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Hon. Komboh Kamara & Saidu Abass Kamara in ACC Net 

Anti-Corruption Commission Boss, Francis Ben Kaifala

By Amin Kef Sesay

In a latest development, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), on 24th February, 2020, filed an indictment against a former Member of Parliament, Hon Komboh  Kamara, of No. 5 Carlos Drive, Goderich, Freetown, on twenty-four (24) counts of corruption offences bordering on Misappropriation of Public Funds, contrary to Section 36(1), Abuse of Office, contrary to Section 42(1), Abuse of Position, contrary to Section 43, and Failure to Comply with Applicable Procedures and Guidelines, contrary to Section 42(b) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 respectively.

Additionally, the Councilor of Ward 246, Port Loko District, Saidu Abass Kamara, of No. 31 Baiandam Street, Pepel, was also charged on one (1) count of Abuse of Office, contrary to Section 42(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008, respectively.

Between March, 2011, and March 2012, Hon Komboh Kamara in his then capacity as Member of Parliament representing the then Constituency 074, which is now Constituency 056, misappropriated a total sum of One Billion, Three Hundred Twenty-Three Million, Six Hundred and Forty-Seven Thousand Leones (Le: 1,323,647,000/00) meant for the benefit of the People of Lokomasama Chiefdom, by withdrawing and failing to account for the said funds from the bank account of Lokomasama Development Fund. Hon. Komboh Kamara faces twenty-four (24) counts of corruption offences.

Saidu Abass Kamara, on the other hand, while serving as Councilor of Ward 246, Port Loko District, between January 2009 and December 2014, abused his office by improperly refusing to handover to the Pepel Community Health Centre one 5KVA Generator, and two hospital beds. He converted the said generator and beds for his benefit, thereby conferring an improper advantage on himself. The said generator and beds were donated by African Minerals Ltd.

Meanwhile, the indicted persons are expected to appear in the High Court Holden at Freetown on 4th March, 2020. The Commission reassured the general public of its determination to curb graft at all levels in Sierra Leone.

In Moyamba… Orange-SL Unveils Super Coders Programme at Harford School

By Foday Moriba Conteh

In order to complement strides made by the Government to expand innovation and technology in the country, one of Sierra Leone’s leading mobile operators, Orange-SL in partnership with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and ST Foundation Bridge the Digital Divide-Sierra Leone has on Tuesday 25th February 2020 launched the Super Coders Project at the Harford Secondary School for Girls in the Moyamba District.

Delivering a statement on behalf of Orange SL, the Regional Business Manager, Augustus Bendu, disclosed how the Super Coders Project is an introductory ICT training program for children between the ages of 9 to 16 explaining that Scratch is a computer programming language. He said in Scratch, programs are made by joining together coloured blocks using the mouse. This group of blocks (called scripts) tells characters on the Screen (called Sprites) what to do. Scratch is free, safe and fun to experiment with.

She stated that with Scratch, children can make their own interactive Stories, Animations, Games, Music, and Art and Scratch has large collections or Libraries of cool graphics and fun sounds to play around with, which enable children to solve real life social issues through coding and animation.

He maintained that coding, once introduced in related schools by Orange, will be included in their ICT curricular and will be taught by the ICT tutors in each school. “Many will recall that Orange SL commenced the execution of its FQE project in October 2019, as the company distributed 2,000 hygiene packs to 20 schools in the Western Urban and Rural areas and conducted awareness and sensitization raising on menstrual hygiene and sexual reproductive health,” he pointed out adding that in this year the company will roll out all five projects before the year ends.

“As a global telecoms player operating in about 22 countries in Africa and the Middle East, Orange aims at being the leading partner in the digital transformation of all our countries of presence. In achieving this ambition, Orange has included education as one of its key pillars under its CSR policy,” he also underscored.

He maintained that Orange, being a multi service provider and a responsible corporate citizen places emphasis on corporate social investment, adding that in the last three years, Orange has invested about $ 400,000 dollars mainly in the areas of women empowerment, health, education and the environment and that the company remains the first operator in Sierra Leone to contribute to the Government’s Free Quality Education (FQE) programme by pledging the sum of $1.5m in material assistance over a period of five years.

He further disclosed that Orange SL will be hosting an Inter-School Competition that will commence soon also disclosing how the winners will be given a full computer lab built and finished by Orange-SL.

Director, ST Foundation, Bridge the Digital Divide-Sierra Leone, Mohamed Dumbuya, expressed appreciation to Orange Sierra Leone for partnering with them in order to implement the Super Coders Scratch Project in secondary schools in the country.

He also disclosed that the Super Coders Project is an introductory ICT training program for children between the ages of 9 to 16.

He said the union, marriage or partnership they are enjoying was created by UNICEF-Sierra Leone by bringing them and Orange SL together.

He said STF/BDD-SL has been working in providing ICT education for schools and higher learning institutions in Sierra Leone for the past 10 years and within that period of operation over 145,000 Sierra Leoneans have benefited.

He said ST Foundation has 31 locations in the country, but said the Harford Secondary School is the only school that has benefitted in the Moyamba District, adding that he has presented a list to the Ministry of Education and will ensure that more schools benefit from the project further admonishing the pupils to make good use of the opportunity.

CSR Officer, Rebecca Sogbeh, underscoring the Free Quality Education package of Orange disclosed that the company remains the first operator in Sierra Leone to contribute to the Government’s Free Quality Education (FQE) Agenda by pledging the sum of $1.5m in material assistance over a period of five years, adding that in 2019 Orange launched and rolled out the hygiene packs for girls aged 12-18 years further revealing how they are going to donate 10,000 packs over five years period and over 2,000 sanitary packs yearly to schools.

She disclosed that Orange-SL, in this year, will launch and roll out  Solar Kits for school children in the rural areas of which 1,000 solar pack kits will be distributed over a five year period to 200 villages without grid to be covered per year saying they will install them in local libraries/community centers/schools etc. in which 100,000 people are expected to benefit from.

She said Orange in partnership with the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE), designed five projects. One of such project is the Super Coders Scratch Program through which Orange in partnership with ST Foundation intends to introduce ICT training on basic coding for children in 100 Secondary Schools with existing ICT labs over a period of five years.

Deputy Director, Teaching Service Commission in Moyamba District, Edmond J Momoh, officially launched the Super Coders Project during which he expressed appreciation to Orange-SL and ST Foundation for the implementation of the project.

He also encouraged the pupils to make good use of the opportunity maintaining that the project will enhance the development of the children.

Pupils of St. Joseph Convent Benefit from Orange SL Spak Bundle

By Edward Vamboi

One of Sierra Leone’s dependable telecommunications operators, Orange Sierra Leone, on Tuesday 25th February 2020 launched the Spak Bundle Project otherwise known as Student Pack at the St. Joseph Convent Secondary School compound in Freetown.

In his address, the Mass Marketing and Bundle Executive Project Leader –Student Pack, Orange SL, Sheik Omaru Jalloh disclosed that the promotion is specifically meant for school going children and those attending tertiary institutions, furthering that as an institution they carried out a perception survey which was conducted in January 2019 in order to identify the problems associated with students trying to access the internet.

He further disclosed how they thought it fit to officially unveil the students’ pack offer so that students all across the country could benefit from it.

He stated that they as an institution deemed it appropriate to provide a service which entails sensitizing the students on important issues and broadening their horizons.

In addition he furthered how pupils and students in both schools and tertiary institutions will have the opportunity to enjoy cheaper data bundles at affordable prices for internet browsing.

“You as pupils who have first benefitted must extend the information that you have benefited from Orange to other pupils and students in schools, colleges and inform them that Orange SL will take the campaign to all the schools and universities and provide a student service class in which we will cater for the exact number of students to utilize the offer,” he stated.

Chief Executive Officer of Orange-Sierra Leone, Aminata Kane Ndiaye

SLBL Commissions Le 2.2 Billion Antenatal Clinic at Well Woman Clinic

By Amin Kef Sesay

As part of fulfilling its corporate social responsibility and its strides towards reducing maternal and neonatal death rates in the country, HEINEKEN Africa Foundation (HAF) and Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (SLBL) on Friday 21st February 2020 commissioned an Antenatal clinic worth 2.2 billion Leones at Well Woman Clinic, Murray Town in Freetown.

In his statement, Corporate Affairs Manager of Sierra Leone Brewery Limited, Albert Ojo Collier pointed out that it is indeed a great honour and privilege to officially commission the antenatal clinic project on behalf of the HEINEKEN Africa Foundation (HAF) and SLBL, to the people of Sierra Leone, through the Well Woman Clinic. He added that the project proposal was approved in 2019 by the HAF Board for total sponsorship to provide sustainable antenatal and postpartum services for 20,000 women in targeted areas in Sierra Leone for over 3 years supporting and ensuring 92% safe delivery of healthy babies to healthy mothers.

He said that although the Government offers free antenatal and under five medical services, however, few antenatal clinics (Government or Private) offer a comprehensive antenatal and post-partum service including ultrasound examination with onsite doctors for referrals and other services such as family planning counselling, sexually transmitted infections treatment and child immunization are also constrained in providing routine services at these antenatal clinics.

He disclosed that they are very proud to continue as a strong support to the health of women in Sierra Leone by supporting private sector initiatives of this nature, underscoring that they will do the official opening of the antenatal clinic and the deliverables include providing the following:

  • Access to a fully equipped, functional antenatal and post-partum clinic with family planning, immunization and HIV testing and counselling;
  • Access to wellness care and other medical services already existing at the Well Woman Clinic;
  • Health education and awareness outreaches to targeted areas on nutrition, breast feeding and wellness care for mother and baby, family planning, education on the dangers of pursuing alternative unsafe delivery and merits of referrals to Government hospitals etc.

He added that the beneficiaries of the project as per the target will be approximately 20,000 women over a period of two to three years and that the investment that HEINEKEN Africa Foundation has put together for the project amounts to EUR 209,722 which is well over Le 2.2 Billion (2,259,754,550) in equivalent.

“We count on the support of all Sierra Leoneans to continue to promote our brands. Buy your own locally manufactured Maltina non-alcoholic, Star Beer, Star Citron, Mutzig Beer, Guinness Stout, Amstel and Trenk Dark Malt Energy Drink among others. This is the only way you can help to support our business and sustain our continued support to such projects,” he maintained.

Chief Executive Office, Well Woman Clinic, Jennifer Renner-Thomas, expressed appreciation to HEINEKEN Africa Foundation and Sierra Leone Brewery Limited for the gesture which he said was not only important but timely.

She disclosed that they won their first HAF prestigious award in 2010, which project was named the Prenatal Equipment Project (PREP), so called because all activities centered around a State of the Art Ultrasound Equipment for early detection of abnormalities in pregnancy for low income women and that the project which cost only $50,000 allowed approximately 2500 women to be screened free of charge for early detection of abnormalities in pregnancy, adding that they received support from UNFPA for the cost of registration for these women and MEPS took on the administrative aspect.

She said that during the programme they realized that women who were not registered in these main towns upcountry or rural areas came from at least 20 clinics, PHUS and to register for the ultrasound service and so again they turned to their benefactors, the Heineken Africa Foundation and sold the idea of an Antenatal/postnatal Clinic at the Clinic itself, adding that it is in keeping with their vision of reproductive health care for the underprivileged and a one stop health facility thus enabling pregnant women to access a fully equipped antenatal/postnatal clinic.

Underscoring the description of the Project she disclosed that the total cost of the Project is based on a very conservative budget of $319,000 for 3 years for which Heineken Africa Foundation is funding $226,500 or Eur209, 722 (71%) and the rest, that is, $92,500 or Eur85, 100 (29%) from MEPS Trust and the Public and that the project has a two-pronged strategy: it is both clinic based and an outreach to Sussex and Waterloo with the main aim of assisting the Government reduce maternal and neonatal mortality rates in our beloved country.

United Nations Fund for Population Activities representative Dr. Abiodun Oyeyipo noted that the clinic has been built and being commissioned demonstrating the deep commitment of the sponsors and the leadership of Well Woman Clinic to uplift the health status of women in Murray Town community and the adjourning catchment areas through the provision of quality maternal health care services.

He added that the maternal health indices for Sierra Leone are not currently very pleasing, stating that Sierra Leone is among the countries with the highest rates of maternal, infant and child mortalities in the world. He said according to the 2013 SL DHS estimated that the MMR was 1,165 deaths per 100,000 lives births and women in Sierra Leone have a 1 in 17 lifetime risk of dying due to pregnancy or childbirth.

He reiterated their commitment in delivering a world where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled, in that regard they will continue to partner with Government and their partners in their efforts to improve access to quality SRHR services in the country.

He applauded HEINEKEN Africa Foundation, Sierra Leone Brewery Limited and Well Woman Clinic for this life saving support.

Antenatal clinic building
Antenatal clinic machine
Corporate Affairs Manager of Sierra Leone Brewery Limited, Albert Ojo Collier and SLBL Staffs

VP of ECOWAS Lays Foundation for Peace Operations Facility at Lungi

Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission Madam Finda Koroma

By Amin Kef Sesay

During a very momentous ceremony a foundation laying ceremony for the construction of phases 2 and 3 of the ECOWAS logistics depot took place on the 8th of February 2020 in Lungi, Sierra Leone.

Speaking at the occasion, the Vice President of the ECOWAS Commission Madam Finda Koroma expressed the appreciation of the Commission to the government and people of Sierra Leone for their commitment to the operationalization of the project.

Taking particular note of the timeliness of the logistics facility Madam Koroma stressed that it remains a very important project for the region’s peace support operations, in the face of increased acts of terrorism and violent extremism perpetuated in a number of the ECOWAS Member States with heavy and dire consequences on the civilian as well as military population.

She disclosed that in addition to the political and strategic considerations, Sierra Leone and, in particular Lungi, was selected as the best location for the ECOWAS Peace Support Operations Facility due to the outstanding performance of the country’s Armed Forces (RSLAF) across the world in peace keeping operations.

Madam Finda Koroma thanked former Presidents of Sierra Leone, including President Julius Maada Bio for their unflinching support and continued advocacy at all levels for the operationalization of the ECOWAS Support Operations Logistics Facility.

In his keynote address, the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh lauded the initiative of the ECOWAS Commission to fast track the depot, despite bureaucratic challenges.

He stressed that the ground breaking ceremony of the logistics depot will send a significant message not only to the rest of Africa, but also to international partners “that West Africa is ready to handle its security and build the infrastructure required to support peace operations”

According to him, the depot will provide support to ECOWAS peace keeping operations to effectively combat violent extremism and terrorist activities in the West African sub-region.

On his part, the Sierra Leonean Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Francis Kai-Kai who chaired the occasion emphasized the importance of the event noting that Sierra Leone had always welcomed ECOWAS with open arms as demonstrated by the high cooperation accorded the ECOWAS Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) in 1997 to stop the rebellion by the Revolutionary United Front.

The ECOWAS Commission’s Commissioner for General Administration and Conference Vafolay Tulay gave an overview of the depot project while acknowledging the roles played in its realization by ECOWAS Member States, United States of America, China, and the United Nations through its Mission in Sierra Leone among others.

 

Kingho Mining Pays Surface Rent

By Esther Wright

On Thursday 20th February 2020 Kingho mining company paid its annual surface rent to landowners of Simiria, Dansogoia and Sambaia Chiefdoms at a well-attended meeting at the Tonkolili District Council Hall, in Magburaka.

The Chief Administrator of Tonkolili District council, Mr Sahr Yambasu, called the meeting to order and welcomed all the stakeholders including civil society representatives, members of parliament, landowners and Paramount Chiefs from the three chiefdoms.

The District Council Chairperson, Madam Yabom Sesay who doubled as the Chairperson of the meeting joined the CA in welcoming the stakeholders and representatives. She commended Kingho for fulfilling the government’s requirement and thanked the government for issuing the mining licence to the company.

Senior Assistant secretary Mr Foday Sesay, who represented the ministry of Mines, explained the purpose of the meeting and the role played by the Minister of Mines, Hon. Foday Rado Yokie, to kick start the Tonkolili Mines. He further noted that the surface rent payment is a requirement that is fulfilled by the Company following the grant of its large scale mining licence by the government of Sierra Leone.

The Paramount chiefs and other stakeholders from the three chiefdoms expressed appreciation and thanks to the government for giving License to Kingho which has demonstrated integrity and credibility so far in its preliminary engagement with the communities. They also thanked Kingho mining company for fulfilling their commitment and bringing job opportunities to their communities.

The Member of Parliament for constituency 55, Hon. Rose Marie Bangura called on the company to consider the young people of the mining host communities as priority for employment. She also called on the chiefdom stakeholders and landowners to make good use of the monies paid.

Mr. Henry Kamara, from the community department of the National Minerals Agency (NMA) advised landowners to be committed to the agreement and ensure the company enjoys peace and quiet in the use of the land. He further disclosed how surface rent is shared among stakeholders, where by landowners receive 50% of the total money paid by companies, Paramount Chiefs of mining Chiefdoms receive 15%, the Chiefdom Administration 10%, the District Council 15% and the Constituency 10%.

He said the government did this because it wants some of the money to be used for developmental programs within mining host communities.

Kingho mining company representative, Mr. Mohamed S. Daffae asked for prayers for the People of China against the Corona virus. He disclosed that Kingho will be committed to all its social and corporate agreements and will work to promote the interest of all parties in a win-win situation.

As a responsible company, we are not only obliged by our legal agreements as enshrined in the mines and minerals act but will also ensure we share the prosperity of the government and people of Sierra Leone, Daffae added.

Mr. Michael, also representing Kingho Company reiterated the Company’s commitment to working in accordance with the agreements signed with the government and express the challenges the company is facing as a result of the disease in China. He however noted that the disease has only slowed the processes but remarked that the mining will start within the shortest possible time.

 

Deputy Minister Dilates on Importance & Benefits of G7+ Charter

The Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Robert Chakanda

By Theresa Kef Sesay

The Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Robert Chakanda has highlighted the importance of the G7+ document and its benefit to the people of Sierra Leone. Speaking before Parliament, he added that Sierra Leone is a founding Member of the G7+ Charter comprising 20 countries.

“Sierra Leone is represented by Dr. Francis Kaikai, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development who is Chairing the Group and he is deputized by a fellow from Afghanistan”; he said, adding that the G7+ Group was established in 2010 as an Inter-Governmental Organization of affected countries.

As a result, the Parliament of Sierra Leone on Thursday 20th February 2020 debated and ratified with unanimity the G7+ Charter which was laid on the Table of the House on Tuesday 29th October 2019.

The Deputy Minister further said that the organization is intended to help countries/Member States to achieve peace and stability through peer-learning in the areas of countries to own their peace, state building and advocacy for better engagement.  He went on to say, that the ratification of the Charter will support the setting up of the proposed G7+ Parliamentary Union that will serve the G7+ Member States for various reasons including global recognition, increase in allocation of resources, collaboration, coordination, peace, conflict resolution  among others.

Contributing to the debate, the Opposition Whip, Hon. Hassan Sesay said a document of this nature does not warrant any contradiction; adding it is intended to achieve national development with maximum benefits for the people of Sierra Leone. “I therefore encourage colleague MPs to speedily ratify the Charter”, he concluded.

On his part, the Acting Leader of Government Business, Hon. Sahr Mathew Nyuma said that the idea of G7+ emanated from conflict and that Sierra Leone is qualified as a post-conflict country. Outlining the benefits affected countries will derive from the Charter, the Acting Leader said, that Sierra Leone will achieve more in the consolidation of peace, justice, democracy, promotion of good governance and sustainable development.

 

Stats-SL Affirms Inflation Rate Drops for January 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

In January 2020 it has been established  according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for January 2020, there was a drop in the inflation rate in January 2020. The key findings in the report released on 20th February, 2020, indicate that National Inflation Rate Annual National Consumer Price Inflation (year-on-year) went down by 0.29 percentage from 13.89 percent in December 2019 to 13.60 percent in January 2020.

It adds that the monthly Consumer Price Inflation for January 2020 was 1.51 percent; up by 1.10 percentage point from 0.41 percent in December, 2019.

It adds that food and non-alcoholic beverages increased from 5.38 percent in December 2019 to 7.46 percent in January 2020. The inflation rate increased by 2.08 percentage points year-on-year.

Alcoholic beverages, tobacco and narcotics declined by 0.78 percentage points from 11.54 percent in December 2019 to 10.76 percent in January 2020.  It went further to state that clothing and footwear declined by 7.65 percentage points from 15.78 percent in December 2019 to 8.13 percent in January 2020. Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels declined by 0.05 percentage points from 10.39 percent in December 2019 to 10.34 percent in January 2020  Furniture, household equipment and household declined by 4.05 percentage points from 22.24 percent in December 2019 to 18.19 percent in January 2020. Health declined by 4.50 percentage points from 39.95 percent in December 2019 to 35.45 percent in January 2020.

Transport increased from 11.47 percent in December 2019 to 17.77 percent in January 2020. The inflation rate increased by 6.30 percentage points year-on-year.  Communication declined by 0.66 percentage points from 7.88 percent in December 2019 to 7.22 percent in January 2020.

Recreation and Culture declined by 3.22 percentage points from 3.05 percent in December 2019 to -0.17 percent in January 2020. Education declined by 0.60 percentage points from 71.36 percent in December 2019 to 70.76 percent in January 2020. Restaurant and Hotels increased from 10.13 percent in December 2019 to 21.31 percent in January 2020. The inflation rate increased by 11.18 percentage points year-on-year. Miscellaneous goods and services declined by 4.90 percentage points from 15.67 percent in December 2019 to 10.77 percent in January 2020.

Explaining that factors influencing changes in monthly inflation, the Stats SL release added that the monthly price inflation of 1.51 percent reflects a general change in the price level in all the four regions which affected all of the items in the CPI basket.

The monthly indices increased: food and non-alcoholic beverages to 1.86 percent; clothing and footwear to 2.63 percent; transport to 4.67 percent; recreation and culture to 0.51 percent; restaurants and hotels to 6.43 percent and miscellaneous goods and services to 2.60 percent.

The National CPI measures the change in prices, on average, from month to month, of the goods and services bought by households, in Freetown, Bo, Kenema, Kono and Makeni and include all expenditure groups. Prices are collected for at least 436 items. All prices collected are the prevailing retail market prices from six (6) markets in Freetown and, three (3) Markets each in Bo, Kenema, Makeni and Kono for weekly prices and other outlets for monthly items whose prices are less likely to fluctuate rapidly.

According to Stats SL, they are using the Modified Laspeyres formula to compute indices according to the Classification of Individual Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) with 12 functions.

Maada Weds Fatima

By Amin Kef Sesay

In the wake of heated debates relating to the much debatable news item of the times, the wedding between the First gentleman and the First Lady, on February 21, 2020 Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio finally exchanged wedding vows with the First Lady Fatima Bio at the St. Paul’s Seminary Chapel in Freetown for the second time. It is stated that President Bio first married Fatima Jabbie in the UK in 2013 before he became President. That union, according to what was understood, was a civil and traditional union but not a “white wedding”.

According to the Archbishop of Freetown, there are no records in the Catholic Diocese of Sierra Leone to prevent the President who was married before to Francess Bio in 1992/1993 from remarrying again.

The President and Francess divorced and he presented the annulment of that union to the Diocese. In a letter published last week, the Archbishop said that although the President was married before it was not a marriage officially recognized in the church, therefore, it does not break Catholic law against divorce for President Bio to marry Mrs. Bio in the Catholic Church.

To reiterate, finally on Friday 21st February 2020 the bells rang in, as President Julius Maada Bio waited for his lady love to walk down the aisle.

President Bio and First Lady Fatima Bio exchanged their vows in a Catholic Church. From what this medium learnt the two were married in a civil ceremony in the UK seven years ago.The First Lady is a Muslim but such mixed-faith marriages are common in this country.

According to the Ministry of Information and Communications the ‘wedding’ was be a private affair. But critics had said it will have all the trappings of public office – the Presidency, which will make the wedding a public matter.

Estimates put the cost of the wedding at hundreds of thousands of dollars. But according to Ministry of Information officials not a penny of that cost was met by the taxpayer. But many in Sierra Leone were doubtful.

In 2018, after winning presidential election with a very narrow majority of about a  few thousand votes, and unable to win  parliamentary votes, President Bio vowed not to default to similar pattern of reckless economic behaviour in governance. He began with an economic austerity many applauded, which he said was designed to close leakages in government finances.

Two years on, there are signs of avarice and vanity creeping into the psyche of the Bio-led Government, stemming from State House, from where much discipline was promised. There are financial leakages reported by the Auditor General in her latest report across government, as Billions of Leones cannot be accounted for.

As president Bio and the First lady renew their wedding vows, most people in the country will be worrying about where their next meal will come from.

When this medium went out to gauge the opinions of a cross section of Sierra Leoneans about the wedding one striking response was that , “no one is denying the Bio’s right to renewing their wedding vows if that’s their priority. But when the private life and decisions of the President affect his public life, questions must surely be asked about his sense of judgement, his ability to govern and lead the nation out of the deep economic mess and social divisions that have opened up in the last twelve years.”

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