Guaranty Trust Bank Donates 350 Million Leones to Covid-19 Fund

April 14, 2020

By Amn Kef Sesay

As part of their support towards the fight against the coronavirus in the country, Guaranty Trust Bank Limited has on Thursday 9th April, 2020 donated the sum of Three Hundred and Fifty Million Leones (Le 350,000,000) and other Personal Protective Equipment to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Covid-19 Fund. The donation took place at the Forecourt of the Emergency Operation Centre at Cockerill in Freetown.

Present at the ceremony were Head of National COVID-19 Response Team, (Rtd) Brig Gen. Hassan Kellie Conteh, Deputy Mayor of Freetown, Osman Koroma, Board Chairman of the Bank, Dr. George Taylor-Lewis, Managing Director/CEO, GTB, Ade Adebiyi, Pressmen, and Staff of GTB and EOC.

Presenting the donation on behalf of GTB, Managing Director/CEO, Ade Adebiyi disclosed that it no secret that the country needs a lot of resources in order to fight the Coronavirus pandemic. He revealed that they were extremely humbled as a Bank to donate the sum of Three Hundred and Fifty Million Leones (Le 350,000,000) and other Personal Protective Equipment which include 1000 Hand Sanitizers, 25 Pedal Tanks, Tissues etc. to the Government and People of Sierra Leone to support the strides the Government is taking within the preventive measures to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus COVID 19 in the country.

On his part, Board Chairman of the Bank, Dr. George Taylor-Lewis disclosed that as an answerable Bank they thought it fit to make this donation on behalf of their institution with the strong belief that such could be helpful towards the fight against the coronavirus.

He said that Social Distancing, Hand washing are very key towards curtailing the spread of this virus. In that regard they are not only donating cash but 25 Pedal Tanks which will be put in various locations for people to observe regular hand washing.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the Government, Head of National COVID-19 Response Team, (Rtd) Brig Gen. Hassan Kellie Conteh, registered his profound thanks and appreciation to the Management of the Guaranty Trust Bank for their kind gesture and support in the fight against Coronavirus COVID – 19 in the country.

He noted that the donated money would be used for its intended purpose while assuring Government’s commitment to the prevention and spread of the Coronavirus COVID – 19 in Sierra Leone. He said they have been lobbying to have such a support, adding that as it is now every Cent counts in the fight.

He said that this is a crucial time not only for Sierra Leone but the world as a whole. He urged them to join the fight against the spread and also used their platform in order to raise the awareness in order for the targeted beneficiaries to curtail the spread of the virus in the country.

He admonished citizens to adhere to all the preventive measures put out by the Government of Sierra Leone and its health partners, lamenting that with these donations coming if citizens could not adhere to the preventive measures much progress will not be achieved in the fight

NP-SL Continues to Assuage the Petroleum Needs of its Numerous & Esteemed Customers

April 14, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

The National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) has been copiously hailed by many in and out of the country for its pro-active stance in importing and marketing various high grade and qualitative petroleum products. Since its establishment, the company has been at the forefront for timely and professionally making all necessary arrangements with its partners in and out of the country to ensure that these products that the company markets are always available and easily accessible at its different sales points or Filling Stations.

The company is notably specialized in marketing petrol, diesel, gas and lubricants, one of which is Castrol Oil, which is widely used for vehicles and other machineries.

Considering the importance of petroleum products to human existence, it is but very significant to have a dependable and reliable company that champions their importation and marketing. It is in doing so that the NP-SL exactly fits in, as it is on record, that the company is highly committed to live up to the expectations of its numerous esteemed customers.

In reality, one major attribute that NP-SL possesses and which it has meticulously nurtured over the years is its stance with regards maximizing customer care. As far as the Shareholders and Management of the company are concerned, the company exists because of its customers and so everything must be done to give them the best in return for their money’s worth. It is against such a backdrop that the company decided to procure state of the art calibrated pumping machines which are highly capable of churning out the specified amount of petroleum product, be it petrol or diesel and at the same time display the quantity as well as the price.

When this medium undertook a study to gauge the perceptions of various individuals with regards how they view the various aspects of the company’s operations, one thing that came out glaringly was that most praised the petroleum business entity for its transparent way of transacting businesses, with nearly all those that were engaged, agreeing that they always feel satisfied that they are deriving value for money.

“I had the wrong perception that the pump attendants at one particular Filling Station always cheat me. However, I later got a rethink when on a particular occasion I carefully studied and observed how the calibrated machine is working. What was discovered was really amazing as the machine worked precisely as to how it was instructed to do. Indeed, I was really impressed,” George Wilson, a successful entrepreneur gleefully intimated.

A Development Consultant, Abdul Rahman Deen, expressed the view that NP-SL is one of the few successful indigenous companies that pays premium on honoring the country’s Local Content Policy. This policy intends to give preference to indigenes when it comes to employment opportunities except in rare occasions when the expertise could not be available in-country. This stance, on the part of the company, has been extolled with many saying such is contributing somehow towards poverty reduction. Besides, what was understood was that the conditions of service are good for workers and some members of staff have benefitted from various forms of training that have contributed greatly to improve their competencies and outputs.

In terms of effective implementation of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), NP-SL is really on top of situation. The company has supported many worthy causes, in some cases complementing the efforts of Government, in fostering development programmes. Just recently, NP-SL made available to the Government and People of Sierra Leone, one billion Leones as its support to help prevent the spread of the deadly coronavirus and to help contain it. This was indeed no mean gesture considering the seriousness of the health pandemic, especially as the country is said to have reported seven (7) cases and the negative economic dislocations it is creating around the world. Such a gesture has been described as very timely with calls for other corporate institutions to give, in their own little ways, their support to Government underscoring that no support should be considered too small.

Still within its CSR portfolio, the petroleum marketing company financed the construction of a water facility for the National Fire Force, Kissy Branch. The state of the art water facility, powered by a kva generator it also donated, is capable of pumping a considerable amount of water into fire engines ,a move that is currently assisting the Force greatly in its fire extinguishing operations and knowing how unfriendly fire disasters could be, the offer has been considered as a big boost to the NFF.

To again give its customers the best device for cooking purposes, the shareholders and Management thought it fit to introduce NP Gas which is manufactured in different cylinder sizes and powered by gas which is marketed by the company. According to a thorough investigation mounted by this medium it was uncovered that NP Gas is environmentally friendly, very portable and safe for domestic use. They could be secured at the company’s different Filling Stations right across the country.

Along the same line of giving their customers utmost satisfaction and make life somehow comfortable for them, the company also introduced NP Smart Card which is also a memory chip that could be used to purchase fuel. As long as the card is loaded with money, a customer could easily procure the amount of fuel required. It is indeed a latest way of transacting business, preventing a customer from the hassle of having to rush to the bank to withdraw funds especially on weekends just for the purpose of securing fuel to last over the weekend. This has been described as the most convenient way of purchasing fuel as it saves time and is very secure.

It can be stated with all amount of certainty that NP-SL is one of the few indigenous companies that have successfully opened branches in Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia and all of these branches are doing extremely well within the same ambit of its modus operandi. In all these countries the company is timely paying huge taxes to the Governments and such is putting those political entities at vantage positions to fund certain development projects.

NP-SL Ltd is indeed a result-oriented company that continues to satisfy the petroleum needs of many. Besides, it is immensely contributing to the socio-economic development of individuals and the country as a whole. It is a company that is synonymous with 1^st For Customer Care. Indeed the petroleum marketing company continues to assuage the petroleum needs of its numerous and esteemed customers.

Lands Minster’s Dilates on His Observation of the Lockdown

April 9, 2020

By Fatmata Jengbe

The Minister of Lands, Hon. Dr Dennis Sandy, has explained to this Press on the 8^th April 2020 his sterling observation on the 3 days lockdown in which citizens all over the country were required by law to stay three days at home as a way to contain the spread of the Corona plague that has taken root all over the world taking many lives in almost every country.

Dr. Sandy who operates on the mantra of “positive aggression”, said that from his observation citizens all over the country are consciously aware of the seriousness of the Coronavirus and they therefore adhered to the strict rules of the lockdown by staying home all the three days without them engaging in any business activity.

Dr. Sandy highly commended the security sector for its resilience in enforcing the rules of the lockdown which prohibits the movements of citizens except for those that are permitted to for various reasons including those in the Health Sector and Contact Tracers who have major roles to play during the lockdown.

Dr. Sandy observes that many areas in the City of Freetown faced challenges with water which though highly needed during this Corona era, happens to be in short supply.

Dr Sandy commended the people of Sierra Leone whom he said are law abiding. Positive aggression, Dr Sandy said in conclusion, always yields good fruits. Meanwhile Day 3 of the General lockdown saw the Minister of Water Resources, Mr P K Lansana joining Dr Sandy in his observation trips.

Since water supply was an issue during the first two days of the 3 days lockdown, the joint trip was just necessary as the two Ministers were able to quell some incidents over water that could have flared up into something else.

Together the two Ministers succeeded in making sure that water got where it was needed most.

Africell Presents 20 & 350 KaiOs Phones to SLAJ & EOC Respectively

April 9, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

Africell Family presented 20 KaiOs phones, on the 7^th of April 2020, to the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) and Independent Radio Network, in support of their Corona Update Radio Show.

Africell SL Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Mr. Joe Abass Bangura, made the presentation via phone, while the Media Relations Manager, Mr. John Konteh, was on set to make the presentations.

The President of SLAJ, Mr. Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, and Madam Asmaa James, the Station Manager for Radio Democracy extended their gratitude in receiving the donation. They further acknowledged Africell’s role as a trusted partner that always steps in with much-needed support, at the right time

The phones, which came with complimentary Voice and Data packages which will help augment and ramp up the coordination and response on the SLAJ/IRN Corona Update Show.

Earlier on the 3^rd April 2020, the Africell, led by its Chief Corporate Affairs Officer, Mr. Joe Abass Bangura and the Media Manager, Mr. John Konteh, donated to the Government of Sierra Leone through the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) 350 KaiOs Smartphones with Close User Group (CUG) SIM Cards.

The Interim National Coordinator for the Sierra Leone #COVID19 Response, Brigadier (Retired) Kellie Hassan Conteh and the Deputy Minister of Information and Communication, Mamadi Gobeh Kamara, were both present to receive the donation. They each expressed their profound gratitude for their speedy and efficient response to their calls for assistance in these trying Coronavirus times.

Mr. Bangura reiterated Africell SL’s commitment to the people of Sierra Leone in joining them in the fight against COVID-19. He also implored everyone to adhere to all the safety practices. The Africell team also made a stop at Constituency 128 and donated packs of Veronica Buckets and cartons of hand-washing soaps to the Member of Parliament for the constituents in the community.

It is on record that Africell always a trusted partner in boosting the health sector and in promoting nation-building.

Energy Minister Puts Smiles on the Faces of Citizens

April 9, 2020

MINS — Alhaji Kanja Sesay, Minister of Energy

By Edward Vamboi

Most people welcomed the 3 days lockdown as pronounced by HE President Julius Maada Bio who had to take this action to keep citizens and non-citizens alike within the boundaries of this country, locked down for 3 days, so that Health Workers could be given the freehand to track down those who are suspected of coming into contact with those who are already infected with the Corona virus or COVID-D, but what they never wanted was to spend those three days and three nights without light.

There was a fear before the lockdown came into effect past Sunday if at all the Energy Ministry was not to deliver on his promise of constant and stable light during that three days period, for many reasons.

First, the boredom of spending three good days at home without moving an inch, could be unbearable without light and second there was great fear that robbers may go on the rampage if there was no light during the 3 days lockdown.

This Press went to an area at Kissy in the East End of Freetown called Moeba which lies up the hills at Kissy and where there is a high population of deprived people.

A lady who spoke to this Press made it short when she was asked about the light during the three days of the lockdown. “E day wop,” was her curt reply meaning that there was a lot of light running 24 hours a day and throughout the lockdown period.

Indeed “e day wop” and courtesy of the Minister of Energy, Hon Kanja Sesay, who, since he assumed that office, has been making His Excellency President Bio, proud. Mr Sesay did keep to his promise to lighten up the City not only for lockdowns but also for normal days.

Mr. Sesay who has been coming up with a lot of innovations to make the City of Freetown bright again unlike the olden days, did put smiles on the faces of citizens by making the lockdown a very sweet thing with Nigerian movies being watched in most homes and with children laughing all the way and mummies and daddies making the best of those days.

Mr Sesay has been rated in the past among the topmost Ministers on the Integrity Score Card.

To Combat the Deadly Coronavirus… Chinese Ambassador Calls for Solidarity & Cooperation

April 9, 2020

By Foday Moriba Conteh

Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone Hu Zhangliang has said that solidarity, cooperation and honesty are very vital to end the coronavirus pandemic around the world. He said when the virus occurred in China they were quick to work with WHO and European countries that were concern as they provided timely and critical moral and material support to help China fight the epidemic.

Ambassador Hu said that now that the virus is in Sierra Leone solidarity and cooperation between the countries that have been helping Sierra Leone in the past must come together and work with the Ministry of Health to combat the spread.

“I am happy that China had already taken steps to prepare Sierra Leone and the infectious and disease control department at the 34 military hospital has been very important in the testing and isolating of virus victims. This is what is needed to win this battle. We all must come together and share notes and experience and where necessary give support to the vulnerable countries and get this virus of their backs.”

The Ambassador averred that they are monitoring the situation and already the Chinese medical teams on the ground have started working and others have prepared very well in the event that the cases will increase.

He said he had a fruitful discussion with the Minister of Health during the handing over ceremony of the support from Jack Ma and said if the need arise, China will send more equipment to make sure that the country does not allow the virus to overwhelm them.

“The best way to treat this virus is to prevent it and the decision taken by the Government to lockdown the country for three days is commendable. All we want to see is for citizens to adhere to the instructions passed to them by the health officials by washing of hands frequently, social distancing and always make sure that when somebody complains of sickness, he or she is taken to the hospital. It is better to prevent the virus than to treat it.”

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said weeks ago that no country should assume it will not get cases. He stressed that the virus does not respect borders or ideologies, does not distinguish between races or ethnicities, and has no regard for a country’s level of development.

The WHO boss’s statement has now come to pass as all the major economies have been hit very hard.

The Ambassador said that now that most countries have come to realize that the virus is not about system of Government, human right or how big is your economy, it is now evident that all the countries are now working together with the WHO to eliminate the virus. “Today China is in over 90 countries including United States, Italy, England, Germany, Iran and counting, working with them to combat the deadly virus. The experience of the Chinese is being shared around as they all work together to make sure that they win the battle. China has not relented as they have been providing medical assistance as well as human resources, but they did not stop there, as they are online with their counterparts’ doctors across the world sharing experience and also using their technology to treat patients.”

He said the solidarity and cooperation these past weeks have been great and more has to be done as countries should continue to share their experiences and knowledge on how to prevent and protect the larger majority from infected by the virus.

The Ambassador noted that the cases in Africa are gradually rising and they must work together to break the chain.

“One important lesson we have learnt from the COVID-19 crisis, is that it teaches the world that more international cooperation, not less, is badly needed in tackling such a global public health crisis since no single nation can deal with it alone. That is especially true amid a rise of protectionism and unilateralism in the past years.”

During an Emergency Phase… ASSL Enlightens How Public Funds Must Be Utilized

April 9, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

In Freetown on the 8th April, 2020 as part of its public education and information drive, the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) inform the general public about the procedures in the use of public funds under a national emergency situation including the manner in which imprest funds should be accessed and retired.

According to ASSL, in order to ensure the prudent use of public funds under a national emergency situation, users of public funds are required to be mindful of public financial management and procurement rules and regulations when carrying out activities using public monies.

It furthered that there should be clearly communicated and documented authority and approvals for all transactions. Also the institution stated that all funds spent must be properly tracked and accurately reported including appropriations and all other sources of public funds for managing the emergency situation.

The ASSL went on to state that for Items not usually part of normal public spending, MDAs need to be clear on whether or not such spending is an appropriate use of public money

“Section 40 of the 2006 Procurement Regulations spells out the procedures to be followed under an emergency procurement, and Section 117 highlights the approval arrangements to be followed for emergency procurement,” it highlighted.

The institution underscored that Part 10 of the Public Financial Management Regulations, 2018 deals exclusively with the establishment, utilization and retirement of imprests.

Adding that Section 117(1) of the Public Financial Management Regulations 2018 states that an imprest fund shall be established for making payments of petty expenditure that cannot be made through the ordinary payment process required under the Act and these Regulations without undue inconvenience.

In line with the above section, an imprest can be defined as a fund disbursed to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) for small items of expenditure and restored to a fixed amount periodically. An imprest can also be referred to as an amount disbursed to an MDA to undertake a specific activity. Imprests, the ASSL continued are paid into the accounts of the MDAs in advance, and the MDAs are required to retire imprest disbursed in full.

The institution said there are two types of imprest:

A Standing Imprest imprest fund which is an amount allocated/disbursed to an MDA for the payment of small items of expenditure and utilized amount of which can be replenished upon retirement and request. Standing imprest is maintained throughout a financial year.

Another which is a Special Imprest is established for making specific payments in respect of specific activities or events. A special imprest is not replenished, and must be fully retired 30 days after the completion of the activity.

The audit institution further elucidated that Section 119(2) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone mandates the Auditor-General to audit the public accounts of Sierra Leone and all public offices. It further states that the Auditor-General shall have access to all books, records, returns and other documents relating or relevant to those accounts. The MDAs expenditure relating to imprests are part of the records, returns and documents submitted to auditors for audit purpose.

Imprest holders are therefore expected to FULLY comply with the provisions in Sections 117 to 124 of the Public Financial Management Regulations 2018, in the management of all forms of imprest given out from public funds for both emergency and non-emergency use.

The ASSL will continue to carry out its mandate of being the guardian of Sierra Leone’s Economic Security.

ACC Convicts Two Former Public Servants

April 9, 2020

By Foday Moriba Conteh

The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has informed the general public that the High Court of Sierra Leone Holden in Freetown, presided over by the Hon Justice Miatta M. Samba, has on 8th April, 2020, convicted Mohamed Sheriff, former Managing Director of Sierra Leone Cable Network (SALCAB) and Paul Sandi, former Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communications on One (1) count and Three (3) counts of corruption offences respectively.

Hon Justice Miatta M. Samba ruled that Paul Sandi pays a fine of One Hundred and Twenty Million Leones (Le120, 000, 000) on all three counts, and Mohamed Sheriff is to pay a fine of Sixty Million Leones (Le60, 000, 000) on the one count. The fines are to be paid immediately before their release or serve a jail term of three (3) years. Mr. Idrissa Yillah, on the other hand was acquitted and discharged on all three counts he was charged.

Paul Sandi, Mohamed Sheriff and Mr. Idrissa Yillah,were standing trial for various corruption offences, including, Misappropriation of Public Funds; contrary to section 36(1), Failure to Comply with Applicable Rules and Guidelines Relating to the Management of Public Funds; contrary to section 48(2)(b), and Conspiracy to Commit a Corruption Offence; contrary to section 128(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act, No 12 of 2008. The three persons were accused of misappropriating public funds amounting to $300,000 (Three Hundred Thousand United States Dollars).

On another note, the High Court of Sierra Leone presided over by Justice Miatta M. Samba in another judgment acquitted and discharged Alie Badara Mansaray, former Commissioner, National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), on fifteen (15) counts of various corruption offences.

The Commission reassures the people of Sierra Leone of its relentless commitment in curbing impunity in public services

President Bio Enjoins Citizens to be very Vigilant

April 9, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

On Wednesday 8 April 2020 President Bio encouraged Sierra Leoneans to help with the increased surveillance at community levels and called for more citizens’ participation in the fight against the Coronavirus, COVID-19.

“Let me take this opportunity to express my gratitude to Sierra Leoneans for their sacrifice in complying with advice from our healthcare experts. You have demonstrated that we all care deeply about our collective health and the future of this nation. I thank citizens, communities, our healthcare professionals, service men and women, SLAJ, CSOs, corporate groups and more, for their outstanding cooperation.

“The threat of the highly infectious and deadly Coronavirus is real and it is with us. As this morning, we have identified seven positive cases so far these are difficult times for those persons and their loved ones. Let us pray with them and stand with them as a nation. Let us practice empathy and let us desist from all actions that may lead to stigma for the patients,” he told a press conference at State House.

President Bio also said that the lockdown was a necessary public health intervention to scale up surveillance, contact tracing and testing for all known cases, for possible new cases, to detect, isolate, and quarantine those persons, to map out the possible spread of COV-19 in Sierra Leone.

He noted that the lockdown was also to re-assess and strengthen their COVID-19 pillars and institutions, re-align agenda and goal-setting across Government and with development partners and deploy additional expertise and resources to fight the pandemic.

Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, said that the issue of fake news was posing serious challenges and was undermining Government’s efforts in the fight against the spread of COVID-19. He encouraged Sierra Leoneans to listen to the Ministries of Health and Sanitation and Information and Communications as the only credible sources of Government information on the virus.

Residents of Lungi Extend Gratitude to Westminster for Lockdown Support

April 9, 2020

Disable Community at Lungi receiving their own gifts from Westminster

By Fatmata Jengbe

The people of Lungi Community have commended the Westminster Group for the food support they received before the lockdown. In an online message from the Chief Executive Officer, Peter Fowler, in London he said the Westminster Group wishes to extend their sincere thoughts and prayers to the people and the Government of Sierra Leone as they begin the fight against the Coronavirus Pandemic, which has affected so many countries around the world.

“As a company we have been operating in Sierra Leone providing security at the airport for the past 8 years and I know the resilience and determination of the Sierra Leonean people and that you will triumph over this challenge. We are committed to the country and its people and we stand ready to play our part and do what we can to support the Government, our employees and our communities, just as we did during the Ebola crisis.”

Fowler said despite the temporary closure of the Freetown International Airport, which will have a severe impact on their business they have taken a Management decision to retain all their local employees on full pay for as long as possible. This, he said, will lessen the economic burden on families in that community.

In addition, before the lockdown on Friday 3rd April 2020 they donated 100 bags of rice, 100 bags of sugar and packs of water to the community they are operating. These commodities, the CEO said, will be used to help support vulnerable homes during the lockdown.

“We pray that the challenges we all face with this pandemic will be over soon and that life can return back to normal for everyone, here in Sierra Leone and the rest of the world.”

The Disable Community in Lungi was one such group that benefitted from the Westminster gift and they said they were happy for the gift as it came at the right time when they were in need of food.

They said Westminster has been working at the airport for the past eight years and they have been supporting the Lungi community. Most of their staff are employed from the community and they are very happy that they have not let down the community.

The Community elders were happy that Westminster did not forget them as they say the food supply came at the right time when they are going into lockdown as they will have enough to eat. They thanked Westminster and pray for them to continue to work in the airport as since they started working there their relationship has been very cordial and they have employed many of their children.

The Operations Director of Westminster, Musayeroh Barrie, said they are happy that the CEO has thought of all the staff at this time and she is very pleased that most of the gifts given were well accepted by the people and they gave them the food together with instructions on how they should stay safe during the lock down and they must make sure that what happened during the Ebola outbreak do not repeat.

She thanked the Westminster for their valuable support and said the staffs are happy as they are still having their salaries and their jobs as they are hoping that very soon the virus will be a thing of the past.

Miss Barrie averred that there are still emergency flights coming in and they are making sure they have all the necessary support and they hope that the strides Government is making will see very limited cases in the country.

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