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OFP Holds Consultative Conference on the Rights of Women & Girls with Disability

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By Foday Moriba Conteh

In commemorating this year’s 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence on the theme: “Orange the World: End Violence Against Women Now!” which is an annual international campaign that kicks off on the 25th November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs up to the 10 December which is International Human Rights Day, a local Non-Governmental Organization, One Family People in collaboration with the United Nations Population Funds (UNFPA) with support from Liliane Fonds, on Thursday 2nd December, 2021 held a one-day consultative conference on the Rights of Women and Girls living with disabilities. The event was held at the United Nations Population Fund Office on New Signal Hill Road, Off Congo Cross in Freetown.

Giving an overview of the event, the Operations Director at One Family People, Hadiatou Diallo stated that every year, the One Family People observes the 16 Days of Activism differently but said this year they decided to join UNFPA and the Dutch Liliane Fonds to observe the 16 days with series of activities, ranging from radio, TV and community engagements in schools and communities and a consultative conference.

She maintained that according to the UN, one in three women experience physical or sexual violence in their lifetime and in Sierra Leone, an estimated 62 per cent of women age 15–49 have experienced physical or sexual violence, according to the 2019 SLDHS which she said is unacceptable and reminded all of the need to redouble their efforts.

Hadiatou Diallo lamented that gender based violence (GBV) against women and girls with disabilities is a significant issue that is related to gender and disability-based discrimination and exclusion, adding that these two factors combined, result in an extremely high risk of violence against women and girls with disabilities furthering that despite this high risk, there is a lack of information regarding the experiences of abuse, and barriers to seek and get help among women and girls with disabilities.

The Operations Director pointed out that the conference seeks therefore to highlight the experiences of women and girls with disabilities to GBV, map out services offered to survivors with disabilities, analyze major gaps and challenges related to service delivery and identify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and service providers towards ending gender based violence against women and girls especially those living with disabilities.

In her statement, the Gender Specialist at United Nations Population Funds, Betty Alpha, commended the One Family People for their continuous strides towards the development of persons living with disabilities across the country.

She said that 2021 marks the 30 years anniversary of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence which she said runs from the 25thNovember, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women to the 10 December which is Human Rights Day.

Betty Alpha revealed that UNFPA Global conducted a research of which it was revealed that during the COVID-19 pandemic there has been an upsurge in gender-based violence especially during lockdowns, adding that UNFPA in commemorating this year’s 16 days of activism is focusing now on online violence because it is becoming more apparent that young girls are been abused on social media.

She concluded by saying at UNFPA they work on three transformative goals which includes zero preventable maternal death, zero gender-based violence and harmful practices and zero unmet need for family planning. She reiterated their commitment towards supporting Government and other organizations that relate to their mandate.

On his part, the Line Manager at FSU-CID Headquarters, Inspector Foday Conteh, said that the Family Support Unit was established over twenty (20) years ago with the mandate to prevent and respond to the growing incident of Gender-Based Violence in the country during and after the aftermath of the civil war, adding that initially the unit started as a pilot phase at Kissy Police Station.

He maintained that presently the FSU has the broader mandate to investigate all incidents of sexual and gender based violence across the country especially incidences that have to do with children caught in conflict and in foul with the law.

The Line Manager noted that in achieving their mandate the unit collaborated with both international and local organizations of which they are very happy for the moves taken by the One Family People to hold a consultative conference on the Rights of Women and Girls living with disabilities which he described as a move in the right direction in ending gender based violence against women and girls especially those living with disabilities in the country.

Delivering a statement on behalf of the Minister of Social Welfare, the Assistant Director of Planning in the Ministry, Ms. Fatmata E.R Ansumana, stated how it is very crucial and timely for all to embark on robust advocacy strategies for the Rights of disabled women and girls to be strengthened by publicly committing people at all sectors.

Ms. Fatmata E.R Ansumana stated that “Nothing about us without us” is more than a slogan in the disability community of which she called for the inclusion of qualified people with disabilities in leadership positions.

She concluded by stating that in the fight of advocating  for the rights of disabled women and girls it is high time they try to collaborate, coordinate their interventions for the general good of all for which she commended the One Family People for always moving in that direction.

Through the focus group discussion which climaxed the event, participants were required to highlight their experiences of abuse, map out services offered to survivors with disabilities, identify the roles and responsibilities of stakeholders and service providers in view to help guide a collective path forward.

Sierramin Bauxite SL Ltd to Take Vimetco to Court

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By Amin Kef 

In 2014 Sierramin Bauxite Mining Company commenced operations as a wholly Sierra Leone based entity with the main objective of developing the Bauxite deposits at Port Loko, Northern Sierra Leone after it registered and acquired certification via the National Minerals Agency (NMA) ,with approval of the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources. Currently, the company is the holder of two exploration and one mining licences and is presently operating in two chiefdoms within Port Loko District namely Maforki and Marampa.

It could be recalled that although the company started operations in 2014 such were interrupted due the Ebola outbreak but resumed after the signing of the Mining Lease Agreement and the Government Agreement in 2016 and 2017 respectively. In the wake of the signing of the two agreements, Sierramin Company started active mobilization of its equipment and personnel. It was on the verge of starting exportation when, unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic struck the country.

After going through certain setbacks as a result of the aforementioned unforeseen circumstances, the company negotiated and closed an investment deal with the China/Canada-based Devon Impex Limited worth $430 M geared towards the accelerated development of the Port Loko deposits.

Through this new arrangement, $80M was allocated to the Bauxite mining and $350M in building an Alumina Plant in Port Loko district. It is also worthy of note that Sierramin Bauxite SL Ltd is one of the large-scale mining companies that has a Sierra Leonean as Chief Executive Officer.

It is also good to know that despite the devastating effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the company’s operations; however, the mining company maintained steady pre-production activities and has in its employ about 500 employees.

Vimetco, on the other hand, is a Netherlands based Aluminum Company that acquired a bauxite mine in the country in 2010. The bauxite mine produces alumina tri-hydrate used in the refractory as well as ceramics industries and for water purification. It is the expectation that with the construction of a new plant by the company, equipped with modern technology such will be the first in the country but that is yet to be actualized. Currently, Vimetco is producing around 1.2 million tonnes per annum for export.

From an in-depth investigation, over a period of time ,mounted by this Press , what came out glaringly was that there was a symbiotic relationship between the two bauxite mining companies as evident in a confidential agreement signed by the two bordering on areas where both should have understanding, a sort of Memorandum of Understanding.

However, that good working relationship seemed to have gone bad as it appeared that Vimetco had been clandestinely lobbying the main stakeholders or actors that have control over the country’s mineral resources to give it the access to gain a complete monopoly of the bauxite deposits in Port Loko district.

It is on record that Management of the Vimetco made the initial move in Russia where it attempted to lobby Sierra Leone Government Officials to allow it gain monopoly in mining bauxite in the country but they were told that achieving such could be seemingly impossible.

As if that was not enough to get the Management of Vimetco off that venture or path, they ,however, Management still insisted or continued doing so on various occasions to by  putting forward such a treacherous and selfish desire or antic, which is nothing short of greedily taking over the concessional areas of Sierramin Company.

Desperate as it had been and is still, there are now signs hovering that the Management of Vimetco has somehow succeeded in allegedly getting the support of certain officials within the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources and the National Mineral Agency (NMA) to finally get what they have been yearning for over the years-to gain monopoly over the Port Loko bauxite deposits by taking away the concessional areas from Sierramin Mining Company through NMA and the Mines Ministry backing or support.

One way that stance could be justified is the reluctance on the part of officials of the Mines Ministry and NMA to welcome and meet with the new Management of Sierramin without giving any plausible reason for acting in such an unfriendly manner.

During the course of investigation it further came out that Vimetco has been reneging in effectively rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility within its area of operations to the chagrin of residents.  Former Director of Mines, Jonathan Sharkah, was the one championing the cause for the company to be honoring its Corporate Social Responsibility.

Most whom interacted with this medium have expressed profound indignation over the seeming granting of the concessional areas previously granted to Sierramin Mining Company to Vimetco. “How can we encourage an irresponsible company that cares less for the people to continue to gain a foothold in our district?” majority of the residents in Port Loko asked vehemently.

The way things are going it seems as if Management of Sierramin is not taking this issue lightly especially when it is factual that the company has recently paid all its required rents, including its EIA licence fee, as stipulated by law, to the requisite parties.

As the situation now stands, Management of Sierramin, through their Lawyers, is on the verge of filing a lawsuit against Vimetco at any time from now if the National Minerals Agency (NMA) and the Mines Ministry do not rescind their alleged position by doing the right thing or settle the impasse amicably.

According to a specialist in mining, filing a lawsuit by one mining company against another does not augur well for the image of the country and could be very inimical to wooing potential investors out of fear of being treated unfairly. He concluded that this could be a test case.

When this medium contacted the Director General of the National Minerals Agency (NMA), Julius Daniel Mattai, to sound his view on the issue he preferred maintaining silence.

As Blackout Greets this Festive Season…   Citizens Call on Government Not to Downplay Electricity

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By Amin Kef 

A cross-section of residents in the Western Area have started expressing indignation as a result of the frequent power outages which it is believed started on the 1st December 2021 with some stating that one of the  manifesto promises of the SLPP Government was providing  sustainable power in the Western Area.

Expressions of such a perception once more brings to the fore the significance of the availability of electricity supply for the smooth functioning of society to such an extent that when power goes out, even for a day, people attribute such to political ineptitude forgetting that they were enjoying interrupted power supply in the not too distant past. Obviously, there are those who are now painting the picture that it has been a perennial problem, though it started just few days ago. But in this country, reliable power supply has always been a huge challenge.

As a proactive media outlet that passionately believes that things must be done in the right ways, we immediately went into action by undertaking an in-depth investigation to actually know what is really the main cause of the recent frequent power outages that many residents in the Western Area are grumbling about vis-à-vis this festive season when there are many lined up activities that would require power or electricity supply.

It was understood from our investigation conducted that the Management of Karpowership, the ship owned by a Turkish company that supplies electricity to the Freetown, decided to withhold their service simply because the Ministry of Finance has failed to honour energy subsidy payments said to have run into millions of dollars.

Also learnt was that despite the fact that the Management of Karpowership had notified the Ministry of Finance, through correspondences on various occasions to honour outstanding arrears yet still nothing was done in that direction.

What is so alarming is Karpowership has not been paid a single cent for the second contract while EDSA couldn’t pay the full cost of electricity due to several issues not limited to electricity theft, technical losses, cost price higher than the selling price partly as a result of the hike in fuel price and the devaluation of the country’s currency.

When this medium contacted a senior official of the Ministry of Finance to sound his opinion on this issue, he agreed to express his view on the condition of anonymity. He reliably informed that when the pressure started mounting up, the Ministry forwarded a payment plan which the Management of Karpowership was opposed to.

The Finance official furthered that it appears that the Ministry was downplaying the issue oblivious of the repercussions such will lead to. “I am aware of the fact that the Ministry has been offsetting debts but have not been paying attention to this particular one,” he said adding how at this crucial moment when we are in the festive season such an abysmal situation could cause a real damage to the Government’s reputation.

He buttressed his point by stating that electricity supply is a political commodity.

When this medium contacted a representative of Karpowership in the country to seek clarification he, however, refused to comment on the said issue.

 

=PRESS STATEMENT=
Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority
4th December, 2021
The Management of the Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) wishes to express its deep regret for the acute reduction of the electricity supply in the Western Area over the past five days.
The unfortunate shutdown of the Turkish powership has been a source of concern to the Ministry of Energy and EDSA.
We continue to work steadfastly with the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry of Finance for an expeditious resolution of the contractual issues that are the cause of the shutdown and wish to assure the general public that electricity will be restored in the next few hours.
The Authority would like to apologize to the general public for the inconvenience this situation may have caused.
We thank our valued customers for their patience and understanding as we seek to better our service.
EDSA MANAGEMENT

Commemorating World Disability Day… Africell Pays One Year Fee for 106 Kids of the Deaf & Dumb School

By Millicent Sinava Mannah

As Sierra Leone joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Disability Day on the 3rd November 2021, one of the leading mobile companies operating in the country, Africell has donated a whole year’s fee for all the kids at Deaf and Dumb School in total of 106 kids.

That disclosure was made when some members of staff of the company participated in an organized a Fun Day at the school, hob-nobbing with the kids on the school grounds as a way of commemorating the day with them.

Africell Human Resources Manager, Patricia Jangah, explained that the year is getting closer to an end they have mapped out three different events of which what they are now doing is part of that arrangement. She maintained that the event provided the leeway for them to also show their human face as a company through their staff.

Patricia stated that the donation of paying a whole year fee for all the kids  is a fulfillment of  a promise they made to the school in their previous visit to the school, continuing that they feel fulfilled seeing that the children were very happy during the party.

Patricia Jangah furthered that they want the children to feel loved and belonged, which, according to her, is the main rationale behind organizing the Fun Day.

Winifred Kamara-Cole, Head Teacher of the School, extended gratitude, on behalf of the kids, to Africell for the donation and for the Fun Day they conducted for them, continuing that the children are feeling happy and belonged for such an event taking place in their school.

She furthered that these children are like any other normal kids and they can do anything that normal human beings can do except their inability to speak or for some to hear, continuing that the kids are also very talented in many skilled works.

Winifred Kamara-Cole encouraged parents, who give birth to such kids,  not to get rid of them but to give them the best because, they like any other kids, have the potentials of becoming people of influence in society.

35-Year-Old Mechanic Sentenced to 15 Years Imprisonment for Sexual Penetration

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By Elkass Sannoh

A 35-year-old motor vehicle mechanic, Muctarr Jalloh, has been sentenced to fifteen years imprisonment by High Court Judge, Hon. Justice Manuela Harding, presiding over cases at the Sexual Offences Model Court in Freetown, on the 1st December 2021, for sexually penetrating a 13-year-old girl.

The convict, Muctarr Jalloh was arraigned before the court on a one count indictment of Sexual Penetration contrary to Section 19 of the Sexual Offences Act No. 12 of 2012.

According to the particulars of offence, the convict, Jalloh on the 19th day of September, 2019 at Freetown in the Western Area of the Republic of Sierra Leone, engaged in an act of sexual penetration with a child.

The Application for trial by Judge alone instead of Judge and Jury made by the State Prosecutor O.V Robin Mason Jr. at the start of the trial was granted by the Judge.

Pursuant to an Application by the State to invoke Section 65 of the Criminal Procedure Act No. 32 of 1965, the trial Judge admitted the depositions of the Magistrate Court in which Preliminary Investigations were conducted to be used at the Sexual Offences Model Court.

The first Prosecution Witness and child victim disclosed that the incident occurred on the 19th September 2019 at the time when Jalloh was their neighbour.

According to the Victim, she went to the accused’s room in search of water during which he grabbed and tied her mouth with a cloth and forcefully had sex with her.

The victim said she heard both her mother and Aunt calling her name but couldn’t respond because her mouth was tied. She added that the accused had wanted to hide her slippers, which was outside the room, when the Aunt saw him and alerted her Mother.

She said her mother later reported the matter to the police after she found out that the accused had tampered with her.

The medical report of the victim indicated that her hymen was completely ruptured and a copious whitish discharge seen on the victim’s vagina.

The Police Detective who investigated the matter tendered photos of the crime scene and the Voluntary Caution Statement (VCS) of the accused as well as the statement of the victim.

At the close of the Prosecution’s case, Jalloh denied the allegations and relied on the VCS made to the police and did not elect any witness to testify for him.

In the VCS, the convict said that the mother met him and the victim outside and claimed that he had penetrated her child.

In his allocutus, the convict pleaded for mercy as he wept from the dock.

In his plea in mitigation, Defence lawyer, Randy Bangura begged the judge to temper justice with mercy because his client is a first-time offender and has been remorseful of his action.

He added that the convict is also a father of an 8-year-old daughter and aging parents who are living in the provinces.

He said the convict cannot tell the status quo of his family after spending three years on remand at the Correctional Centre.

Delivering her judgment, Hon. Justice A.J. Harding stated that she took notice of the endorsed medical report which proved that the child was sexually penetrated and that there was a whitish discharge found in the private part of the child.

She stated that the evidence proved that the victim was found inside the bedroom of Jalloh crying, adding that the mother immediately checked and saw blood on her pants.

She said, “these issues are very strong corroborating evidence.”
The Judge said that the convict only cares for his child and not that of his neighbours which renders him unfit in the society.

Justice Harding sentenced Jalloh to fifteen years imprisonment and also ordered him to pay the sum of Le10 million Leones as compensation upon his release to the child as the said act might cause the victim childbearing complications and also psychological distress.

On Migration… Bo School Emerges Winner with 74 points in the First IOM Organized Quiz Competition

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Hajie A. Rogers of the BO Government Secondary receiving a certificate for emerging as the best Quizzer of the Competition

By Alfred Fornah

Four schools were engaged in the first inter senior secondary school quiz competition on migration in Bo City, Southern Sierra Leone from the 17th to 18th November 2021.

The objective of the quiz competition was to engage with young people in discouraging irregular migration, promote safe and informed based migration decision, whilst amplifying the benefits of technical and vocational education as an alternative to irregular migration.

The competition was organized by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth Affairs, Pleasant Children’s Foundation and the West Africa Youth Network for Peace, Education and Economic Development (WAYNPEED-SL).

“The quiz is a platform to assess the level of understanding of students and to educate them on migration topics and issues,” said Brima Bendu, National Focal Person for the Migrants as Messengers Project in Sierra Leone. “It is good for young people to understand the linkage between migration, education and development; how migration can benefit them especially if it is done in a safe and orderly manner,” he added.

The initiative started with a training organized for teachers last month in Bo District. Upon completion of the training, participants conducted a short mentorship programme for their students to prepare them for the competition.

Four schools, including the Bo Government Secondary School, Queen of the Rosery School, Ahmadiyya Muslim Secondary School and Methodist High School, participated in the elimination stage of the quiz competition but only two schools made it to the last round. In the finals, Bo Government Secondary school won with 74 points whilst Methodist High School came second with 48 points.

“I am very pleased to participate and represent my school, and I am happy that we won the competition. I see the programme to be very essential to educate young people on migration,” said Hajie Rogers, Student of Bo School and the best quizzer of the competition. “The programme created a platform for us to understand the benefits of migration, especially when it is well managed. So, when I go back to my school and community, I will serve as an ambassador to engage my peers on safe migration,” he added.

Maama Y. Kallon, a student at Methodist High School, called on IOM to replicate such a programme in other schools so that they too would benefit from the vast knowledge gained during the quiz competition on migration.

Speaking during the closing sessions, Cyrus Chrispin Ngegba, Deputy Director of Youths at the Ministry of Youth Affairs (MoYA) commended all the participating schools for displaying an immense wealth of knowledge about migration. “The schools performed brilliantly, and the quiz was also informative for the audience,” said Cyrus Ngegba. “On behalf of MoYA, I want to reaffirm our commitment to continue to work with IOM, especially to raise awareness among young people about the dangers of irregular migration, through the Migrants as Messengers and TVET projects,” he added.

The event also included other activities such as the screening of short videos and documentaries to students to illustrate dangerous migratory routes in the Sahara Desert and the realities people face in crossing the Mediterranean Sea through irregular means. A live broadcast of the quiz was hosted by the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation Radio to reach as many people as possible in Bo District. IOM also encouraged the schools to establish migration clubs to deliver peer-to-peer education on safe migration.

The quiz competition was successfully delivered within the framework of the Migrant as Messengers Project funded by the Foreign Ministry of the Netherlands and the IOM’s Technical Education and Vocational Training Project supported by the Government of Japan.

Chief Justice Witnesses Swearing of New Judges of Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone

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By Elkass Sannoh

The Chief Justice of Sierra Leone, His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards, on the 30th November 2021 witnessed the swearing in ceremony of two Sierra Leonean judges, Hon. Justice Alusine Sesay (JSC) and Hon. Justice Tonia Barnett (JA) appointed as Judges of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone.

The newly appointed Judges made their solemn declarations before the President of the Residual Special Court For Sierra Leone, Hon. Justice Jon Kamanda, as members of the rooster of sixteen (16) Judges of the Residual Special Court, witnessed by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Anthony Brewah and the Registrar of the Residual Special Court representing the UN, Binta Mansaray.

The Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone was established by an agreement between the United Nations (UN) and the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) to carry on the continuing legal obligations of the Special Court for Sierra Leone.

In his statement at the ceremony, the President of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone, Hon. Justice Jon Kamanda, said that the Judges have fulfilled the qualifications set out in Article 11 (2) of the Statutes of the Residual Special Court.

He continued to note that the two new Justices are succeeding the late Justice John Bankole Thompson, who passed away in May 2021 and Justice Miatta Samba (JSC), who was elected in 2020 as a Judge of the International Criminal Court.

Hon. Justice Jon Kamanda added that the ongoing legal obligations of the Special Court include the supervision of prison sentences, witness protection, maintenance and preservation of the archives and assistance to national prosecution authorities among others.

While he congratulated the appointees, he urged them to work in accordance with their solemn declaration as laid out under Rule 14 (A), to serve “honestly, faithfully, and impartially and conscientiously” as Judges of the Residual Special Court.

The Registrar of the Special Court For Sierra Leone, Binta Mansaray thanked the Hon. Chief Justice, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and current Judges of the Court for sparing their time to grace the occasion.

Hon. Justice Alusine Sesay (JSC) has been a Judge in the Sierra Leone Judiciary since 2007, when he was appointed resident Judge in the Northern Province.

He was appointed High Court Judge in 2009. From 2004-2006, he served as co-Counsel and case manager in the Special Court For Sierra Leone trial of The Prosecutor Versus Sam Hinga Norman and others.

From 2004-2006, he was employed as consultant State Counsel attached to the Director of Public Prosecution, in the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice. In  2019, he became a Supreme Court Judge. He is a graduate of Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, and was enrolled as a Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court in 1992.

Justice Sesay is a tutor at the Sierra Leone Law School and also a member of the Council of Legal Education. He is an alumni of the Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Botswana.

Hon. Justice Tonia Barnett has been a Judge in the Sierra Leone Judiciary since 2006. From 2006-2008, she was a Circuit Magistrate of the Kenema Judicial District and its environs. From 2011-2017, she served as Senior Magistrate in the Judiciary of Sierra Leone. From 2017-2020, she was a judge of the High Court and later appointed as Court of Appeal Judge in 2020.

She earned a Bachelor of Laws Degree from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone in 2004 and graduated from the Sierra Leone Law School in 2005. In 2016, she received a Master of Laws (LLM) degree in Women’s and Children’s Rights from Harvard Law School.

This is not the first time that Sierra Leonean judges have received international recognition and appointment under the leadership of His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards, with the recent being the appointment of Justice Miatta Maria Samba   to the ICC.

Presenting Human Rights Report to Pres. Bio…   HRCSL Chairperson Calls for Govt.’s New White Paper on Constitutional Review 

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By Theresa Kef Sesay

Patricia Narsu Ndanema, the Chairperson of the Human Rights Commission in Sierra Leone, presented the State of Human Rights Report 2020 to President Dr Julius Maada Bio and called for a new Government White Paper in respect of the Constitutional Review.

“We call on the Government to make a pronouncement on the publication of a new Government White Paper in respect of the Constitutional Review, being one of the Government’s voluntary pledges at the UPR,” she stated, adding that the President must commit his Government to enacting a law that addresses individual police accountability for violations of human rights as it happens in other countries  also demanding  that the President should also give an executive clearance to the Ministry of Finance for the development of a national human rights action plan.

Madam Ndanema noted that on Freedom of the Press and Speech, radio, television and newspaper houses had operated unhindered in the country and that the Commission neither observed nor did it receive complaints on the denial of the exercise of the said rights.

“Government took bold steps to repeal Part V of the Public Order Act of 1965, which criminalized free speech. This was to increase citizens’ participation in governance and create an enabling environment for journalists to freely practice their trade. All pending cases of journalists related to seditious libel provisions were removed out of court,” she informed.

The HRCSL Chairperson noted that although during the reporting period complaints received increased from 326 in 2019 to 363 in 2020, including mobile complaints presented in groups but counted as one, that increase was mainly due to the Commission’s robust awareness-raising.

In his response, President Dr Julius Maada Bio said as President, he made a clear and specific pledge to permanently improve the governance space in Sierra Leone and to assure citizens of their rights.

“I also made a manifesto commitment to review the recommendations of the Constitutional Review Committee and boldly accept recommendations. I have an unbroken record for keeping my promises and this too shall be kept in short order.

“Government recognizes the rationale behind individual police accountability for violations of human rights. More training of Police in de-escalation techniques when dealing with citizens, more scrutiny by the press and by citizens of Police work and ongoing reforms and restructuring have reduced the number of fatal incidents. But Government acknowledges that more can be done.

“Government notes the specific requests by the Commission. Given the current budgetary constraints, Government will favorably review those requests especially as they underwrite the work of the Commission especially in developing the National Action Plan on Human Rights,” he said.

Tourism Minister & Entourage in Spain Attending UNWTO General Assembly

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By Foday Moriba Conteh

Dr. Memunatu Pratt, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and her delegation are currently attending the 24th session of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly in Madrid, Spain.

The 24th session of the UNWTO General Assembly officially commenced on the 1st December, 2021 in the Spanish capital of Madrid and attracted over 1,000 participants representing 135 countries including 84 Ministers and Vice-Ministers of tourism that converged to chart a new path for an accelerated safe tourism recovery. The Meeting is expected to launch new initiatives that will be inclusive in the quest to save livelihoods. Digital futures programme for SMEs designed to help small tourism businesses take advantage of the benefits of innovation is among the initiatives to be launched at the event.

UNWTO Secretary General, Zurab Pololikashvili will present his report outlining how the organization has led the global tourism response to the unprecedented crisis caused by COVID-19, particularly providing vital support for jobs and businesses and ensuring harmonized standards and protocols to restore confidence in travel. The meeting will also show the sector’s determination to restart, lead recovery and be a central pillar of sustainable development and climate action.

To Give Them a Voice… Dr Sidie Tunis Assures ECOWAS Parliament’s Representation of the People

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Honourable Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, Speaker of the regional Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Parliament

By Abdul Malik Bangura

The Right Honourable Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, Speaker of the regional Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Parliament, has assured that the composition of the regional parliament will ensure that they represent the people of the region and in turn give them a voice.

He made that assurance during his opening statement at the ongoing 2021 2nd ECOWAS Parliament Ordinary Session in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

During his statement, the Rt. Speaker of the Regional Parliament said in fulfilling their activity program for the year 2021, “we held Delocalized Meetings, Fact Finding Missions, Election Observation Missions, as well as Parliamentary Oversight Visits. The reports from these activities will also be considered and adopted in the days ahead.”

According to the ECOWAS Speaker, the current session, otherwise known as the “Budget Session”, provides the opportunity, in accordance with provisions of the Supplementary Act, for Parliament to consider the Community’s Budget.

Specifically, he said, ECOWAS Parliament is expected to ensure that the estimates are directed towards programs that address the needs of the people.

He referred to Article 17.2a, which states that “after the consideration of the Budget by the Administration and Finance Committee (AFC), the report of the AFC on the Budget shall be presented to Parliament during the Parliamentary Budget Session.”

In fulfillment of that statutory responsibility, Dr Tunis said “we are expected to render opinion, including where necessary, proposals for the amendment to the draft Community Budget.”

Furthermore, the Speaker added that ECOWAS Parliament should ensure that allocation of resources reflects real priorities. “It is also not enough that the budget surmounts the immediate threats brought upon us by COVID-19, it should also advance efforts to make progress on other fronts and priorities, which our region continues to value: democracy, rule of law, peace and conflict resolution, the fight against terrorism, poverty reduction and climate change,” he said.

As a result, the Speaker said that “peace in our region can only be consolidated and sustained if we bring development to our people.” Therefore, he urged that in the exercise of their oversight responsibility as enshrined in Article 7 Paragraph C of the supplementary Act, “we must seek for greater accountability and transparency in the execution of the budget.”

Consequently, Speaker Tunis made a clarion call to all is that, “we commit totality to the enormous task at hand and work diligently to exhaust the work program for this session within the limited time we have available to us.”

 

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