Health, Internal Affairs Ministers Assure Parliament of Coronavirus Preparedness

February 17, 2020

By Theresa Kef Sesay

Following parliamentary summons, Ministers of Health and Sanitation and Internal Affairs, Professor Alpha T. Wurie and Edward Suluku on Thursday 13th February 2020 assured Members of Parliament on their state of preparedness to contain any spill-over effects of the coronavirus in Sierra Leone.

These assurances were made in the Well of Parliament whilst responding to questions and concerns raised by Members of Parliament.

In his submission, the Minister of Health and Sanitation informed the House about stringent measures that have been put in place to contain any outbreak of the coronavirus. Highlighting the method of operations being marshalled by his Ministry, Professor Wurie revealed that several people who are believed to have come from China are quarantined at Lungi and Freetown for a period of 14 days; where they would undergo intensive observation through regular checking of their temperature levels. He went on to explain the devastating effects of the virus in light of exposure to the country’s population given the rate of prevalence regarding HIV/AIDS, malnutrition and other diseases. He also told the House that the police, military and health officers are currently manning quarantined centers and necessary measures are being taken relative to diagnosing, testing, alertness and quarantine.

Furthermore, the Minister told Parliament that in relation to preparedness, they have held Inter-Ministerial Committee Meetings intending to improve on more collaborative efforts to curb any outbreak. “My Chief Medical Officer is expected to attend a meeting in Mali, whilst the Deputy Minister of Health and the Permanent Secretary are on related assignments regarding preparedness”; adding that Sierra Leoneans should revert to regular hand washing and other forms of hygiene practices as were done during the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone.

On his part, the Minister of Internal Affairs assured the MPs that security measures have been taken since they had the Inter-Ministerial Committee Meetings relative to collaborative efforts in case of an outbreak. He also said that they now profile and quarantine passengers coming from China to Sierra Leone for a period of 14 Days to go through effective observation to detect signs and symptoms of the coronavirus. He said further that the police are manning the center at Lungi, whilst the soldiers are securing the center in Freetown. He raised also alarm on the porosity of the border points, whilst calling on the citizens to strongly use information and communication as the best preventive action.

MPs raised several pertinent questions and concerns including collaboration, communication, coordination, prompt reporting, test kits/gears, policing, relatives conveying food to quarantine centers, improving border security, discouraging compatriots from going to China, capacitating Paramount Chiefs and MPs to sensitize and educate the people, mass awareness raising, support to Sierra Leoneans living in China and harmonization in respect of information sharing among countries in the Mano River Union.

Responding to the questions and concerns raised, the Ministers reassured the MPs of their frantic efforts in the light of readiness to curb any outbreak of the coronavirus in Sierra Leone and called on the citizens to alert the authorities at any time they are suspicious of persons showing signs and symptoms of the virus.

In his intervention, the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Dr. Abass Chernor Bundu thanked the Ministers for adhering to parliamentary summons and heaped enormous praises on them for their brilliant presentations, which are geared towards the country’s preparedness in case of any outbreak of the deadly coronavirus.

Human Development Secretariat Engages Civil Servants on Flagship Portfolio

February 17, 2020

By Edward Vamboi

Members of the Human Capital Development Secretariat met with civil servants at State House on Friday 14 February 2020 to discuss specific targets set in the Human Capital Development, HCD, flagship portfolio of the New Direction government.

In his welcome address, Presidential Adviser and Head of Strategic Communications, Dr. Patrick Muana, said that they were pleased to have a discussion around the implementation of government’s flagship programme. He also stated that the HCD was crucial because it bothered on the growth of the country, adding that the government had set specific goals that should be achieved in the areas of education, health and food security.

A member of the Secretariat, Wilsona Jalloh, said that President Julius Maada Bio had defined his focus on Sierra Leone under his Human Capital Development flagship portfolio, which included providing quality education, improved health care delivery and food security. She said that the HCD tracking team is leveraging technology, data, innovation and evidence to implement catalytic initiatives that would contribute to meeting their targets.

She also noted that the flagship programme looked forward to achieving targeted results by 2023, adding that they are expected to double the number of boys and girls with functional literacy skills in primary school, halve the maternal mortality rate and reduce by 11 per cent the rate of stunted children under 5 and achieve 90 per cent self-sufficiency in rice production and increase domestic share of marine fish catch within limits of sustainability.

Country Head of Tony Blair Institute, Emily Stanger Sfeile, said that achieving the targets would make Sierra Leone a global leader in HCD. She added that success was possible if they could leverage evidence, data and global experience to design, test and scale the most promising and impactful approaches, while fostering a new standard of excellence that thrived on ambitious delivery timelines.

2030 CARITAS S/Leone Report Launched

February 17, 2020

By Foday Moriba Conteh

Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Robert Chakanda on 12th February, 2020 launched the CARITAS Sierra Leone ‘Bringing Agenda 2030 to Life Report’ in an event held at the Family Kingdom Hall, Beach Road in Freetown.

The report, which considers four principles, underpins the transformative aspirations of the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda: ‘Leave no-one behind’; ‘tackling inequalities’; ‘integrating the environment and development’ and ‘participation and dialogue’.

Speaking at the launch, the President for CARITAS Sierra Leone, Henry Aruna, Bishop of Kenema Diocese, said the report is a significant step to supporting the national development plan. He noted that this shows that the Government of Sierra Leone’s national development agenda places the principles ‘leaving no-one behind’ as the key for national cohesion and a transformed economy.

Bishop Aruna said this will require civil society and government to work together, in collecting accurate and relevant data, in providing multi-sectoral approaches and in helping vulnerable individuals and groups become aware of and claim their rights and increase accountability and reduce corruption. He stated that the different religious traditions, including Catholicism, had embraced the objectives of sustainable development, because they are the result of global participatory processes which would reflect on the values of people could be sustained by integral vision of development.

In his keynote address, the Deputy Minister expressed his gratification in being a beneficiary of the report. He said the findings of the report will continue to strengthen the government’s determination to ensuring effective implementation of the SDGs in Sierra Leone.

Dr. Chakanda said in response to ‘Leave No-One Behind’, the government of President Julius Maada Bio has identified broad indicators, measuring risks of leaving certain segments of society furthest behind if nothing special was done; and have monitored progress of these indicators overtime. He said the government was very optimistic that implementation of the eleven key findings and recommendations of the CARITAS Report— Bringing SDGs to Life— will certainly increase President Bio’s New Direction Agenda and global performance in the SDGs.

Ambassador to Turkey Takes Leave of Pres. Bio

February 17, 2020

By Esther Wright

Sierra Leone’s first Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey, Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba, has taken leave of His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio to officially take up his duties in the transcontinental Eurasian country with the world’s 13th largest economy. This took place at State House in Freetown, on Friday 14 February 2020.

Turkish-Sierra Leonean relations were established in 1971. Sierra Leone recently opened its first resident Embassy in Ankara, the capital of Turkey, which is among the founding members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Ambassador Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba told President Dr. Julius Maada Bio that he was thankful for the confidence reposed in him to represent his country abroad, adding that he considered his appointment as an esteemed privilege. He assured that he was determined to do his best and to work towards portraying the best interest of the small resource-rich West African nation.

“His Excellency, I am aware of your urgency and determination to make life better for every Sierra Leonean. It is my plan to utilise every opportunity, my appointment avails me, to compliment your national objectives for this country,” Ambassador Kaisamba said.

In his response, the President congratulated the new diplomat and wished him well in his new capacity, adding that the task ahead was quite tough but that he would encourage him to be resilient so that success could be achieved.

“You are aware of the magnitude of challenges we are facing as a nation and as an administration. I have chosen you meticulously as a person to go and represent Sierra Leone in the Republic of Turkey. Therefore, as you go, you have to pay more attention to economic diplomacy so that you can bring something home that we will have to add to the development process of the country,” he urged.

VP Jalloh Says S/Leone Is Overcoming Weak Policies

February 17, 2020

By Sam Pratt

Sierra Leone’s Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has pledged the country’s commitment to achieving the ambitious goals set out by the West Africa Monetary Zone. He added that they have not only reviewed some weak policies but are working in direct compliance with all financial policies and other relevant regulations to combat corruption.

The Vice President was speaking as host of the 2019 statutory meeting of WAMA, WAMI and WAIFEM which brings together Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Gambia and Guinea to discuss a firm economic foundation for West Africa.

Also speaking was the Finance Minister, Jacob Jusu Saffa, who catalogued the successes made almost two years ago by the New Direction administration, under the distinctive leadership of President Julius Maada Bio.

In a reassuring mood, Mr. Saffa, a World Bank trained Development Economist, told his audience that, “From now, moving forward we would have a stable economy.”

It could be recalled that the recent arrears verified by the Auditor General, in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the International Monetary Fund owed to domestic contractors and inherited from the previous administration in April 2018 amounted to Le. 3.2 trillion (or about USS$ 340 Million); which accrued in 2016 and 2017. Additionally, external debt is estimated at USS$ 1.6 billion and domestic debt at USS$ 650 Million. This brings total liability of Government to an estimated USS$ 2.59 billion Dollars.

The Finance Minister informed stakeholders of the West Africa Monetary Zone (WAMZ) that the high double-digit inflation has progressively declined at the end of 2019. He also said that apart from the successful domestic revenue mobilization drive, a lot of tangible reforms have yielded dividend to the admiration of IMF, World Bank as well as other international donors by giving credit to his leadership as the country’s financial engineer.

As a Government, he said, they were grateful to host the 2019 statutory meeting of WAMA, WAMI and WAIFEM which brings together Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia, Gambia and Guinea to discuss a firm economic foundation for West Africa.

He reiterated that Sierra Leone satisfied 3 out of 4 primary convergence criteria: fiscal deficit, central bank financing of fiscal deficit and gross external reserves, adding that the real Gross Domestic Product for Sierra Leone increased to 5.1 in 2019 from 3.5 % in 2018. According to him, it is expected to drop to single-digit by 2021

Speaker after speaker demonstrated optimism and a strong simmer of hope for a bustling economy in their respective countries.

In another development, the Ministry of Finance on Thursday 13^th February, 2020 signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Mano River Union on the implementation of the post Ebola recovery social investment fund project worth USD 12.4 million.

In the signing ceremony, the Country Program Officer of Africa Development Bank (AfDB), Madam Felicitan Atanga, said the signing of the MOU is one of the conditions of the first disbursement and the other outstanding condition is the approval of the Chairman of the Steering Committee.

She said the project will alleviate the suffering and improve the livelihood of the Ebola Survivors, noting that they are happy that the project is back on the table.

According to the Minister of Finance Jacob Jusu Saffa, sometime last year when the Ministry was reviewing the different projects in the Country, they found out that this project was almost dead since 2016 without attention.

He urged all parties concerned in the implementation of the project to treat the project as a Government of Sierra Leone Project rather than as an AfDB project. He said the Ministries of Health in respective countries will conduct psycho-social counselling, infection prevention, health promotion activities, community outreach and capacity building of training institutions.

The project beneficiaries include the populations of Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone along the borders of the three countries, targeting: (i) community members including youths, women, men, children, people with disabilities and the elderly, (ii) health workers, (iii) community volunteers and social protection officers.

The project intends to provide benefit to 5,000 Ebola survivors, 2000 orphans, 75 community groups, 300 cross-border traders, 450 social workers and 6,000 micro and small enterprises across the three affected countries.

Whilst Signing Another MoU… ACC Indicts 3 NRA Officers over Le5B Misappropriation

February 17, 2020

Amin Kef Sesay

The Anti-Corruption Commission, on 10th February, 2020, filed an indictment against former Revenue Officer, Abubakarr Sidikie Kamara and Mariama Ballah Conteh and Jeneba Sesay, Revenue Officers, Report Processing and Return Payment (RPRP) Department of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), on eight (8) counts of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.

Between March, 2018, and September 2019, Abubakarr Sidikie Kamara, in his then capacity as Revenue Officer in the RPRP Department of the NRA, misappropriated a total sum of three billion, eighty-eight million, eight hundred and seventy-eight thousand, five Leones (Le.3, 088,878,005) of Public Revenue, being Foreign Travel Tax paid by the airliner, Royal Air Moroc, and Foreign Travel Tax, paid by Euro World SL Ltd.

Abubakarr Sidikie Kamara faces four (4) counts of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.

Mariama Ballah Conteh, being Revenue Officer, RPRP Department, NRA, between March and May 2018, misappropriated a total amount of One Billion, Seven Hundred and Twenty-Three Million, Eight Hundred and Fifty Nine Thousand, Six Hundred Leones (Le1, 723,859,600) of public revenue, being Foreign Travel Tax paid by Euro World SL Ltd. Mariama Ballah Conteh faces three (3) counts of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.

Jeneba Sesay, being Revenue Officer, RPRP Department, NRA, on 29th March, 2018, misappropriated public revenue amounting to Five Hundred and Seventy Million, Two Hundred and Seven Thousand Leones (Le.570, 207,000.00), being Foreign Travel Tax paid by Euro World SL Ltd. Jeneba Sesay faces one (1) count of Misappropriation of Public Revenue, contrary to Section 36(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2008.

All three persons are indicted for misappropriating a total sum of Five Billion, Three Hundred and Eighty-two Million, Nine Hundred and Forty-Four Thousand, Six Hundred and Five Leones (Le.5, 382,944,605) of Public Revenue.

Meanwhile, the indicted persons are expected to appear in the High Court Holden at Freetown on 24th February, 2020. In this light, the Commission wishes to reassure the general public of its unshaken resolve to fight acts of corruption at all levels in Sierra Leone, especially in revenue generating institutions given the fact that they are the lifeblood of States, therefore crucial to State survival.

In another engagement, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on Wednesday 12th February, 2020, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Assets and Government Property Commission (NAGPC) at its 3 Gloucester Street office in Freetown.

The MoU outlines commitment to joint-engagement and partnership between the two institutions. The move is geared towards facilitating the smooth accomplishment of the mandates of the two institutions in ensuring the best use, monitoring, management and disposal of properties and assets of the Government of Sierra Leone and foster cooperation and collaboration between the two institutions

In his statement, Deputy Commissioner of ACC, Augustine Foday-Ngobie, expressed appreciation for the efforts of public institutions in forging a workable relationship with the ACC. He said that the mandate of the ACC is to provide leadership in the fight against corruption. “The ACC is ready to work with any institution in the fight against corruption,” the ACC Deputy Commissioner said.

Mr. Ngobie described the signing ceremony as another milestone for the two institutions. He said that the ACC has been protecting and recovering government properties, noting that in 2019 the Commission recovered a hotel building which was handed over to the Government. He said the Commission appreciates the partnership, hoping that the two institutions will stand out and work for the good of Sierra Leone.

The Commissioner of NAGPC Abu Hindolo Moseray said his institution has a mandate to establish a National Assets Register, to make provision for the control and identification of all national assets and Government’s property, to provide for the maintenance and improvement of such property and the monitoring of their use or disposal. He said however that the Act that establishes the Commission does not make provision for punitive measures to be taken against defaulters. He said the MoU with the ACC is important because they (the ACC) have the powers to prosecute any person who misuses or misappropriates Government assets and property. He added that as a nation, there is need to do more in managing the assets and property of the State efficiently and effectively.

The ceremony was chaired by Patrick Sandi, Director of Public Education and Outreach ACC, while the citation marking the signing of the MoU was read by Koma Gandy-Williams, ACC’s Assistant Information Officer.

Mineral Resources, the Quickest Way Out Of Poverty

February 17, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

According to the Director General of the National Minerals Agency, in the boom years of iron ore export, just before the Ebola outbreak, Sierra Leone exported, in two consecutive years, over one billion dollars in mineral exports.

This means that if the government properly regulates the sector, attracts credible mining companies, the possibility of Sierra Leone quickly building up a formidable financial base for financing both infrastructural and economic diversification activities exists.

To think that since the 1930s, Sierra Leone’s minerals have been mined by various companies that took what they wanted and when the market fluctuated, closed their operations and went away after making huge profits during the boom years leaving the state and its people wallowing in abject poverty, only able to survive from handouts from IMF, whose conditionalities in the last quarter of the last century helped a lot to impoverish many Third World developing countries through currency devaluation, inflation and cutting off of public sector jobs; as they have led to unwanted regime changes, sometimes through the barrel of the gun, is pathetic.

It is not a hidden fact that Sierra Leone’s continued poverty and hopelessness is intrinsically tied in with selfish and greedy national leaders working in league with rogue multinationals to steal wealth that otherwise would have made Sierra Leone the Hong Kong, Singapore or Malaysia of Africa before the turn of the last century.

Even now, the exploitation continues when you look at what companies like Sierra Rutile, Vimetco, Sierra Holdings, Koidu Holdings are doing, just like African Minerals and London Mining did.

These companies take out very valuable minerals, but do little or nothing to invest in improving infrastructure and economically, the areas that they mine, so that when the mines close, as they did in Lunsar, Tongo Field, Yengema and other now ghost town mining communities, the people have infrastructure and economic activities to fall back on.

What is offensive about mineral exploitation is that with minor exceptions, Africa does not consume or add significant value to the mineral resources that it has in abundance. Rather, we are exporters of raw materials that fuel prosperity and development in other regions, whilst we have completely forgotten about embarking on large scale agricultural ventures to feed our people and drastically reduce our continued dependence on imported foods, many of them not good for our health.

Indeed, it is true that most African countries get very little income from mining, due to generous tax holidays given to mining companies. The conclusion that can then be drawn from this situation is that the current resource-for-development model is not working to bring about equity or boost development.

As such, the African Mining Vision, jointly developed by the AU, ECA, ADB and other UN agencies was adopted by the African Union Heads of States in 2009. The Vision advocates for “transparent, equitable and optimal exploitation of mineral resources to underpin broad-based sustainable growth and socio-economic development”.

At the core of the African Mining Vision is the realization that Africa’s mineral resources can be better utilized to address the continents social and economic needs.

To achieve this vision, countries rich in minerals like Sierra Leone need to get back to the fundamentals and rectify some of the contractual anomalies that continue to plague the management of the continent’s natural resources – which is what President Bio and team are trying to do.

At the fore of this endeavour is the government getting the best deals during contract negotiation. Capacity deficits have been identified in critical areas of auditing, monitoring, regulation and improving resource exploitation regimes.

For example, in DRC, a government committee reviewed 61 mining deals over a decade up to 2006 and found none acceptable. It recommended renegotiating 39 and cancelling 22.

Zambia, in the wake of increased international Copper prices and after years of subsidizing large multi-national companies working in its copper belt, successfully raised taxes for mining companies from 25 to 30% and introduced a windfall tax for exceptional profits.

In conclusion, Africa’s natural resource is a blessing and not a curse and can and will be used as a precursor for the continent’s continuous rise and in the face of the insatiable appetite for natural resources on the world stage. To make this possible is what President Bio and his hard working team at the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources are doing.

As Appeals Hearing Commences Today… APC Questions The Jurisdiction Of The Court

February 17, 2020

All People's Congress Party.jpg — Ambassador Dr. Alhaji Osman F. Yansaneh, APC National Secretary General

By Foday Moriba Conteh

‘Our confidence in the Judiciary is at its lowest and we do not trust them to do justice. To make matters worse, it is our understanding that one of the judges empanelled to hear the appeals is a known SLPP member, who ran for parliament and lost to the APC candidate in the 2007 and 2012 Parliamentary Elections in Constituency 86 (as it then was), Moyamba District.’

These were the words in a press statement issued by the APC dated Friday 14^th February, 2020. It went further to say that the leadership of the All People’s Congress (APC) Legal Team has been served by the Court of Appeal with Notices for the hearing of Appeals filed by ten of its Members of Parliament who were illegally removed from Parliament on the 31^st of May 2019. The said hearing of the appeals is slated for today 17^th February 2020.

It claimed that the Judiciary, the International Community and the General Public are reminded that “on the 11th of June 2019, our ousted MPs, being dissatisfied with the judgements of the High Court, filed Notices of Appeal to the Court of Appeal in accordance with the provision of Section 78 (3) of the 1991 Constitution and in conformity with the requirement of Section 146 (1) of the Public Elections Act 2012.”

It added that pursuant to Section 78 (4) of the 1991 Constitution, such appeals MUST be completed within four months from the date they were filed;

Section 78 (4): “The Court of Appeal before which an appeal is brought pursuant to subsection (3) shall determine the appeal and give judgement thereon within four months after the appeal was filed.’

“In several of our press releases”, the APC says it “drew the attention of the Judiciary to this mandatory provision and urged them to empanel judges to hear and determine the appeals within the stipulated Constitutional timeframe. The International Community and the General Public were similarly informed of this Constitutional provision. However, all our appeals fell on deaf ears and the Judiciary deliberately refused and/or neglected to hear the cases”, the release added.

“Over eight months after the Notices of Appeal were filed the Judiciary has now thought it fit to hear the appeals”, according to release, adding that ‘While the APC continues to maintain that their MPs were illegally removed from Parliament, it is the position of the Party that the Court of Appeal lacks Jurisdiction to hear the appeals, since the Chief Justice failed to empanel judges to hear and determine the appeals within months from the 11th of June 2019 when the Notices of Appeal were filed.’ It added that as far as the APC is concerned, ‘the human rights of our MPs have been violated and they have been denied justice.’

It added that the party ‘considers this move by the Judiciary as a continuing show of its disregard for the rule of law, high – handedness and injustice meted out on our Party.’ According to the release several APC members are incarcerated or attending endless criminal proceedings, while ‘the Judiciary has refused and/or neglected to assign many of the other cases we have filed before it.’

The release went on to ask: “What has happened to the Presidential Election Petitions filed to the Supreme Court by Dr. Samura Kamara and Others: and Dr. Sylvia Blyden?

What has happened to our parliamentary petitions filed against SLPP MPs from the southern region?

What has happened to the application filed by our lawyers to the Supreme Court relating to the interpretation of Section 78 (2) on the determination by the High Court of election petitions within four months from their commencement?

What has again happened to the multiple Supreme Court applications questioning the COI for the lack of rules that ought to have been formulated according to Section 150 of the 1991 Constitution?”

The release adds: ‘Our confidence in the Judiciary is at its lowest and we do not trust them to do justice. To make matters worse, it is our understanding that one of the judges empanelled to hear the appeals is a known SLPP member who ran for parliament and lost to the APC candidate in the 2007 and 2012 Parliamentary Elections in Constituency 86 (as it then was), Moyamba District.

The release went further to state that ‘in view of the blatant disregard for the Constitutional Provisions and the consequent lack of jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal, the Party has instructed its lawyers to strictly follow the legal processes and ensure that they avoid compounding illegality.’

The release ended by stating that the Party will soon inform the General Public of its next line of action. The release was signed by Ambassador Dr. Alhaji Osman F. Yansaneh, APC National Secretary General.

Marie Stopes Launches Valentine Posin-to-Posin Promo

February 17, 2020

By Foday Moriba Conteh

In its strides to provide personalized contraception and post-abortion care services to women and girls in Sierra Leone, Marie Stopes Sierra Leone with support by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), DFID, UNFRA, WAHO has on Friday 14^th February, 2020 launched the Valentine Posin-to-Posin 2020 Promo at their Conference Hall, on Ahmed Drive ,Aberdeen Road, in Freetown.

In his statement, Country Director, Marie Stopes Sierra Leone Dr. Ufuoma Festus Omo-Obi, disclosed that Government of Sierra Leone (GOSL) Development Agenda highlighted the rise in teenage pregnancy and its calamitous implication for maternal mortality and the development outcomes of Sierra Leone, adding that about 15% of girls have sexual intercourse before 15 years; adolescent pregnancies are among the top 10 countries in the world and about 28% of adolescent women age 15-19 years are already mothers pregnant and 44% of girls are married before 18 years and about 44% pregnancies of girls below 20 are lost after 7 months of gestation or babies die within 7 days of life, teenage pregnancy accounts for 40% of maternal deaths.

He said that HE Brig. Rtd_ Julius Maada Bio, GCRSC noted that they have a moral and constitutional right to protect the girl child and to change her outcomes furthering how his Government is focused and committed to inclusive national development and that means radical inclusion of every citizen regardless of gender, ethnicity, ability, and socio-economic or any other circumstance.

He went ahead to state that the past February 14 which was Valentine’s day was considered as one of the most challenging moments for our adolescents as it places them (especially the ignorant) at the mercy of falling victim to sexual exploitation. He said that in support of the Government’s development priorities, they are pleased to announce the launch of a month-long free Family Planning Promotion code-named “Valentine Posin-to-Posin 2020 Promo” as both are precautionary as well as a response mechanism to help protect the would-be victims of the ills of the Valentine’s Day commemoration from unintended pregnancy. This promo will reach women and girls with quality, personalized and confidential services of choice free of user fees between Friday 14^th February to Saturday 14^th March 2020”.

He noted that the Valentine Posin-to-Posin Promo is funded and supported by Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MOHS), DFID, UNFRA, WAHO disclosing how LAD Services will be available for free at all their Outreach Sites in Districts, 117 Community Health Centers adding that services available free during “Valentine Posin-to-Posin promotion” period are Long Acting & Reversible Contraceptives (LARCs) specially IUD (Coil) including sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) Counselling and free Screening and STI treatment.

He expressed appreciation to the leading telecommunications companies (Orange, Africell-SL Qcell & Sierra Tel SL) that their clients, families and stakeholders can reach them through the ton-free line 3535 to learn more about Valentine’s promotion, the services they offer or to book their preferred Choice Of services at a Clinic or know the outreach schedule or invite an outreach team to their communities.

He said that Marie Stopes Leone is part of a global partnership of Marie Stopes International operating in 37 countries, providing personalized contraception and post-abortion care services to women and girls.

In underscoring their successes for 2019 he noted that in 2019 Marie Stopes provided 463,000 people with contraceptive services (excluding 2.1 Million Condoms distributed) with 566,194 couple years of protection, adding that their services averted an estimate of 204,000 unintended pregnancies; 102 000 unsafe abortions and 1,700 maternal deaths averted which shows that they care for the well-being of communities, 1 individual woman at a time and that their services also contributed to making 8.5 million Euro savings in direct health care costs to the Government of Sierra Leone.

In her address, Mary Kobba on behalf of Mrs. Patricia Bah, National Coordinator, Teenage Pregnancy, Child Marriage and School Health Programmes on behalf of the Secretariat extended sincere thanks and appreciation to Marie Stopes Sierra Leone for the launch of the Valentine Posin-to Posin promo maintaining they are all aware that Valentine Day is the day most of adolescents, especially girls, are at the mercy of falling victims to sexual exploitation, adding that adolescents and youth are 1 .8 billion strong and form a quarter of the world’s population.

He said that adolescent pregnancy within the ages of 10 to 19, become pregnant which is closely linked to issues of human rights. Girls, who lack choices and opportunities in life, or who have limited or no access to sexual and reproductive health care, are more likely to become pregnant.

She said that at the regional level, the proportion of teenagers who have started childbearing is highest in the Southern region (33 %) with Pujehun in the lead and lowest in the Western region (18%), adding that the percentage decreases as education level increases; 46 % of teenagers with no education have already begun childbearing compared with 22 % of those with secondary or higher education. Teenagers in the lowest wealth communities are more likely to have started childbearing compared with those in the highest wealth communities (36 and 14% respectively).

Highlighting the progress made so far by the Secretariat in the reduction of Teenage pregnancy she said:

The Secretariat work in partnership with UN agencies, NGO’s and Civil Society organizations to develop a 5 year country-wide strategy (2018- 2022) which is aimed at reducing teenage pregnancy and coordinating national efforts through multi-sectorial interventions and approaches.
The first Communication Strategy developed in 2015 has been reviewed and a new one produced in 2019. This revised Communication Strategy (2020-2024) is the communication arm of the National Strategy for thematic areas.
Achievements under the national strategy have included the refurbishment and establishment of 50 Adolescent Friendly Health Services at PHIJs across the country, which includes training of staff for effective provision of adolescent friendly services and provision of IEC materials; and additional 6 facilities were upgraded in recent months and 12 more are currently being upgraded.

The Secretariat, with support from UNFPA hired a consultant to develop a comprehensive national life skills training curriculum that covers a wide range of topics, and is designed for audiences at all literacy levels etc.

She ended by saying the secretariat believes the launch of the Valentine Posin-to Posin Promo undertaken annually by Marie Stopes to provide women and girls who cannot afford to pay for such services will help to reduce teenage pregnancy and increase access to family planning commodities.

NP’s Calibrated Pumps Guarantee Satisfaction and Quality Service

February 17, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

Following in-depth investigation conducted by this media in recent days, it was learnt that the calibrated pumping machines used in all NP Filling Stations are guaranteed to be of high standard having the capability of showing the exact and correct quantity of petrol, diesel or kerosene that is discharged and displays the exact price a buyer should pay. It was a conscious move on the part of the shareholders to install such modern high tech calibrated pumping machines within the context of giving optimal satisfaction to its numerous and esteemed customers, as well as operate in a very transparent manner that continues to instil confidence that they are dealing with a trusted business partner.

The National Petroleum- Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is a very caring company that most people depend on to secure high quality petroleum products. It is on record that its customers have not complained of any unfair treatment. It is an entity that has been making steady headway and progress within the business landscape of the country. Through sheer hard work, selflessness on the part of its shareholders and competent managerial prowess, the company has sketched a good name within the petroleum business landscape, especially for its qualitative service delivery. The shareholders and Managers of the company, therefore, cannot just see things done haphazardly that have the propensity of staining its hard-won reputation and sit idly back.

What has been discerned of late is that there are certain individuals who have taken upon themselves to disingenuously spew baseless castigation against the company bordering on propagating the falsehood that its pump attendants are criminally defrauding its customers by pumping less of the quantity that unsuspecting customers purchase at different Filling Stations. Coming across such an allegation this medium, known for championing human interest issues, went into swift action and undertook a thorough undercover investigation to ascertain its veracity.

Various Filling Stations in the country were targeted, but at the end of the day, what came out glaringly was that the allegation is totally untrue, baseless and unfounded, as there is no semblance of truth in it.

As for NP-SL, complaints of pumping attendants cheating customers have not been heard for a long time although according to one of the company’s Managers one cannot rule out having bad eggs within its workforce. However, he assured that all their pump attendants are well trained in the aspect of effective service delivery and they are well informed not to get themselves involved in any untoward behaviour that will bring the name of the company into disrepute. Against such a backdrop, coupled with the fact that they are well motivated in terms of remuneration and other conditions of service such employees would not be so foolhardy to do anything messy.

As a caring parent who loves to see his or her children get the best in life so is NP-SL Ltd, which, besides limiting itself only to selling petroleum products, is also availing its customers other services just to make life comfortable for them. It is along such a line that one could find mini-marts, entertainment corners in some of its Filling Stations, where customers could purchase basic items, avoiding the hassle of leaving other engagements to procure those goods.

NP Gas is exclusively marketed by NP-SL and its authorized agents in different parts of the country and they are manufactured in different cylinder sizes sold at affordable prices. Because of it being environmentally friendly, less hazardous and very quick in terms of performance, NP Gas is going like hot cakes, especially as they are sold at affordable prices.

NP Smart Card is now gaining ascendancy and currency among its numerous customers across the country and has been rated as advantageous in terms of personal safety and transparency. It is good for big business entities, like construction companies, with fleets of vehicles as the Smart Cards that the drivers use to access fuel supply can transparently prove what was expended and what is now left as balance in their stock.

The company’s Corporate Social Responsibility portfolio is indeed very rich and it has been meaningfully rolled out over the years and they are really complementing Government’s development interventions.

It is indeed understandable to note that within the business world competitors could be very aggressive trying to outdo each other. In trying to achieve that some might even go to the length of fabricating lies and false propaganda with the objective of tarnishing the good image others have toiled so hard to build. Similarly, there are scammers who believe that they could successfully hoodwink others through blackmail in order to dupe them of cash.

Either way, such an attempt against NP-SL Ltd will obviously miss its target. It is not that the company is a saint but the fact of the matter is that it will not condone anything untoward that will ruin its reputation and it cannot sit complacently seeing its pump attendants cheating its customers without taking affirmative action. No way, No way. The company believes in maintaining its accolade of: 1^st For Customer Care.

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