. As with Maseray Sei and other victims, FGM can also result in death.

Longer term effects include: chronic infections, cysts, and ulcers; painful scar tissue; problems affecting the bladder, uterus, and kidneys; sexual health issues; mental health issues; infertility; menstrual complications; difficulties during childbirth, and an increased risk of infant and maternal mortality.

According to the Chairperson of the Amazonian Initiative Movement, Rugiatu Neneh Turay, who has been very vociferous in leading the campaign against FGM, despite the harm caused by FGM, the Government of Sierra Leone has failed to criminalize the harmful practice. She underscored that the country’s penal code does not specifically prohibit FGM, and there have been no known prosecutions relating to FGM.

“Furthermore, gender discrimination in Sierra Leone means that existing laws that are meant to uphold the rights of women and girls are not being effectively implemented to protect against FGM or punish perpetrators,” she asserted.

She argued that the failure to criminalize FGM has been further aggravated by a widespread lack of political will to end the harmful practice and the failure by the State to explicitly condemn FGM.

The signatories of the open letter are calling on the Government of Sierra Leone, H.E. President Julius Maada Bio, and Attorney General Mohamed Lamin Tarawalley Esq. to urgently enact a law that explicitly bans FGM for all ages, puts in place adequate measures to protect against and eliminate FGM and give survivors and the families of victims a means to access justice.

They strongly condemned the actions of politicians who are supporting FGM and equally commended the politicians and other duty bearers who have spoken out and taken action against the harmful practice as well as call on others to join them.

The women rights organizations also asked the State to prosecute all offenders putting the lives of women and girls at risk stating that it should include a comprehensive and swift police investigation and prosecution of all those responsible for the death of Maseray Sei maintaining that it is vital that justice is served in this case and is seen to be served so that it can deter others from committing FGM.

NP-SL is Committed to the Attainment & Fulfillment of its Mission

National Petroleum –Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd).jpg

By Amin Kef Sesay

The National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is a thriving indigenous petroleum marketing company that has stood the test of time since it was established by thirty-five Sierra Leoneans years back.

Overcoming turbulent times through shrewd, incisive and fine managerial initiatives, the company has gained a strong foothold in various parts of the country and has a presence in neighbouring Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

The company has truly proven that it is committed to the attainment and fulfillment of its mission which borders around “maintaining its dominant leadership position in the local market and strive to operate at sub-regional level by assuring the supply of petroleum products in an environmentally friendly manner while offering superior value for their customers, employees and other stakeholders based on a proud corporate culture with emphasis on safety consciousness, profit optimization, corporate expansion thereby contributing to national development”.

To a large extent the company has, over the years, successfully rolled out what is encompassed in the aforementioned Mission Statement. Today, in Sierra Leone and within the West African sub-region, NP-SL Ltd stands tall, dominating the petroleum marketing landscape in terms of its timely importation of high grade petroleum products, its effective marketing strategies, the number of dealers it has attracted to open Filling Stations even in hard to reach areas as well as the impressive way it is optimizing customer care, earning it the covetous respect as 1st for Customer Care.

With regards safety consciousness, the company always ensures that it provides tips at all its Filling Stations on how customers should conduct themselves when they are transacting businesses. Information such as “No Smoking”, “Avoid Naked Flame”, “Turn Off Engine While Fuel is Being Pumped”, “ Don’t Make-Up While Driving”, “Switch off Mobile Phones” are just some of the precautionary measures that are constantly made visible to all and sundry amidst the fact that fire extinguishers are always handy.

In all the countries within the West African sub-region where the company opted to establish, it was more particularly concerned of building a well-run dominant petroleum company in Liberia that is poised to compete in the West African sub-region. To a large extent that Vision has been achieved as NP-SL Ltd is a vibrant functioning entity that is assuaging the petroleum needs of people in that part of the world and doing so commendably well.

When the company was set up, the owners thought of having a Culture bordering around “developing a disciplined family with an institutional culture working towards building a great company”.

It is against such a backdrop that the company made it a policy that in terms of employment indigenes should be given priority as opposed to expatriates or foreigners. The culture is in sync with promoting the Local Content Policy and has contributed to the improvement of the lives of many locals. Employees of the company are well disciplined, are motivated and courteous in the way and manner in which they treat customers from diverse backgrounds and walks of life.

Known for effective service delivery, the company has calibrated pumping machines that gives the exact amount of fuel requested for.

Also, it introduced what is now known as NP Smart Card which is a memory chip that could be credited from time to time by the holder in order to buy fuel. It is a cashless way of conducting business and many have attested that it is very convenient.

There is also NP-Gas which is a cooking devise that could be refilled with gas. Manufactured in different cylinder sizes it is said to be very efficient and they are sold at the company’s Filling Stations or authorized dealers at affordable prices.

With its core values of NP-SL Ltd are anchored on:

Safe Working Environment, Good Customer Service,

High quality products, environmental sustainability and building positive teams, NP-SL Ltd has come a long way in executing its roadmap to become a viable business entity.

Corruption Demands NRA Board Chair To Be Sacked

Dr. Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara.png

By Amin Kef Sesay

Calling for the sacking of the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Dr. Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara, by certain individuals has not only been deemed as  disingenuous and a disservice to this nation but rather a well calculated ploy to continue the marginalization of  prominent women of  high integrity and impeccable reputation, occupying sensitive and important public offices, just because they are firmly upholding the truth and more so for their uncompromising stance on certain critical State matters bordering on exposing corruption and bad governance.

Maybe, just because of exposing corrupt practices in public offices and elsewhere, as no plausible reason had been given, the Auditor General of Audit Service Sierra Leone, Lara Taylor- Pearce was suspended pending trial by a Tribunal. For seemingly not supportive of certain financial policies adopted by the Government generally, the former Deputy Minister of Finance 11, Dr Patricia Laverley, had no alternative but to resign her position bordering on individual principle.

And now there is this hue and cry by certain sections of the Media and Social Media handlers, who could not be au fait with the situation at hand, for the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Dr .Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara, to be shown the exit door predicating their arguments on insubordination and her reluctance to do what she deems right and as a matter of fact a best practice.

It will indeed baffle many to learn that Dr .Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara’s exit-door or crucifixion campaign emanated from her simply inviting certain big business entities to appear before an Investigative Panel that has been established, spearheaded by her, to elucidate on certain issues related to their tax compliance with the Authority.

Her fine initiative of probing certain well established business entities in the country vis-à-vis their tax compliance portfolio seemed to have been her biggest transgression which did not go down well with certain individuals chief among them, the current Minister of Finance, Denis Vandi.

Infuriated by the Chairperson’s initiative, the Minister of Finance, Denis Vandi, wasted no time but to swiftly react: “We have no doubt that such action by the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the NRA will result in an unhealthy business environment, impacting on the financial and economic governance of the State.”

He then went on to again state that: “In view of the foregoing, I hereby direct that all the invitations sent for the said investigation to the concerned businesses be rescinded with immediate effect.”

Although it is clearly spelt out in Section 16 of the NRA Act that in the exercise of its functions, the independence of Authority (NRA) shall not be subject to the direction or control of any persona of authority or authority, it is vividly apparent that the Minister of Finance seemingly thinks he is so powerful to such an extent that he can float or disregard a statutory provision with reckless abandon and just act according to his whims and caprices.

As argued by a school of thought, this latest alarming and suspicious move by the Finance Minister smacks of, him, having skeletons in his closet. They maintain that it is unfathomable for a Finance Minister to restrain someone who is trying to fight corruption out of patriotism.

They averred that the action or response of  the Finance Minister could only be interpreted along the line that he is frantically trying to protect certain business entities, in which he has vested interest, that were invited by the NRA Board Chair to answer to certain questions.

According to them, if the Finance Minister has no ulterior motive why should he prevent the Board Chair from going on with her investigation?

How does the Board Chair of the NRA initiative results to an unhealthy business environment, impacting on the financial and economic governance of the State as stated by the Finance Minister?

As one of the flagship programmes of the current SLPP-led administration is fighting corruption, using different approaches must be embraced by all. This is so because it is only when we stem the accelerated pace of corruption in this country ,by using various approaches, that all development programmes that are being rolled out by the current Government will have significant positive impact on the lives of majority of Sierra Leoneans. They concluded that at the end of the day what really matters is for the NRA to mobilize as much revenue as possible in order to meet the specified target or ceiling set up by the Government.

When this medium went out and sounded the views of many on this issue the responses were overwhelmingly against the action taken by the Minister of Finance. Majority of them expressed the view that the Board Members of the NRA must tenaciously go on with the probing exercise and must not be deterred in any form in the exercise of their statutory obligation by the Minister of Finance as the initiative is well in place and tends to yield fruitful dividends for the State.

They also categorically stated that if anybody has evidence that the action taken by the NRA Board Chair is as a result of her been bribed to do so then this medium will join other well meaning Sierra Leoneans for those making such an accusation to come up with the evidence to substantiate their claim otherwise it will remain a baseless accusation. The production of evidence is important because this claim of her being bribed to do certain uncanny things has been in the public domain as reported by some tabloids without any justification or proof.

“This country has become one where any upright person who exposes corruption or who is on the verge of doing so is being targeted more especially if such a person is a female,” an Abacha Street trader lamented furthering how such an unhealthy practice must be discouraged as it is completely unfair and is against national development as well as totally not in tune with the voices of change vehemently calling for enhanced women empowerment that has gained nationwide momentum.

In as much as there must be a symbiotic relation between supervising Ministries and their Agencies in the interest of national development the present cold war between the Minister of Finance, Denis Vandi and the Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), Dr .Tuma Adama Gento-Kamara is one that should be amicably resolved by the Chief Executive Officer or any high ranking political functionary.

But as the situation now stands any attempt to remove her from her current position or killing her well acclaimed initiative will not only go down well with many, especially feminine groups in this country but will be very inimical and detrimental to the reputation of the political class and above all help in discouraging women from accepting certain public appointment or making meaningful contributions to overall national development.

Africell MD Holds Interactive Sessions with Customers

Africell.jpg

By Amin Kef Sesay

As a way of prioritizing customers at the heart of their operations, the Managing Director of Africell and other Management staff have paid an unannounced working visit to interact with customers at the Africell Customer Care Office, Odion Building on  Siaka Stevens Street in Freetown.

The exercise was carried out on Thursday 3rd February 2022 and it is expected to be replicated in other Africell offices in Freetown and beyond.

According to the Managing Director of Africell, they consider their customers very important to their growth and expansion.   Shadi Gerjawi continued by stating that Odion is their flagship structure and the Management of Africell have decided to use it as a point of contact with their customers and have an interactive session with them.   He stressed that their goal is to keep their customers happy.

“It is a pleasure for me to be here today and this is not the first time we have come to the forefront and interact with our customers,” Shadi said. It is on this backdrop that  Shadi has called on all customers to continue to access the Africell Customer Centers across the country. He assured that whatever issue they have can be solved. He further stated that their role is to satisfy their customers, adding further that it has been a long journey in making sure that their customers are adequately served.

The Customer Care Manager of Africell, Kippy Debs, said that it is very important as Managers to meet with their customers and have a firsthand experience, adding that through which they can have a wealth of knowledge on how customers’ issues are addressed.  Kippy added that they discovered that the major concern of their customers is sim card replacement and Afrimoney transactions. Kippy further said that they have over 32 Customer Care Centers across the country that they are using to address customers’ concerns. The Customer Care Manager continued by stating that their primary focus is to provide quality services to their customers. Kippy added that their Customer Centers are always open to members of the public to channel their issues to them. Kippy assured that their staff are always willing and ready to address them.

The Chief Corporate Officer of Africell, Joe Abass Bangura said that the exercise will help them to have firsthand information about their customers’ needs and want. Their presence at the Odion office, he said, would further assure their customers that they are at the center of their operations. Mr. Bangura went on to say that there are lots of friendly exchanges that they had with customers that most Management staff were exposed to for the very first time.

“We learnt some new things and it was a very good experience,” said Mr. Bangura, adding that before to replace a sim card it will take up to 24 hours but now when all the relevant information are provided it is done instantly. Mr. Bangura concluded by stating that the exercise has exposed them to lots of issues including what their staff are doing on a daily basis with their customers and get a sense of how they respond to customers’ needs.

Orangemoney Partners with GTBank to launch Bank2Wallet Service  

Orangemoney CEO, David Mansaray with GTBank’s Managing Director, Ade Adebiyi…celebrating the partnership
Orangemoney CEO, David Mansaray with GTBank’s Managing Director, Ade Adebiyi…celebrating the partnership

By Millicent Mannah

A subsidiary of Orange Sierra Leone, Orange Money, has partnered with the  Guaranty Trust Bank to launch the Bank to 2 Wallet service, one that is geared towards transforming and making the financial lives of their respective customers easier. The remarkable event took place on the 2nd February 2022, at the Freetown City Council Auditorium.

Chief Executive Officer of Orange Money, David Samba Mansaray, expressed gratitude to the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank for their kind gesture.

He explained that the Bank 2 Wallet Service will not only make the lives of customers easier but will as well benefit their respective institutions within the Financial Sector.

The CEO added that the Guaranty Trust Bank is one of the biggest banks in the country in terms of balance sheet size, profitability and also in terms of overall financial intermediation and that the bank has contributed significantly to  economic growth in Sierra Leone.

David Mansaray furthered that Orange Money will have access to Guaranty Trust Bank’s customer base and liquidity, as that will help to ease some of the rigours encountered within their value chain.

“Guaranty Trust Bank is a force to reckon with, as we have seen them come up with more innovative services to support the partnership,” David Samba Mansaray stated.

He assured them that Orange Money will be providing speedy funds for their Bank, continuing that one of the banks they are partnering with already holds more than Le 75 billion from Orange Money stating how they are funds coming from the informal sector.

The Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank, Ade Adebiyi, expressed his delight and appreciation for such a profitable partnership stating that it was not an easy task to accomplish.

“Discussions regarding this partnership started over two years ago, and all of us on board are extremely happy that we have found common grounds to have a fruitful cooperation,” he added.

He affirmed that with the innovative product, the ordinary man in the village or remote area that lives hundred kilometres away from the Bank can now easily move money directly from his wallet to bank.

He acknowledged that the partnership between them is to strengthen the Bank’s role in terms of financial inclusion, stating that it is also to ensure the effective delivery of services in all areas within Sierra Leone.

The Project Manager, Sadia Kanu, explained that the product will expedite business transactions as customers can be at their various working environment or homes and send money through their Mobile Wallet and also save interests using the system.

She explained how the system is very useful in times of emergencies, as customers will be able to withdraw money from their bank accounts into the Orange Money Service and quickly cash out without an internet service.

She revealed that to use the service, a fully registered customer of both Orange Money and GTBank should use the USSD code 144 and select option 6 on the menu and the next menu will give list of Banks to choose from, and select option 7, the next step is to input your Orange Money password for you to receive an activation key which will be available to use within thirty minutes and will be deactivated after.

The event was climaxed with a question and answer session which was done in an interactive manner.

 

 

 

 

Yatta Rose Children’s Foundation Launched

Yatta Rose Children’s Foundation.jpg

By Foday Moriba Conteh

During a well-attended ceremony held at the premises of Culture Radio at Grafton in Freetown, on the 29th January 2022, the Lead Campaigner for Sick Pikin Project, Ishmael Alfred Charles, officially launched the Yatta Rose Children’s Foundation.

The Foundation, which is geared towards providing support to the   less privileged and needy children in the country was named after the first daughter of the Chief Executive Officer.

In her address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Yatta Rose Children’s Foundation, Kula Kaikai, pointed out that the Foundation was established in  a  bid  to  complement  the  efforts  of  international  humanitarian organisations  that  provide  humanitarian support  for the   needy, disable  and  the  less privileged in the country.

Speaking on their activities so far, she noted that during the Corona outbreak in the country, the Foundation embarked on a  Corona Sensitization drive to create awareness in all after  series of   challenges with the Corona outbreak.

She informed the gathering that before  establishing the   Foundation she has been  a  woman  of  passion  for  education of which she has been providing financial assistances  in the  form of  awarding scholarships  to support  pupils  and  students  from different  unknown backgrounds who cannot  afford  to pay for  their  education .

Speaking on the mission and vision of the Foundation Kula Kaikai said that the mission of the Foundation is to empower children and deprived communities to advance academically, economically in order to be well placed in society with a vision to support the underprivileged in terms   of education, shelter, food, health and change the lives of the ordinary   people.

She also disclosed that in December ever year the Foundation will organize parties and dinners for children  geared towards their development, adding that those events normally start with a jogging exercise   and a face to face meeting with the disable, (blind, deaf, dumb and the less privileged), followed by the  donation of food and non-food items to them.

The CEO concluded by stating that they are very proud to officially launch the Foundation maintaining that it will definitely serve as a motivation to them in their continuous support towards children in the country.

Launching the Foundation, the Lead Campaigner for Sick Pikin Project, Ishmael Alfred Charles, expressed appreciation to the Yatta Rose Children’s Foundation for their commitment towards supporting less privileged children in the country, adding that the move to complement the efforts of the Government and other organizations that provide humanitarian support for the   needy, disabled and the less privilege in the country is indeed a laudable venture.

Ishmael Alfred Charles said that there are so many issues faced by children in the country and that those issues cannot be addressed by only one organization but said with more organizations coming on board and with collaboration those issues if not eradicated completely but will be mitigated making it possible for children to live a decent lives in the country.

He encouraged the members of the Foundation to continue on the basis on which the Foundation was established further urging them to be open in terms of learning new ideas on how to run or manage such a Foundation.

The officially launching of the Foundation by the Lead Campaigner for Sick Pikin Project, Ishmael Alfred Charles climaxed the event followed by the donation of school items to children present during the ceremony.

Peace Commission Holds Consultative Meeting on Draft Strategic Plan

Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion.jpg

By Foday Moriba Conteh

As part of its continuous efforts towards engaging all sectors of society in relation to the draft of a strategic plan for the promotion of peace and national cohesion in the country, the Independent Commission for Peace and National Cohesion, which was established by an Act of Parliament in December 2020 has on Tuesday 1st February 2022 held a one-day consultative meeting with key stakeholders within the security sector on its proposed three (3) years Strategic Plan (2022-2024) for the promotion of peace and national cohesion.

The meeting was geared towards giving the opportunity to these key stakeholders within the security sector to make their inputs to the formulation of the proposed strategic plan of the Commission.

In his presentation, the Consultant of the proposed strategic plan, Magnus Mordu Conteh, revealed that the meeting was part of the Commission’s continuous consultations on the validation of its Strategic Plans, adding that the strategic plan is being developed in line with the Commission’s mandate which is, “to devise strategies and measures to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts, and to build, promote and maintain sustainable peace through national cohesion is Sierra Leone”.

He maintained that the Commission  started the consultation process in November 2021 with a three- day Strategic planning retreat at Occasion Lakkah, which brought together some civil society groups, development partners, other key stakeholder including the Judiciary and staff.

Magnus Mordu Conteh pointed out that the aim was to identify and develop key thematic areas that will enable the Commission undertake measures to prevent, manage and resolve conflicts and to build, promote peace ad national cohesion.

Underscoring key pillars within the Strategic Plan, he said, they  include Peace Promotion, Mediation and Resolution, Early Warning and Early Response, Enhancing National Cohesion, Advisory to Government and Programme Support and Operations.

The Consultant concluded by stating that during this process they will give the opportunity to these stakeholders to make their inputs to the document and after which they will now have the official draft of the  Strategic Plan which will further lead to validation.

On her part, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Madam Hawa Samai disclosed that the Commission has its mandate which includes proffering advise to Government on all aspects of conflict resolution and peace, monitor and evaluate the implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendations and adopt measures to promote and facilitate full implementation of the
recommendations, promote peace, reconciliation, and unity in Sierra Leone, build peace cultures, enhance tolerance, and support peaceful resolution of conflicts throughout Sierra
Leone etc.

Madam Hawa Samai continued that the consultative meeting will provide an opportunity for the various stakeholders around the country, including the security sector, political parties, local authorities and even ordinary Sierra Leoneans to make  inputs into and be part of the process, furthering that such will give the document a national outlook and make it the “people’s strategy”, as promoting peace is everyone’s business.

Significance Of Chinese New Year To The Chinese

Chinese New Year.jpg

By Amin Kef Sesay

The Chinese New Year or Lunar New Year 2022 began on Tuesday, February 1st, 2022, starting a year of the Tiger.

Chinese New Year has a history of over 3,000 years and is associated with several myths. A popular legend tells of the mythical beast Nian (/nyen/, which sounds the same as ‘year’ in Chinese), which shows up every Lunar New Year’s Eve to eat people and livestock. To scare away the monster, people displayed red paper, burned bamboo, lit candles, and wore red clothes. These traditions have been continued until the present time.

The date which changes every year, but it always falls between January 21st and February 20th is decided by the Chinese Lunar Calendar, which is based on cycles of the moon and sun and is generally 21–51 days behind the Gregorian (internationally-used) calendar.

Celebration of Chinese New Year traditionally last for 16 days, starting from the Chinese New Year’s Eve to the Lantern Festival. This year, it is from January 31st to February 15th.

As a public holiday, Chinese people get 7 days off from work from January 31st to February 6th. Offices, banks, factories, shops, and most non-essential services will close doors for a week’s holiday. Hotels and large retail outlets stay open and may even be busier than usual!

School holidays are four weeks long and migrant workers abandon their factory and construction jobs for weeks to return home. People go back home to be together with families, eat, drink, cook, visit extended family and friends to exchange good wishes and red envelopes.

The most notable dates of the Lunar New Year 2022 are these three days:

New Year’s Eve on January 31st, 2022

New Year’s Day on February 1st, 2022

The Chinese zodiac gives each year an animal sign. 2022 is a Year of the Tiger according to the Chinese zodiac. The 12 animals consist of Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, and Pig.

People born in a year of the Tiger are predicted to be brave, competitive, unpredictable, and confident.

2022 is the Year of the Water Tiger, which indicates a prosperous year due to the Tiger’s auspicious signs (strength, exorcising evils and braveness).

Traditionally it’s a time to honor ancestors and deities, with family reunions and street parades, and fireworks to drive off evil spirits. While based on the Chinese lunar calendar, Lunar New Year is also celebrated in Korea, Singapore, Mongolia, Tibet, Vietnam and in Asian communities worldwide.

From public displays in major cities to millions of private celebrations in China’s rural areas, setting off firecrackers and fireworks is an indispensable festive activity. It is a way to scare away the evil and welcome the New Year’s arrival.

Billions of fireworks go up in China at 12 am and in the first minutes of Chinese New Year, the most anywhere at any time of year.

Lion dances and dragon dances are widely seen in China and Chinatowns in many Western countries during the Lunar New Year period. They are performed to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year or event.

US Ambassador Calls for Concerted Efforts to Eliminate Neglected Tropical Diseases

United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer.jpg

By Amin Kef Sesay

During the 3rd World Neglected Tropical Diseases Celebrations held at the Miatta Conference Car Park in Freetown on the 31st January 2022, the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer, made a very salient contribution.

Expressing pleasure to be part of commemorating the 3rd World Neglected Tropical Diseases (or NTDs) day he disclosed how the United States Government, through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), is proud to join the Government of Sierra Leone in celebrating their work towards eliminating Neglected Tropical Diseases under the theme “Advancing Health Equity to End the Neglect of Poverty-Related Diseases”.

According to him, the celebration marks yet another milestone in the collective resolve between Sierra Leone and the United States to end five neglected diseases adding that at the global level, the United States has recently launched a new strategy in partnership with the World Health Organization.

The US Ambassador further  stated that in order to help people right here in Sierra Leone, the Ministry of Health’s NTD Program, with support from the U.S. Embassy and the Helen Keller International organization, is currently adapting a five-year Sustainability Plan to make diagnosis and treatment a part of routine health care, making it more accessible to the people who need it most.

The plan, he said, when completed will make sure women and children who are most affected have equal access to care and treatment maintaining that with a goal of eliminating these neglected tropical diseases, campaigns to treat women and children are a cost-effective way of preventing illness and reducing transmission.

“The implementation of this global effort in Sierra Leone is evidence of the partnerships we share with the people and Government of Sierra Leone to improve health and well-being,” Ambassador David Reimer intimated adding that worldwide, the United States has worked with Governments and pharmaceutical companies to provide 2.8 billion treatments to 1.4 billion people, with donated drugs valued at more than $26 billion.

He stated that an estimated 5.7 million Sierra Leoneans, particularly women and children, risk illness and lifelong disabilities from those diseases.

Based on his statement, together with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, they have provided over 125 million treatments and leveraged over $267 million in donated medicines for Sierra Leone.

“In Sierra Leone, our collective focus has been to combat four of the most common neglected tropical diseases, including bigfoot, river blindness and intestinal worms,” he disclosed asserting that because of the close collaboration, 10 districts no longer need mass treatment for big foot which puts Sierra Leone on track to eliminate the disease as a public health problem by 2024.

He underscored that the results were possible because of the strong partnerships between the Governments of the United States and Sierra Leone as well as Civil Society.

The US Ambassador stated that as countries face the challenge of combating the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States remains committed to global and national efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases.

Quoting Helen Keller, the great author, educator, and advocate, the US Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer stated : “Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much more.”
He ended calling on all stakeholders to work together as partners in order to eliminate neglected tropical diseases in Sierra Leone.

1...799800801...1,375Page 800 of 1,375