Njala University Law Department receives 2,100 Donated Law Books

February 10, 2020

By Jonathan Hindolo Kurabu

A donation of a large consignment of law books was done by a UK- based company, Anglo American Company, De Beers and GemFair in partnership with the International Law Book Facility (ILBF), a UK-based charity with the mission to support the rule of law and access to justice through sharing of legal knowledge. The UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network was also part of the donation exercise.

A case for the donation of 213 cartoons of law books in order to boost and to harness the potentials of the Njala University Law Department was made by Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, one of Sierra Leone’s erudite legal practitioners and formerly served though transiently as the Chairman for the Sierra Leone Premier League Board.

Chief Executive Officer, ILBL, Katrina Crossley who was unavoidably absent yet represented by Raymond Alpha remarked thus ‘’the ILBF is delighted to donate books from the UK legal community to Njala University. We very much hope that this donation will support the lecturers, students, and practitioners in their important work…’’

Accordingly, a team of Anglo-American lawyers based in London namely Jonathan Hoch, Cecilia Ferreira and Andrew Donovan were successful in their pursuit to support the ILBF represented by their CEO Katrina Crossley to distribute legal textbooks to Sierra Leone under a project known as the Rule of Law Ambassadors with supports provided by Clifford Chance (an international law firm) and Nottingham University to make the delivery possible.

Country Director, for the UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network ,Momo Turay, one of the partners avowed on behalf of their organization that with interest and firm commitments on the part of Njala University, they shall together transform the Law Department of Njala University into a very attractive entity for the training of legal professionals in Sierra Leone. ‘’We have done so with the University of Makeni, the opportunity is for Njala University and the Law Department to make use of,’’ he opined.

The UK Sierra Leone Pro Bono Network (UKSLPBN) is an umbrella network for the UK legal professionals and organizations interested in providing Pro Bono (free) legal assistance to Sierra Leone. With an objective to act as a focus for demand for assistance in legal matters from both Government of Sierra Leone and legal professionals and bodies, the UKSLPBN is overseen by a steering group comprising prominent UK legal professional, solicitors, barristers, government, and private sector lawyers.

Acting Dean, School of Social Sciences, and Law, Dr. James Fomba Sandy, on behalf of the University Administration expressed gratitude to the donors and all role players for uplifting the academic profile and pedigree of the Njala University Law Department which was established three years ago.

With a current students’ enrolment of 130, the University he went on has been able to employ high profile Judges of the Superior Courts of Judicature and Lawyers 90% of them, he added are holders of Masters of Law (LLM)

With current staff strength of 14 hardworking and committed men and women who are presently lecturing various courses on the programme, and with an entry requirement detailing WASSCE Certificate and a First Degree from any recognized University and with course duration of three years, they have succeeded in admitting three batches. Plans he disclosed are underway to sail the first batch of students admitted ab initio to Final Year after meeting the required grade points for promotion.

Students of the Law Department present and the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Bo Campus Dr. Saidu Charley lauded the gesture and promised to use the shipment of books now shelved at the Law Department Library for its intended purposes.

South Korea to build Emergency Hospital in Taiama

February 10, 2020

By Jonathan Hindolo Kurabu, D Catalyst

Kathos Jibao Matai, Ambassador to South Korea, during a recent community engagement with tribal authorities in Kori Chiefdom, disclosed plans for the Construction of an Ultra-Modern Emergency Hospital in Taiama Village, Kori Chiefdom, Moyamba District.

As a result of the pioneering efforts of Professor Herbert Bob Kandeh, former Chairman, Moyamba District Council and now Pro-Chancellor for Njala University, according to Ambassador Matai, the selection of Taiama as the project site was appropriate based on its strategic location and especially so when most of the lethal road accidents take place along the Bo/ Freetown Highway.

Owing to Taiama being the cynosure of focus, the Emergency Hospital will after construction be of tremendous service for emergency cases in the South, East and North of the country he said.

Sponsored by the Medical Peace Foundation in South Korea, the Second Emergency Hospital which is to be constructed will be named in the memory and honour of Madam Yoko, one of the distinguished female legends of old and accordingly will be called the MADAM YOKO MEMORIAL TRAUMA CENTRE & HAN MEDICAL CENTRE.

Ambassador Kathos Jibao Matai on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone showered profuse gratitude on the Government and citizens of South Korea for their financial support and disclosed that already the required amounts for the construction of the said emergency Hospital have been disbursed adding that with the availability of funds for the project, the whole exercise is expected to be completed In three months’ time from now.

Making a statement, Paramount Chief of Kori Chiefdom, PC Thomas Gbappy IV on behalf of the people of Kori Chiefdom expressed delight over the initiative adding that overtime, most emergency cases that require the urgent attention of doctors are rushed to Freetown some, he went on, normally die along the way. ‘’It is a respite for medical services in the provinces and I am happy that it will be built in my Chiefdom. In concert with landowning families, we have already given three acres of land in Mokaba Section, Miles off Taiama Junction,’’ he said.

Retired Specialist Registrar in Emergency Medicine from the University Hospital Lewisham in London, Dr. Mohamed Koker said in addition to medical supplies and medical personnel from South Korea, the hospital will serve as a training and research centre and it will also be used to promote emergency medical care in the provinces.

The MADAM YOKO MEMORIAL TRAUMA CENTRE & HAN MEDICAL CENTRE will be constructed by the Estate Department of Njala University.

Clearing of the project site and turning of the sod by Ambassador, Kathos Jibao Matai climaxed the ceremony.

Board Members of Guma Inspect Facilities & Proffer Recommendations

February 10, 2020

Guma Board of Directors Conclude Two-Day Site Visit .Board of Directors and a Cross –Section of Management staf fLeft to right; Hon. Mrs. Bintu Myers, Mr. Lyndon Baines-Johnson (Mayor’s Rep.), Mrs. Marian S. Nyuma Moijueh, Mr. Peter Amara, and Ing.

By Amin Kef Sesay

On the 15 and 17 December 2019, a high-level delegation headed by the Chairman Board of Directors of Guma Valley Water Company (GVWC) Honourable Mrs. Bintu Myers, and accompanied by colleagues of Board Directors namely (Ing. Mohamed B. Timbo, Mrs. Marian S. Nyuma Moijueh, Mr. Peter J. Amara, and Mr. Lyndon Baines-Johnson representing Her Worship the Mayor Yvonne Aki Sawyerr) supported by a cross section of Management of the GUMA Valley Water Company has completed a two day visit to GUMA facilities in both the Western Urban and Western Rural Districts of Freetown.

Honourable Mrs. Bintu Myers explained that the objective of the inspection tour was to acquaint the Board with the operations and challenges of the various facilities operated by the Company. The outcome of the inspection exercise would assist the Board in making informed decisions on the smooth running of the Company.

The intensive tour of the GUMA facilities and operation sites which covers the (Mile 13 Dam/Reservoir, Treatment Plant, Staff Quarters, Hydrant at Femi Turner, Hydrant at Brookfield’s, Spur Road Pumping Station, Babadori, Kongo Dam, Charlotte weir, Mongeba,Grafton Amputee Camp, Allentown and the Area Offices) etc .The Board engaged both Senior Management to junior level staff on duty with a view to fully understand the mode of operations and challenges faced by the employees. Some of the findings and the
recommendations proffered to Management included but not limited to these:

That the water level at the main Dam at Mile 13 was observed to be on the decrease,
Management and DFID through their ongoing Freetown Rehabilitation Project have made some progress in the rehabilitation of the Treatment Plant but Stages 2 and 3 of the filtration systems was noted to be malfunctioning. Also, the electro-mechanical equipment in the Plant requires maintenance, A good number of the staff quarters at Mile 13 are in a state of disrepair. A particular reference relating to the land encroachment and unauthorised occupancy of the Company’s property at Mile 13, Controls to ensure efficiency, transparency and accountability of bowser operations at the Femi Turner Road Hydrant seem as weak.

That the Hydrant at Brookfields Motor Road (By the Light) been dysfunctional and requires refurbishment.

A new pumping machine was installed (through the DFID funded Project) to replace the moribund machine at Spur Road Pumping Station.

The water level at Babadori (Regent) reservoir has decreased substantially.
Encroachment of the Company’s property at Babadori by neighbouring Communities due to incomplete fencing. The Angelique Project at Babadori was at a standstill.

Three stationary bowsers within the premises at Babadori. The water level at Kongo Dam has decreased considerably partly due to evaporation and leakages at the Dam.

Dislocated and deliberate puncturing of transmission pipes from the Charlotte to the Allen Town Reservoir by intruders and this situation is partly responsible for the low pressure of water to the Allen Town Reservoir. It was further noted that the weir usually dried up completely between March to April.

A good number of the pipes supplying water from the weir to the bowser collection point at Mongeba have been burned by rogues within the Community. It was further noted that the Project was at a standstill. Originally it was a Project intended to supply water from the weir to the collection point by gravity.

The facility which consists of 4 boreholes and an electro-mechanical unit at Grafton Amputee Camp was at a standstill partly due to the drying out of the boreholes. The facility appeared to have been abandoned. The facility was designed to complement the Charlotte weir particularly during the dries. High fuel consumption of the unit was also noted as a challenge.

The Allen Town Reservoir was empty due to non-flow of water from the Charlotte weir and the Grafton Amputee Camp.

Incomplete fencing of Area East Office and delays in the repairs of vehicles at the Garage Two unauthorised connections at the newly installed distribution main at Spur Road. Management was asked to investigate the matter.

Two culprits arrested and handed over to the Lumley Police Station for unauthorised tampering of distribution mains.

A septic tank construction closer to the transmission mains along the SLRA access road at Mile 13. In a bid in promoting effective service delivery to the people and complementing government’s effort, the Board came out with key recommendation for Management to develop a concept paper and related planned design construction to capture and retain the spillage from the Mile 13 Dam during the raining season.

Management to hold discussion with the DFID Contractor, BAM for the rehabilitation of the stages 2 and 3 filtration system at the Treatment Plant. Management to put modalities in place for the repairs and regular maintenance of Staff Quarters at Mile 13, and addressing the unauthorized occupancy of Guma’s properties and encroachment.

Management to take prompt action to rehabilitate the Brookfields Motor Road Hydrants and to institute strong internal controls geared towards ensuring efficiency, transparency and accountability of the Bowser operations.

Management to look at the possibility of constructing a new reservoir at Babadori with funding from the Aquatic Project. Management to take prompt action to complete the perimeter fencing at Babadori. Management to follow-up with the Ministry of Water Resources on the Angelique Project.

Management to execute essential repairs to the Kongo Dam and follow-up on the initiative /plan for a bigger reservoir downstream at the Kongo Dam.

Management to breakdown some of the boulders to create more access and build up the catchment at the Charlotte weir and also to replace the damaged pipes in the network. Management to engage the local community and address the problems affecting the sustainability of the supply at Mongeba.

Management to follow-up on the study to restore the Grafton Amputee Camp facility done by some consultants. Management to put in place modalities for the urgent fencing of Area East Office.

The Chairman of the Board, Hon. Mrs. Bintu Myers said the Board is striving to build a productive, effective and efficient GUMA in months and years to come, whilst in office under the New Direction Government.

The Board inspecting a newly laid sub mains at Spur Loop

“2100 Youths will Benefit from Car Wash Project…” -Youth Minister Affirms

February 10, 2020

Minister of Youth Affairs Mohamed Bangura

By Fatmata Jengbe

The Ministry of Youth Affairs claims it has created over 2000 jobs for youth in the car wash service with the Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura saying a total of 2100 youths are set to benefit from the project.

The Minister further informed that 35 youths will be employed in each of the 60 centres across the country and described the project as a scheme that seeks to ensure that youths across the country are trained in entrepreneurial skills.

He added that they will also receive training on saving a percentage of their income so that their dependents will also benefit from the venture.The Minister disclosed that the project is funded by the Government of Sierra Leone, the Chinese Embassy and the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank.

On his part, the Deputy Youth Affairs Minister, Lusine Kallon, shed light on the facilities contained in the project. He stated that at every car wash center, a three-room self-contained structure will be erected to serve as office, store, and a waiting room for customers.

He furthered that two pits will be constructed at every center to enhance the proper washing of under carriers of vehicles and also an open canopy with corrugated roofing to ensure uninterrupted work during the rainy season. The centres will also be provided with electricity and one water well with hand pump.

In his remarks, the Project Manager, Victor L.K Muanah, maintained that the project is designed to be a revolving loan scheme, noting that the loan will ensure that youth groups pay back an agreed percentage of their earnings on a monthly basis at the Youth Ministry.

He continued that the project will also assign a cashier that will be responsible for the collection of daily earnings from the project. Mr. Muanah also said that youths in the project will be paid on a weekly or monthly basis as agreed upon.

He emphasized that the loan payment will enable the Ministry take the project to other parts of the country thereby expanding it to other vulnerable young people over a period of time.

Ten car wash structures have already been built in the Western Area. 31 more will be constructed across the country in the not too distant future. This is expected to create more jobs for young people across the country.

WAMA DG Says Economic Activities in ECOWAS Member States Improved in 2019

February 10, 2020

End of Year Statutory Meetings of WAMA, WAMI, WAIFEM February 6th-14th 2020

By Esther Wright

Mr. Momodou Bamba Saho, Director General of the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA) has stated that the economic activities in ECOWAS Member States generally improved in 2019, in spite of the global economic slowdown.

He made that statement on 6 February 2020 at the Freetown International Conference Centre during the opening session of the 36th ordinary meeting of the Joint Technical Committee of the West African Monetary Agency (WAMA).

He furthered by disclosing how they are holding these meetings against the backdrop of continued economic recovery in the region.

“The region is home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world. Three Member States, Benin (7.6%), Cote d’lvoire (7.5%) and Ghana (7.1%) grew by over 7.0 percent in 2019. Twelve Member States are expected to grow by 5.0 percent or more in 2019,” he intimated.

According to him, in the area of compliance with the macroeconomic convergence criteria, Member States made some progress in the first half of 2019 as six (06) met all the four primary criteria compared to five (05) in the first half of 2018, adding that performance is expected to improve in the second half of the year as eight (08) Member States projected meet all the primary criteria at end-2019 compared to only two (02) at end-2018.

He however, stated that all the four primary convergence criteria on a sustained basis has remained a difficult task as Member States find it challenging to consistently meet all four criteria over a period of several years.

“Although compliance with the convergence criteria has improved, Member States need to continue to strengthen policy implementation in order to comply with the convergence criteria and lay a strong basis for the establishment of monetary union,” he said. In this regard, the Director General urged Member States to strengthen their resolve to maintain macroeconomic stability and put emphasis on economic diversification as well as structural reforms aimed at fostering private sector growth in order to realize the tremendous potentials of the region and achieve the objective of the monetary corporation program.

The Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone Prof. Keifala Kallon said during the meetings, stocks will be taken of the status of implementation of the revised Roadmap activities, having in mind the commitments expressed by the Authority to establish a monetary union in 2020, noting that the decision regarding the selection of countries that would qualify for accession to the monetary union would be undertaken after an evaluation of the state of readiness of Member States.

“As we get closer to the decision points, I concede that this meeting is taking place at a period characterized by socio-political and economic developments and uncertainties in both global and domestic arena. The Director General of WAMA indicated that the global economy lost momentum in 2019, with output expanded by 2.9 percent, further down from the 3.6 percent growth recorded in 2018 and 3.8 percent in 2017,” he said.

He however stated that despite the continued slowdown in the global economy, economic activity in the Community continues to strengthen, noting that in effect, composite growth of the economies in the Community was estimated at 3.3 percent in 2019, up from the 3.0 percent expansion recorded in 2018 and 2.3 percent in 2017.

According to the Bank Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, at the recent statutory meeting held in August 2019 in Conakry, he recounted the challenges Sierra Leone was grappling with, related especially to the subdued real sector activities, price instability, excesses in fiscal policy and external sector constraints.

Prior to the reviewing of Member States, the Bank Governor said that the macroeconomic fundamentals of Sierra Leone has improved modestly, since then, as a result of implementation of prudent policy measures that focused on promoting all-inclusive growth, restoring macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability through structural reforms, fiscal consolidation and a viable external sector.

“Consequently, real GDP growth accelerated to 5.1 percent in 2019, from 3.5 percent in 2018. Inflationary pressures also continued to trend downwards in the right direction to 13.9 percent at December 2019, after having peaked at 16.6 percent in April 2019,” he said.

During the end of year statutory meetings, several institutions within West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) are expected to have technical meetings followed by The 40th Meeting of the Committee of Central Bank Governors of the WAMZ, climax with the 43rd Meeting of the Convergence Council of Ministers and Governors which will be opened by the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio.

Minister of Planning Meets with ONS UK Team

February 10, 2020

By James Samba

The Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Francis Kai-Kai on Thursday February 6th 2020 held talks with a high powered delegation from the Office of National Statistics (ONS) UK at his Tower Hill Office in Freetown. This engagement brought an end to the delegation’s four day working visit to Sierra Leone.

In introducing the ONS team, Prof Osman Sankoh (Mallam 0), Statistician General and CEO of Stats SL said that the team had come as a result of his unfettered engagement with the UK National Statistics Office on the need for collaboration. He disclosed that discussions had been on for over a year to pull off and establish this partnership and that he is pleased that the team finally was able to come to Sierra Leone to do an assessment of Sierra Leone’s National Statistics Office which is Stats SL. He furthered that the relationship around the visit has been an affable one and that Stats SL hopes to benefit a lot from this visit especially in terms of the required technical expertise needed to do its work.

The ONS UK team comprising Dr Craig McLaren, Emily Poskett and Mike Prestwood, informed the Minister of how insightful and informative their visit has been. They stressed that the purpose of their visit was to get first-hand knowledge on Stats SL priorities, challenges and future plans for the coming years and identify how the UK Office of National Statistics’ collaboration can fit in .The delegation revealed that the four day visit has indeed helped them understand the difficulties faced in generating official and credible statistics by the State’s official statistics body, which they say was quite enlightening and that the visit has made them understand most of the challenges faced by Stats SL .They lauded the leadership and staff of Stats SL that they interacted with as being top notch, experienced and very qualified to do the job.

In response, the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr Francis Kai-Kai expressed satisfaction at the assessment visit by the UK Office of National Statistics which he says is a demonstration of the UK Government’s commitment to strengthening institutions in Sierra Leone. He continued that this couldn’t have come at a better time and thanked the office for thinking about Stats SL as an institution worth supporting.

He assured them of his Government’s reliance and dependability on official statistics which he says was even the guiding principle in the Mid Term National Development Plan which was developed by his Ministry on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone. He said that there is no way the Government of Sierra Leone can function without data which he says is the only tool that guides Government policies and programmes that it implements. In conclusion, he thanked the team and said he looks forward to the establishment of an ever growing bond between the two National Statistics Offices.

During their four day visit in Sierra Leone, the ONS team from UK held talks with the Management of Stats SL to understand the work of the institution and possibly identify means of collaboration and also visited the southern regional city of Bo, where they held a stakeholder engagement meeting with Stats SL regional staff, partners and other MDAs.

De Gron Dry, No Doubt… Bio’s Biggest Challenge Is The Cost Of Living

February 10, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

NRA denies that it is not their tax regimes that have caused the dramatic increases in the prices of basic essential commodities such as fuel, rice, cement, and all imported goods but other economic factors, mainly having to do with the fall in the value of the Leone against the Dollar, Pound and Euro since this Government came to power in early 2018.

Fact of the matter is that whatever impressive development gains this Government makes, if it cannot deal effectively and quickly with the issue of the rising cost of bread and butter items, the majority of the people, just as in the case of what happened to Ex-President Koroma and the APC Government after the Ebola disaster would not count those development gains as anything.

Put in very simple language, hunger does not befriend poor people to their leaders and their Governments. There is an old Nigerian proverb that says “fine words do not produce food”. So I will keep my words as simple and clear as possible.

As such, if we are talking about reducing poverty, the first point of call is dealing effectively with rising food prices. It is vital that healthy ecosystems underpin human health, wellbeing, livelihoods, jobs and sustainable growth.

Along that line, if this Government wants to achieve food security, they must ensure that we look after the vital ecosystems that allow us to produce our own food and abundantly to make it cheap.

Sadly, though unspoken, the majority of poor Sierra Leoneans in both urban and rural settings go to bed hungry every night while malnutrition continues to children who die before they reach the age of five.

These stark statistics are hard to grapple with. Imagine for a moment the pain of a mother who cannot feed her newborn daughter with the proper food she needs to live beyond the age of five. Imagine the mother who toils all day in the field but still goes to bed with a stomach aching from hunger because she cannot afford enough food to feed her family.

There is another West African proverb: ”It is a fool whose tomatoes are sold to him.” We cannot afford to continue making other countries farmers rich whilst ours remain poor and we the people hungry.

The Agriculture Minister before this one said we use over USD300 million annually importing foods that can be easily grown here in the process creating hundreds of thousands of jobs at all district levels. Only agriculture can drive the economic transformation that the country so badly needs.

The resources saved could be used to empower more women, end hunger, achieve food security, improve nutrition, combat climate change, create jobs and promote sustainable agriculture, leading to the attainment of the global goals, 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Simply raising crop yields by 10 percent would greatly reduce rural hunger and poverty. We have the knowledge to do it.

The benefits of an ecosystem-based approach to agriculture are clear in terms of its linkages to sustainable commercial value chains that will definitely boost farmers’ incomes and create up to 1 million jobs while catalysing an agricultural sector that could easily generate USD1 billion and more annually.

It means looking after our soils and our water sources. And it means sharing the knowledge and the technology that allows us to do all of these things. If we can do this – if we can optimize food production by embracing an ecosystem-based adaptation approach to agriculture – we can boost yields in the space of five years by over 300 percent.

What is exciting about the prospects in agriculture for the country is that it does not require enormous resources. We must also focus our efforts on improving every part of the food chain. We will have to improve our transport links and storage facilities so that we don’t waste so much food after it is harvested.

Tourism Ministry & World Bank to Evaluate 12 Potential Touristic Sites

February 10, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

At the Miatta Conference Centre on the 6^th February 2020, the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the World Bank held a consultative meeting to assess about twelve identified tourism sites to be developed in Sierra Leone.

Stating the purpose of the meeting, Director of Tourism, Mr. Mohamed Jalloh, disclosed that the Ministry in partnership with the World Bank, proposes to initially identify five strategic sites among the twelve listed destinations to benefit from what he described as the first phase of the tourism Product Development in the country

Chaired by the Hon. Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Mr. Tamba Lamina, the World Bank representative, Mr. Christian Quijada Torres said, among other things,, that the organization is always there to work with Governments that focus on development in various sectors.

Mr. Raffaele Gurjon, the World Bank Consultant, technically stated that the sustainability and viability of a market start with its products. He added that a good tourism marketing influences jobs and increases what he termed as “investor confidence,” stressing on the preference to be accorded to women to improve the livelihood of all citizens. He, meanwhile, pointed out the current tourism interest of investors searching for environmental conservation and preservation of heritage sites as he made a comparison between the country’s touristic sites and that of the Caribbean.

The Special Presidential Adviser on Heritage and Culture, Mr. Raymond De Souza George in his statement, observed that “We have been equipped with the evaluation and criteria to market our tourism.” Sierra Leone can display and advertise her products for the world to get attracted to them.

The Hon. Minister of the said Ministry, Dr. Memunatu B. Pratt while acknowledging the dignitaries present, revealed that discussions with the World Bank team started some months ago. Dr. Pratt told participants that this is the first time the Ministry has embarked on such a project with two nationwide surveys done last year on an assessment of the nation’s tourism assets. “We are losing the forests. Sand mining and related human activities that drive away wildlife should be handled holistically,” the Hon. Minister said.

She revealed that the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) criteria have been met by her Ministry. She stressed on inter-agency collaboration and partnership as tourism is highly interconnected with other line Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, pointing out that Sierra Leone is peaceful and currently moving towards being among top ecotourism destinations. She, meanwhile, highlighted proposed tourism projects for 2020 including the long-awaited Budapest-Bamako Amateur Rally, Review of the 1990 Tourism Act and the National Domestic Tourism Declaration.

The next session was consumed by the World Bank team doing PowerPoint presentation on the proposed product development for the said identified sites in a form of clusters as they later received subsequent questions, contributions, comments, etc from participants largely invited from within the tourism sector.

Lands Minister says he is Unperturbed

February 10, 2020

By Foday Moriba Conteh

Following the widespread condemnation spewed against the Minister of Land, Dr. Denis Sandy, in his strides to execute his responsibilities that fall under his mandate this medium became so interested in the ongoing hue and cry relating to land issues and so therefore decided to engage the Minister in order to sound his reactions.

In an exclusive interview, the Minister intimated how he is the type of personality that could be best described as a hands-on Minister as he involves himself in even delegated responsibilities just to make sure that they are done.

“Since I was appointed Minister of Lands and Country Planning, I have not got time to sit and relax a bit because of the headaches that I found in this Ministry,” he intimated revealing how he works up to night hours as he tries to address the problems of land and land grabbing in the country.
He said despite the sterling efforts he has been taking to address the land problems in the country they seem not to be going away because of the dubious acts of certain civil servants in the Ministry.

Asked whether he is perturbed by the various criticisms bordering around his overzealousness to reclaim State land with some saying he is too aggressive the Lands Minister told our reporter that whatever action he is taking is supported by evidence and statutory authority of the Ministry. He said that some families are claiming historical ownership to 80 to 100 acres of land without proper documentation; there are some people with documents but no land; and non-citizens acquiring huge portions of land to the disadvantage of citizens.

He underscored how everybody wants land saying it is a whole industry that is challenging, chaotic and dirty.

“The land space in the Western Area has been squeezed over time. Our approach has been aggressive. Sometimes we have to behave abnormally for the benefit of the country and its citizens,” Dr. Sandy underscored adding that under his leadership there is not going to be business as usual.

From an in-depth investigation undertaken by this medium, in the Ministry of Lands there are surveyors and there are land guards who are civil servants and who are supposed to protect the interests of Government but this Press discovered to its horror that these very surveyors and land guards are allegedly the root causes of the problems in that Ministry while at the same time they themselves are the problems.

The work of land guards, according to findings, is to identify all Government owned lands all over the country and after that identification then the surveyors come in to survey those pieces of land.
It again came out glaringly that land disputes forms the highest number of cases in the courts as the alleged dishonesty between land guards and surveyors become more pronounced.

This Press has found that the problems start right from the identification stage. Land Guards will leave spaces in the pie charts and then report the remaining pieces of land to Government.
The areas left out will not be surveyed by Government surveyors who will then conspire with the land guards to sell those pieces of land that have been erased from the pie charts.
It is evidently clear then that when Government tries to regain its own property then the clashes will arise and cause problems.
A top official of the Ministry stated how they have made requests to the relevant Ministries to transfer those civil servants who have complicated things in his Ministry.

Aggrieved SLFA Congress Delegates Cry Foul

February 10, 2020

President Sierra Leone Football Association Isha Johansen

By Amin Kef Sesay

Majority of concerned delegates from different football associations and Premier League clubs who were slated to participate in the Sierra Leone Football Association Congress in Kenema on 31^st January and 1^st February 2020 but was aborted, convened a Press Conference on Friday 7^th February 2020 at the Sierra Leone Association of Journalist Hall on Campbell Street in Freetown to make known to members of the Fourth Estate and other relevant stakeholders certain burning concerns and frustration over what they referred to as illegalities on the part of the Sierra Leone Football Association that culminated into not having a successful Congress.

Highlighting their dissatisfaction they mentioned how the legitimate appointed delegates were rejected entry into the hall on weak and illogical pretexts by the General Secretary who used Policemen and specially hired thugs to intimidate the said delegates.

It was also pointed out that the budget presented did not comply with the requirements of Article 41.2 of the Statutes, as the Finance Committee is not in existence, and as such could not have been approved for presentation to the FA Secretariat and Executive Committee for examination which prompted them to reject it.

“However, in a manipulative move a skewed hand count was done in favour or not in favour of adopting it and it was endorsed by the FIFA representative Solomon Medege who by all intent and purpose was to observe the process,” they underscored furthering that the General Secretary counted observers as delegates but could still not achieve the 500/0+1 simple majority.

They again expressed disappointment that the said budget was scanty and without budget notes and it also lacked details thereby depriving members the opportunity to deliberate and scrutinize specific items of the budget noting that the budget was flawed in many areas, for example, the P.A.Y.E. TAX, which is automatically deducted from the employee’s salary, under the laws of Sierra Leone, was a separate budgetary item. They stated that similarly budget items like accounting software, player’s data base software, and hired vehicles all have bloated prices looking at the prevailing market prices.

They also noted that the new constitution was never deliberated during the Port Loko Congress and as such could not have been approved at any level. “But however, it was only presented during the Kenema Congress proceedings and when properly scrutinized there were grey areas and conflicting articles such as Articles 12.c and 12.g,” they intimated adding that the list of nominees was also tampered with as the Agenda and documentations were circulated only days before the Congress and is in violation of Article 28.

The concerned delegates pointed out how the Executive Committee and the FA Secretariat handpicked the nominees in violation of Article 12.c which clearly dictates that the right to nominate/propose is the exclusive responsibility of the members/association but it was done in a shady manner.

“To crown it all, Article 34 which clearly defines the powers of the Executive Committee does not mandate that Committee any privilege or power to nominate members to the Judicial and Independent bodies. The nominations of such members fall within the purview of the membership as enshrined in Article 12c,” they continued revealing that in protest on the grounds of illegality and unconstitutionality that was rejected in an uncompromising way by the Chairperson of the Congress (President Isha Johansen).

They again noted how the voting process was again falsified with observers voting as delegates amidst protests that a good number of nominees on the list were not qualified on the grounds of belonging to clubs, working for Government institutions, facing Commissions of Inquiry and for corruption matters, which raised questions about their integrity.

They strongly maintained that known legal representatives of Isha Johansen and members of the hitherto FIFA Task Force were all on the list and other nominees for the chairmanship of certain committees do not meet the criteria of being lawyers and as such their nominations were invalidated.

Against that backdrop they are calling on FIFA to nullify the entire process with immediate effect stating that the budget must not be considered as approved and the list of nominees must also be disregarded.

In addition, they would like to officially express their disappointment over the conduct of the FIFA representative, Solomon Medege, whom they say inadvertently or deliberately, got involved in domestic football politics in several ways during the process.

They again maintained that they are no longer comfortable with representatives of FIFA registering how Madam Johansen is a committee member and as such is very influential and for these representatives coming to resolve issues in Sierra Leone, where Isha is a clear key player defeat the principles of “fair play”.

They recommended that more independent and fairer individuals be sent who would ensure a levelled playing field.

“Our potential actions could lead to the withdrawal of all clubs from all leagues, an injunction to halt the mismanagement of the association and a legal process to CAS, but it is our intent that your office will act within the shortest possible time to review or investigate the entire process,” they said was part of a communication to FIFA.

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