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As He makes a Case for Sierra Leone’s Ecosystems…   President Bio Promises COP26 a Climate-Resilient Future

By Amin Kef Sesay

In Glasgow, United Kingdom, on the 1st November 2021 President Dr Julius Maada Bio addressed the 26th Conference of Parties (COP26) of the UN Framework Conventions on Climate Change (UNFCCC) during which he  promised a climate-resilient future and continued by making a case for Sierra Leone’s ecosystems, one of the most diverse in the world.

The President thanked Italy and the United Kingdom for convening the global community and mobilising concerted and collective global efforts to discuss and act on the single universal existential threat of the time – climate change.

He informed that Sierra Leone has one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world: inland wetlands and forests across 4 main relief regions, about 15,000 plant species, the most diverse fish stocks along the west coast of Africa, and 761 species of mammals and birds.

The President, however, lamented that the country is highly vulnerable to the adverse effects of climate change, rapid biodiversity and tree cover loss, and the attendant threats to human habitat, health, food, and water security. As a consequence, he continued, other fall-outs like poverty, gender disparities, and youth unemployment are intensifying especially in the COVID-19 era.

President Bio told the audience that his Government is doing the very best they can in the circumstances.

“We are fully committed to all international agreements and actions to develop a climate resilient future,” he informed.

He talked about how his Government have established a stand-alone Ministry of the Environment and recently reviewed and updated the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution, National Climate Change Policy, and National Climate Change Strategy and Action Plans.

“We have identified environmental pressure points and we are implementing coherent mitigation and adaption strategies,” he stated adding that within limited resources, they have underscored climate change actions in national development planning and budgeting processes in alignment with outcomes derived from the UNFCCC process.

President Bio touched on how they have enhanced the conservation and protection of natural habitats and ecosystems, improved meteorological services, integrated water resource management and community-based adaptation strategies in the agriculture sector, and promoted climate change risk-management.

He mentioned how they are promoting alternative renewable energy in off-grid solar networks and stepping up tree-planting to restore 960,000 hectares of depleted forests.

“ We believe that establishing a green economy should focus on restoring and protecting, investing in, consuming sustainably, and being accountable and inclusive,” he pointed out maintaining that as Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently stated, it is indeed “right and lucrative to be green” establishing how they want to work collectively toward that goal.

President Bio said good climate policies and ambitions alone, such as ours in Sierra Leone, may however fall short. Additionally, due to high debt servicing, Sierra Leone lacks the fiscal space to scale up investments in climate change actions.

“ We therefore agree with Kermit the Frog, that being African and being one of the Least Developed Countries, ‘it is not that easy being green,” he stated underscoring how the country is in need of technical support to introduce or implement enabling regulatory and structural reforms.

The Head of State said his Government is eager to work with partners to further ease the investment climate, co-create projects, and map out incentives for potential green and ESG investments.

“We urgently need investments in digital infrastructure and technology if we are to acquire better GIS data, improve marine conservation and management, promote nature-based solution and just rural transitions to sustainable agriculture, introduce climate-smart agriculture and food systems that preserve our forests, and provide high-yield, improved seeds to farmers,” he made a case furthering how his Government stand ready to invest in green energy sources with smaller environmental footprints.

He talked of how they have introduced some off-grid solar electrification to some towns but need to expand those investments to other towns and make them even more affordable. Cheaper and affordable solar systems will expand energy access to more Sierra Leoneans, he informed.

President Bio called on all to invest in affordable, competitively-priced, low-carbon energy sources for cooking and other domestic uses in order to avoid the indiscriminate felling of trees for firewood and charcoal.

He stresses the need to invest in green urban planning, sustainable urban waste management, green mass-transit transportation systems, and stricter emissions testing and enforcement to reduce emission footprints.

“We need technical and vocational training to support the growth of jobs created as a consequence of these investments,” he disclosed but said more importantly they believe sustained investments in an equitable education will prepare young people and women especially, to respond to climate challenges, help consolidate the gains they will make from the foregoing investments, and build a more inclusive and resilient future.

According to the President the country needs support from global climate financing streams.

Africa, he said, has access to less than 5% of global climate financing, adding how we also need the support of larger economies and the international financial community to de-risk private capital and green investments.

He stated that at this conference and beyond, Sierra Leone is determined to engage and explore all possibilities, ideas, and partnerships to achieve collective global goals saying it may not be easy being green but assured that Sierra Leoneans are determined to be green.

Agriculture is predominantly rain-fed and climate change is having a dramatic impact on fisheries and coastal zones, road and transport infrastructure is weakened by extreme weather conditions. These risks can easily transition into crisis-level situations for the country.

Bollore Donates School Items to 1,303 Pupils of Moa Wharf & Seaside Communities

By Millicent Senava Mannah

Bollore Transport and Logistics-Sierra Leone has on the 2nd November 2021 donated 1,303 school bags and other school items worth Two Hundred and Fifty Million , Four Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Two Hundred and Twenty-Five Leones ( Le 250,415,225) to pupils residing within the Moa Wharf and Seaside Communities. The donation was done in the two communities respectively.

General Manager of Bollore Transport and Logistics stated that the donation of the school items to  the pupils of the two communities is geared towards supporting them go through a successful 2021-2022 academic year. He encouraged the pupils to handle the donated items with care and also commended the community people for their efforts in making the donation become possible.

Head of Communications at Bollore, Gassimu S. Fofana, said that the reason for the donation of the school items to these pupils is to make learning easy for them and also to lessen the burden on their parents to purchase school items.

He admonished the children to be careful in handling their school items donated to them in order for them to last them longer.  He mentioned that this is the 3rd time that Bollore is donating school items to the pupils of these communities maintaining how they will continue to do so.

The Chairman of the Moa Wharf Community expressed gratitude on behalf of the beneficiaries to the Management of Bollore-Sierra Leone for their kind gesture to donate the school items to their children.

He said it is not the first time that Bollore has helped their community, but they have been rendering help and putting smiles on the faces of everybody in the community.

One of the beneficiaries, Mariatu Turay, was also grateful to the company for providing them the school items to make learning easier for them and promised to focus on their studies as well as ensuring that they handle the school items with care.

To Deal with Human Trafficking Offences…   UNODC Organizes 1st Judicial Colloquial & Mock Trial Training for Judges and Magistrates

By Elkass Sannoh

The Judiciary, on the 26th October, partnered with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes (UNODC) to hold the first Judicial Colloquial and Mock Trial training for Judges and Magistrates on prosecution and adjudication of human trafficking offences.

The four-day training, sponsored by the United States Government under (JTIP ) T&TA grant, with support from the Italian Government is jointly planned and organized by the UNODC and the Judiciary through the Judicial and Legal Training Institute (JLTI) to provide professional development for Judges and Magistrates in adjudicating cases of human trafficking.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) Resident Representative to Sierra Leone, Dr. Pa Lamin Beyei said human trafficking is a human rights challenge that is increasing across countries and affecting particularly the vulnerable such as children, women and men.

He said the emergence of social media and other new ways of communication have led to innovations and sophistication in criminality in general and especially human trafficking.

The UNDP Resident Representative added that, “This unique enabler to traffickers must be countered by tougher measures and improved collaboration beyond borders to ensure successful prosecution of offenders.”

He assured that the, “United Nations will continue to take necessary steps towards the progressive realization of the rights of victims of trafficking.”

While he admitted that there are still challenges in the fight against trafficking, he commended Sierra Leone for taking necessary steps in curbing the menace.

“Criminals know how to hide, fight and cover their tracks. I believe this training will support the Judiciary and the justice sector with additional skills and knowledge for successful investigation and prosecution leading to conviction,” he noted.

n his remarks, the United States Ambassador to Sierra Leone, David Reimer said that the United States Embassy “desires to advance the security, prosperity and values that US citizens share” and further strive to advance equality at home and abroad.

“We commit to bringing this dedication to our efforts to fight human trafficking. We seek to use engagements like this Colloquium and mock trial training with the Government of Sierra Leone to build a more effective anti-trafficking strategy rooted in equality and compassion,” the UNDP Resident Representative stated.

He commended the Government’s continued anti-trafficking efforts including the progress in expediting and referring trafficking cases directly to the High Court and prosecuting and convicting traffickers.

He thanked the Honourable Chief Justice and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice for assigning special prosecutors and dedicated judges for trafficking cases.

He stressed that judicial officials and prosecutors play key roles in holding traffickers accountable and preventing future acts of trafficking, adding that it makes the training strategic and timely.

Highlighting the objectives of the training, the Director of the Judicial and Legal Training Institute (JLTI), Honourable Justice Eku E. Roberts (JSC) said that the training will not only benefit judges as participants but also the Training Institute as a body.

In his opening remarks, the Honourable Chief Justice His Lordship Justice Desmond Babatunde Edwards said, “the prevention, protection, prosecution and adjudicating  cases involving human trafficking concerns violations of human rights which he said is central in any society be it political, civil, economic, social or cultural.

He went on to state that, “statistics show that about 10million or more are victims of modern slavery and that forced labour, sexual exploitation and forced marriages are the most common and the modern ways of perpetrating same; that human trafficking is a very lucrative business with sexual exploitation being the most lucrative.”

“In a bid to the prevent trafficking, the US Government since 2000 passed the Trafficking of Victims Protection Act 2000 which set up standards for fighting human trafficking. The standards are as follows: Tier 1: Countries and territories whose Governments fully comply with the Act’s minimum standards. Tier 2: Countries and territories whose Governments do not fully comply with the Act’s minimum standards but are making significant efforts to bring themselves into compliance with those standards.”

The Chief Justice maintained that, “Tier 3 are countries and territories whose Governments do not fully comply with the minimum standards and are not making significant efforts to do so. No African country has completely complied with the trafficking Victims Protection Act’s minimum standard for fighting human trafficking.”

He went on to note that, “22 African countries fall under Tier 2 that acknowledges that significant efforts are being made towards improvement; While 19 other countries fall under Tier 2‘s watch list indicating that not enough progress has been made in the country; 9 other countries 8 of which are not considered free, fall under Tier 3 where significant efforts have not been made.”

He however disclosed that quite encouraging is the fact that Sierra Leone is now in Tier 2 but the Road to same has been quite slow.

Referring to judges as “Guarantors, guardians, protectors and enforcers of Human Rights Norms,” the Chief Justice said, “it is but pertinent and inevitable that we should choose to, pursuant to the Bangalore Principles to be competent and diligent Judicial Officers by equipping ourselves in ways as to acquire or reinforce knowledge on the subject so as to be sufficiently knowledgeable, possessing the requisite knowledge and gravitas to handle such topics.”

He reiterated that the Judiciary’s promise and commitment to all Sierra Leoneans is to “respect, protect and fulfil human rights obligations without exception.”

The training will look at international and national legal framework on trafficking in persons, Sierra Leone’s legal framework on trafficking in persons, international mechanisms of cooperation in criminal matters among others.

Finance Ministry & NRA Hold Consultative Dialogue with the Private Sector on FY2022 Finance Act

By Foday Moriba Conteh

The Ministry of Finance in collaboration with the National Revenue Authority on the 27th October 2021 engaged representatives of the private sector in a consultative dialogue on the 2022 Finance Bill/Act that will be tabled in Parliament later this year by the Hon. Minister of Finance.

Principal Deputy Financial Secretary Mathew Dingie thanked members of the private sector for attending the meeting stating that their presence demonstrates their commitment to the process.

He furthered that the formation of both the Budget and Finance Acts involved lots of consultations and needs the inputs of all especially the private sector.

Addressing the issues raised by the private sector in the area of taxes and exceptions, Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority, Dr. Samuel Jibao applauded the move by the private sector to document and present their inputs into the process but also cautioned them that the tax rates are competitive and among the lowest in the sub-region.

In his statement, the Financial Secretary, Sahr Jusu, stated that before now Finance Acts were done behind closed-door with little or no inputs from the private sector.

He said that has changed in the last 2 years as the Ministry of Finance and the National Revenue Authority are now opening the space for more dialogue and discussions with major stakeholders from the formation of the Revenue Tax Policy to the implementation.

He continued that while the Government is mindful of the fact that businesses need the right atmosphere and policies to grow, the Government on the other hand has the responsibility to raise revenue and provide social services.

The Financial Secretary also stated that the Government is not thinking of increasing taxes but rather improving on compliance and automation of the process to increase domestic revenue generation.

Chief Economist, Alimamy Bangura, stated in his submission that taxation is the only sustainable means of Government revenue noting that a Government can be best assessed by its ability to raise revenue to deliver social services.

He furthered that the objective of the FY2022 Finance Act is to generate revenue, create ease of doing business and investment, and stimulate post-COVID-19 growth.

Speaking on the side of the private sector representative, Chukwu-Emeka Chikizie, Team leader Invest Salone thanked the Financial Secretary, Staff of the Ministry of Finance, and the National Revenue Authority for such a platform, stating that this is the first time they are having such dialogue with Government on the formation of tax policies that will affect them.

He continued that they are also mindful of the fact that Government needs to raise revenue but also stated that Government should put in place policies that will remove barriers and make the business environment and investment conducive.

Alfred Akibo-Bett also from Invest Salone applaud the initiative of the dialogue and also stated that 13 out of the several recommendations they made last year were part of the FY2021 Finance  Act passed by Parliament.

The consultative meeting attracted a range of private sector players from Invest Salone, Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Importers, Exporters, National Investment Board, and other Government MDAs.

Information Ministry Debunks Rumours of Government Supporting Deportation

By Amin Kef Sesay

The Director of Information within the Ministry of Information and Communications  has on the 27th October 2021 stated that rumours making the rounds that the Government of Sierra Leone has accepted the deportation of some 800 Sierra Leoneans from the Federal Republic of Germany are untrue and unfounded.

He furthered that the welfare of our nationals abroad, including those under any adverse conditions, remains one of Government’s core national interests.

“As the public is aware, countries all over the world have their immigration laws, and we encourage our nationals wherever they are to adhere to the local laws in much the same way as we expect foreign nationals to comply with ours,” he stated adding how Government has been informed that the German Government (having regard for its immigration processes) had listed some illegal immigrants for deportation to their respective countries of origin, including some who claim to be Sierra Leoneans.

He continued that the Government of Sierra Leone was informed about the planned deportation process and due diligence was initiated to verify the identity of those reported to be Sierra Leoneans.

Therefore, he informed,  the Government of Sierra Leone dispatched a team of experts to Germany to pursue the verification.

He emphasized that the process was sadly misunderstood to be a deportation exercise, leading to a demonstration, attack on the country’s diplomatic personnel and arrest of some protestors in Munich, Germany.

It was pointed out that Government is working with its German counterparts to conclude the verification exercise which will inform next steps, and equally ensure that those who committed wrongs on the persons of two of our Diplomatic Agents bear full responsibility for their reprehensible conduct.

The Director of Information assured that Government remains committed to the welfare of its citizens and upholding the long-standing friendly ties with the Federal Republic of Germany.

 

Underscoring Need for Dynamic Insurance Framework….   ECOWAS Speaker Assures Insurance Brokers of Derived Economic Benefits

By Amin Kef Sesay

His Excellency Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, Speaker of the regional ECOWAS Parliament, has on Thursday 28th October 2021, stated that there are immense economic benefits  to be derived from a dynamic insurance framework.

The Speaker made that statement during his address at the opening of the 2021 ECOWAS Insurance Training Program for ECOWAS Heads of Institutions holding in Paris, France.

The training, which is being held under the theme: “ECOWAS of The Future: Efficient and Effective Risk Management,” is expected to provide a clear and consistent standard for the attainment of the best result from the region’s insurance policy and foster a more informed relationship between the insurers and ECOWAS institutions, thereby improving security, confidence and trust at all levels of the workplace.

Meanwhile, during his brief remarks, Dr Sidie Mohamed Tunis said that there are indeed economic benefits that are derived from a dynamic insurance framework, whilst at the same time expressing optimism that with the active support of everyone, the West Africa region’s shared objective for a progressive, productive, and inclusive insurance scheme will be achieved.

Furthermore, whilst speaking on the significance of the meeting, the Head of the ECOWAS Parliament stated that “the gathering provides an opportunity for us to abreast ourselves with the policies we have signed up to and build our individual capacities on ways we can guarantee that they are realistic, beneficial, and implemented for the good of the people we lead.”

Honourable Dr Tunis furthered that the most important benefit of insurance is the payment of losses, adding that with a good insurance policy, the uncertainty of paying for losses out-of-pocket is reduced significantly and staffs feel more secure at the place of work. “It is also expected that this gathering will provide clear and consistent standards for the attainment of the best result from our insurance policy and foster a more informed relationship between the insurers and ECOWAS institutions, thereby improving confidence and trust at all levels,” Dr Tunis affirmed.

It is worth noting that the 2021 Insurance Capacity Building training which is being attended by ECOWAS heads of institutions is organized in accordance with item 5 (g) (ii) of the insurance agreement entered into by ECOWAS and the Consortium. It also goes in line with Article 48 of the ECOWAS Staff Regulation which provides that the Community shall subscribe to an accident and group life insurance policy for all its staff members, charging heads of institutions with the responsibility of negotiating the terms and conditions of the insurance policies.

U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief to Increase Funding to Combat HIV/AIDS

By Amin Kef Sesay

It was, on the 28th October, 2021, disclosed  by the US Embassy in Sierra Leone that the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), has announced this month that the program will nearly double its investment in Sierra Leone for 2022, from $5 million to approximately $9 million U.S. dollars.

In support of the program, representatives from the Health Resources & Services Administration, an Agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services, visited Sierra Leone from October 18-28, 2021, to meet with stakeholders and provide oversight of the newly expanded PEPFAR program.

PEPFAR is an initiative funded by the U.S. Government to combat the global HIV/AIDS epidemic. It is the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history, saving over 20 million lives and preventing millions of HIV infections in more than 50 countries.

PEPFAR, together with the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, work to support a coordinated national response led by the Government of Sierra Leone.

It was revealed that in Sierra Leone, the United States has been supporting the national HIV response for many years.  Beginning on October 1, 2020, the United States designated Sierra Leone an official PEPFAR country, and over the last year, nearly 50,000 Sierra Leoneans benefited from PEPFAR programs.

Meanwhile, over 1,200 HIV- commercial sex workers have been enrolled in preventative treatment programs through PEPFAR, thus reducing their risk of infection to almost zero despite high-risk behaviours.

The increased investment for 2022, it was stated, will aim to test an additional 36,000 individuals, treat as many as 32,000 individuals living with HIV/AIDS, and provide pre-exposure preventative treatment to an additional 4,000 clients.

Additionally, this medium was informed that PEPFAR will expand to new communities in Sierra Leone this coming year to understand their HIV risks and how to reach them with services.  PEPFAR has also awarded a 3-year grant to the Network of HIV Positives in Sierra Leone (NETHIPS) to expand community-led monitoring of HIV services and to advocate for improved quality of services and to confront issues such as stigma and discrimination.

Sierra Leone has an estimated 83,000 people living with HIV.  Only about half of those infected are aware of their status, and those who do not know their status pose a high risk of transmission to others.  There are also an estimated 240,000 members of high-risk populations who are at increased risk of getting HIV, and if they have HIV, they are at high risk of transmitting it to others.

It was concluded that effectively managing the HIV/AIDS epidemic will require greatly increasing testing rates, and treatment. Those who are successfully treated will have very little chance of transmitting the virus to others.  Sierra Leone’s national HIV Response is now on track towards epidemic control, which UNAIDS says should be achieved by 2030.

Ing. Maada Senessie Kpenge Led Reforms at Guma Paying Huge Dividends

By Amin Kef Sesay

Since Ing. Maada Senessie Kpenge was appointed to head the Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC) a lot of reforms have been instituted with the avowed objective of ensuring that majority of the residents within the Western Area have easy access to clean and pure water supply. Some of those reforms have been accomplished while others are at ongoing implementation stages.

As Managing Director of Guma Valley Water Company, Ing. Maada Senessie Kpenge,  has  efficiently directed the Company’s programs and activities over the past 36 months with the completion of the Freetown Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan and Investment Studies – the roadmap to achieving 100% water supply access in the Western Area being one of the most important.

In an exclusive interview with the Managing Director, Maada Kpenge, he intimated that his administration’s vision is to increase access to water services, improve on sustainability, protect water catchments and deliver on ongoing strategic projects.

The Guma MD said even though the water supply situation in the Western Area is a challenge because of the demand and supply imbalance; he said the company has taken concrete steps to improve on its daily rationing schedule so that more people will have access to water supply.

Ing. Kpenge said a robust leakage control measure have been undertaken by the Company since 2019 and is ongoing to replace spaghetti connections by laying sub-mains in communities across Freetown so that the distribution networks can retain more water which in turn will lead to more access.

The Managing Director said the Community Services of the Company is operating about 272 Street Taps, 566 Community Tanks, 55 Solar Powered Boreholes and has a fleet of over 20 bowsers to cart water to underserved and unserved communities.

The Guma Chief said a key objective of his administration is to give quality services to customers and improve on the Company’s revenue generation. In this regard, he informed that the Company’s customer base has grown by 8% from 23,498 in 2018 to 25,408 in 2021.

Ing. Kpenge also informed that Billing went up by 5% from Le 35 billion in 2018 to Le 37 billion in 2020 and Collection by 45% from Le 22 billion in 2018 to Le 32 billion in 2020. He added that the Company’s revenue will continue to grow as the new approved tariffs will take effect at the end of October 2021.

Maada Kpenge disclosed that over the period under review, the Company had undertaken several projects; some of which have been completed. He said during this period, the Government funded Aberdeen – Lumley Beach Road Water Supply Project which restored water supply to Freetown’s most attractive touristic area was completed.

Other projects that have been completed includes the IMATT Community Water Supply Project which is currently benefitting about 20,000 persons resident in the IMATT and Hill Cut Road Bridge communities funded by the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office, the rehabilitation of the Guma Babadorie Treatment Plant at Regent and laying of sub-mains in the Mortormeh to Kaningo communities under the Freetown Emergency Recovery Project funded by the World Bank, and Tombo Water Supply project implemented by UNICEF which will serve over 40,000 population in the fishing village.

Ing. Kpenge also disclosed other community gravity scheme projects such as the Mambo /Hamilton and the Waterloo Water Supply projects which will improve on the access to water supply in these communities are currently ongoing.

On Catchment Protection, Maada Kpenge said the Guma is part of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Water Catchment, Mangroves and Forest Reserves in the Western Area that was established in January 2020 comprising over 10 MDAs with the Vice President as Chairman.

The Guma MD said the Committee is working on implementing 13 resolutions recently approved by Cabinet all geared towards the sustainable management of the Western Area Catchments and Protected Areas.

The Guma Chief informed how the Company has made tremendous effort to secure some 85% of its facilities across Freetown when it embarked on a massive fencing project in September 2020 as a first step towards bringing water supply to deprived communities.

Already, the fencing of some of the Company’s facilities such as the East Area office, the Hill Station Circular Reservoir, the Central Area office, Tower Hill Reservoir, Hill Station Circular Reservoir, Hill Station Braithwaite Tank, Babadorie Reservoir, G-Gate, and Allen Town Treatment Plant have all been completed.

Fencing of other Guma facilities including the Hill Cut Road Reservoir, Circular Tank adjacent British Council, Break Pressure Tank opposite IPAM at Tower Hill, and Hooke Street Reservoir are either ongoing or about to commence.

Ing. Kpenge disclosed that under the Millennium Challenge Corporation Result Based Financing (RBF) Activity, Guma was able to raise its monthly revenue collection from an average of Le 1.8 billion to Le 2.5 billion. He added that the Company was also able to lay 11.5km of pipe line of various sizes to replace the numerous spaghetti pipes that are causing huge wastages for the company; 897 saddle connections were done and 1,710 leakages were repaired.

Guma received rapturous commendations from Ndeye Koroma the then Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Challenge Coordination Unit (MCCU) for its brilliant performance during the RBF program and the Threshold Program as a whole.

“We have been able to improve the financial viability and operational efficiency of Guma; we have also been able to successfully implement the RBF activity with Guma that has seen it perform above the target set for it. This is not something the MCCU did, this was an achievement by Guma itself because it had good leadership in place”.

The incentive received from the RBF Scheme is being utilized by the company to improve on its commercial and engineering operational efficiency in line with the Company’s capacity building programs.

Maada Kpenge disclosed that the Company launched a Le 1 billion Staff Welfare Loan Scheme in November 2020, from which many staff from all cadres benefitted to solve their domestic and personal issues. This is a first in the company’s history and is serving as a motivation for positive staff performance.

He went on to state that under his watch, the Company is now leveraging ICT and has acquired 28 new vehicles and rehabilitated 13 old ones.

Ing. Kpenge added that Hand and Power tools, Compressors, Jack Hammers, Forklift Trucks, Motor Cycles, etc., have also been acquired to improve on work place environment coupled with health and safety safeguards.

On the strategy to achieving 100% access to water services in the Western Area, Ing. Kpenge said the focus will still be on reducing Non-Revenue Water by extension of sub-mains and removal of spaghetti service pipelines, water conservation with metering and implementation of the Freetown Water Supply and Sanitation Master Plan and Investment Studies roadmap.

Maada Kpenge thanked the Government and the Board of Directors of Guma for their strategic oversight, the Management and staff for the resilient support in addressing the challenging water supply situation in the Western Area.

PPRC Invites Objections to APC Draft Constitution

By Amin Kef Sesay

In a Press Release issued by the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC) on the 28th October 2021 the institution categorically stated that pursuant to Section 24 (1) (a) of the Political Parties Act (PPA) No. 3 of 2002, the public is duly informed that it has published in the Sierra Leone Gazette (Vol. CXLXII No. 63) Government Notice No. 288 the draft Constitution of the All Peoples Congress (APC) Party.

It continued that consequently, the Commission is inviting objections from the General Public, to any of the provision(s) of the said draft Constitution. The Release furthered that the Public is also informed that the said Notice is for Thirty days from the date of issuance of the information underscoring that thereafter if no objections are received by the Commission within those thirty days, the draft Constitution shall become effective by operation of law, pursuant to Section 24(2)(a) of the Political Parties Act aforementioned.

It concluded by saying all objections must be forwarded to the PPRC Office at OAU Drive, Tower Hill, Freetown or via email at info@pprcsierraleone.org not later than the close of business on Monday 29th November, 2021.

Also indicated was that the gazette can be purchased from the Government Bookshop on Wallace Johnson Street  in Freetown.

Guaranteeing Free, Fair Election in 2023 Central to Peace & Security

President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Dr. Julius Maada Bio

By Amin Kef Sesay

President Bio is duty bound to ensure that he encourages the National Electoral Commission (NEC) and all State agencies and Election Management stakeholders to provide the atmosphere for holding free and fair elections in 2023 if the peace and security of the State and its people are to remain guaranteed.

In this regard, President Bio and the New Direction Administration should not be oblivious to or try to in any way sweep under the carpet the EU Mission’s findings on the country’s post 2018 electoral climate in Sierra Leone which they described as such:

“The mission has been informed that there is a significant decrease in trust in the essential bodies which play integral roles in the forthcoming elections including the Judiciary, NEC, PPRC and the Police,” he stated.

The Mission Head further revealed that their findings are that these institutions’ reputations are less trusted than is needed.

Touching on the last bye- election, he said there are some lessons learnt from the management which according to him can be trialed in future bye elections.

He said the Election Follow up Mission encourages the National Electoral Commission to engage with all electoral stakeholders to address those issues in order to restore confidence in the Electoral Management said Bodies and strengthen both the transparency and integrity of the electoral process.

The EU Chief intimated that in their assessment, the Government has a role in providing both sufficient and timely funding – but equally importantly the political space – for these institutions to demonstrate their neutrality and independence which are absolutely essential for elections being recognized as credible by citizens and observers.

He said the Government has committed to the creation of a National Election Sustainable Trust Fund account – which if fully implemented would address one of the recommendations. So far, the details of this have not been communicated to the NEC and other bodies.

“If an election is declared void, according to Section 146.4 of the Public Elections Act, another election shall be held,” he stated. In continuation, he said, the 2019 High Court decisions to declare the runner up elected in 10 constituencies eroded the confidence in the Judiciary.

“Unequivocal respect for the rule of law in election petitions is crucial for ensuring confidence in the electoral process,” he maintained.

He said in addition, the delivery of timely effective judicial redress is a paramount feature regarding the fairness of election dispute resolution.

The EU Chief maintained that at the National Validation Conference on electoral reform in August 2021, consensus was reached regarding the need to revise courts’ procedural rules ensuring that election petitions are adjudicated within a reasonable period of time. “Justice delayed is justice denied, the same applies to democracy,” he stressed.

He further opined that the Mid-Term Census is unprecedented and the stated reason for it is highly contested.

He also stated that the use of an optional census to provide data which might be used to change electoral boundaries shortly before an election is not conducive to the political atmosphere or good electoral practice.

Hon. Norbert Neuser said the Mission repeats its recommendation that the voter register should be automatically produced from the civil register, which would save money and time. “We have not seen evidence that sufficient progress has been made on this important issue”.

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