NP Ltd is Resolute to Step-Up Efficient & Effective Service Delivery

February 3, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

The National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is more resolute to step up its operations in this New Year in order to continue to give the best in terms of making available qualitative petroleum products for optimal performance of engines powered by diesel or petrol. Besides, the lubricants it markets have been classed as being among the best and could even be accessed in shops across the country.

The company’s shareholders and Management are working assiduously round the clock to ensure that all the necessary arrangements are sealed on time in order to facilitate business transactions for timely shipment, off loading and distribution of petroleum products to avoid any form of hiccup in the supply chain that could lead to dire consequences.

One area that the company will continue to put more emphasis on is maximizing customer care for which it has proudly bagged the accolade 1^st For Customer Care. Just like how the hen cares for its offspring the motherly NP-SL Ltd do cares about its numerous customers and even those who have not out of the passion that collectively much could be achieved. The Shareholders, Board members and Management strongly believe that the concerns and recommendations from its customers and the public are so important that they must be taken into consideration for the mapping out of solid policies that will enhance the service delivering strides it undertakes. This wisdom on the part of the key players of the company continues to pay positive dividends and gives rise to a win-win situation.

The company has etched a name for itself as being the leading petroleum marketing company operating in the country that installed latest calibrated pumping machines at all its Filling Stations in the country. These are transparent machines that do display the quantity of fuel requested for as well as the price. Satisfied with the quantity that is pumped as requested for which determines the amount of money to pay has definitely instilled trust in the company.

Still within the domain of 1st for Customer Care, the company is always in a position to enter into payment plans with its reliable and dependable customers including Ministries, Departments and Agencies for supplied fuel and lubricants as long as all the necessary modalities have been put in place.

When cognizance is taken of the fact that some of these institutions receive intermittent budgetary allocations then such an arrangement is very significant. Its significance in real terms borders on functional continuity of those institutions as they will be assured of supplies of petroleum products in as much as they keep honoring their obligations.

In implementing the Local Content Policy the company from the onset made it a policy to employ Sierra Leoneans as long as they have the requisite skills and expertise and such has helped to alleviate poverty by putting monies into pockets which could be utilized to take care of responsibilities.

For those who have not tried NP Gas for the first time it is now time to give it a try. Designed in sizable varying cylinders and sold at various NP Filling Stations, this cooking device has been rated as one of the best that is on offer for sale. NP Gas is safe, user friendly and portable. Trying it will spur you to recommend it to others.

NP Smart Card is now in vogue and is one of the latest technological devices used to purchase petroleum products. Using it has attendant advantages as evident in procuring fuel at any time of the day even during times when monies could not be accessed from banks. It is secured, easy to use and very quick. It is now trending.

To crystallize proposed projects into tangible realities on the ground, Government needs the required financial resources to effectively do so and one sure way is from collection of taxes which is the mandate of the National Revenue Authority (NRA). The company is one of the big time tax payers in the country and it is very compliant in that direction.

The company is a source of pride for many Sierra Leoneans simply because it has successfully established functional and vibrant branches in Guinea, Liberia Ivory Coast and The Gambia. In all these countries the National Petroleum Limited is conspicuous and doing vibrantly well.

Orange SL Connects 1,170 New Localities in 2019

February 3, 2020

By Foday Moriba Conteh

Having connected 1,170 new localities in 2019 ,the well-established telecommunications company that has gained widespread recognition for effective service delivery, Orange Sierra Leone, is now very much positioned and poised to continue giving its numerous subscribers value for money and at the same time ready to welcome new ones into her bosom.

Acquiring Airtel’s national operations in July 2016, the company has invested a lot just in a bid to enhance its operations. Since 2016, the company’s focus has been to be in touch and to connect what is essential in people’s lives with an ambitious zest to deliver an unmatched customers’ experience.

In order to improve on its quality of service, Orange invested a total of One hundred and fourteen Million four hundred thousand Dollar($ 114.4) in excess to modernize their passive infrastructure by replacing 105 generators, 282 DC power systems, modernized its active RAN equipment, launched its world class data centre and changed their core equipment’s which include CS (MSC) core node which handles voice traffic and PS core nodes which handle data traffic to the internet.

To the commendation of the company, it expanded rural connectivity by building 45 new sites in 2017, 42 new sites in 2018 and committed itself to construct additional 55 new sites in 2019.

In order to achieve all these inevitably the company encountered several challanges such as site accessibility, heavy rains, core node migration impact on voice and data services, localized service availability during equipment replacement caused by shipment delays and grid availability.

However, amidst all of these challanges Orange SL pursued a strong industrial project in the country geared towards covering most of the country with telecoms services that will improve rural connectivity and also their quality of service.

Currently, the company is proud to have completed 55 sites committed in 2019 which means connecting more than 1,170 new localities, with thousands of Sierra Leoneans now accessing data, voice and financial services for the first time.

The company owns 391 sites across the country and can boast of the widest network coverage in Sierra Leone covering about 74% of the country’s population. Indeed, monumental strides were made through the inception of its Digital Revolution programme in February 2019 and the launch of its 4G service one month later.

Orange Sierra Leone Chief Executive Officer Aminata Kane Ndiaye has this to say: “We’re pursuing a strong industrial project in Sierra Leone that is geared towards covering most of the country with telecom services, services that will improve rural connectivity and also our quality of service.”

Meeting marked milestone after landmark progression, the company has already drastically transformed the national landscape and socioeconomic status quo and is poised to continue leading the change in enabling new-era connectivity.

“What we’re offering is truly high-speed broadband mobile internet – an unmatched, life-changing experience that puts digital communication completely within the control of the consumer, affecting and adding value to every facet of their lives,” Ndiaye added.

Research from GSMA has shown that mobiles aren’t just considered to be communication devices. They are equally the primary channel for many people in getting online and accessing vital tools such as digital education, digital healthcare and mobile banking.

Against such a backdrop, Orange SL is empowering digital transformation across a multitude of verticals to bring sustainable benefits to all Sierra Leoneans with the company’s core emphasis centred around connecting rural areas.

“Currently, approximately 50 percent of Sierra Leoneans do not use mobile phones, while the main countries of ECOWAS (Economic Community of West African States) are close to 100 percent,” the CEO pointed out furthering, “We’re proud that our strategic drivers are changing this, already having connected to well over 900 new localities with thousands of Sierra Leoneans now able to access data, voice and financial services for the first time.”

The company’s influence goes far. Orange Money services, for example, have been a key driver of financial inclusion, providing people with the platform to access banking solutions, from money transfers and salary payments to bills and merchants’ payments.

“There was an enormous appetite for mobile money services. The ability to transfer funds, pay bills, save, borrow and so on has been inclusively transforming the lives of all individuals and businesses, be it women, farmers or those living in remote areas. Being the first to bring mobile money to Sierra Leone has given people the ability to access funds anywhere, anytime, saving time, improving security and providing a means for saving and managing money more effectively,” she explained.

In addition to Orange Sierra Leone strides to bolster socio-economic transformation rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility(CRS) have been very impressive. The company is on record for being the only operator in Sierra Leone to contribute to the Government’s Free Quality Education Agenda and so far has supported the provision of hygiene packs for girls, established a Super Coder Academy, inter-secondary school competition, the open classroom and solar kits for school children.

In total, the aforementioned is set to cost of $1.5 million in total over a period of five years, with a further $12 million earmarked for bolstering high quality connectivity through the expansion of 3G and 4G capabilities across the country.

“We are committed to doing business in an ethical manner and contribute heavily to the development of our countries of presence,” Ndiaye intimated adding, “We have tried to understand the needs and values of Sierra Leoneans and how we can connect them with the Orange brand. Our aim is to give people what is really essential in their lives and relevant to their locality with international standards, providing them with an unmatched experience and the platform to grow.”

Orange SL in total spent some Le2 billion ($238,000) on CSR during 2017 and 2018.

The Chief Executive Officer has expressed confidence that the progress they have made so far has laid the strong foundation for future expansion.

Whether it’s the education, energy or agricultural sectors, the CEO outlined the company’s goals of introducing and implementing new technologies for businesses of all kinds across Sierra Leone.

Ndiaye concludes by citing her optimism for the future: “We’ll be turning our attentions to investing $24 million this year in our network in support of the Government’s efforts to increase ICT, and provide leading 4G services.

“In turn, we’re hopeful that the Government will continue to help us. We are grateful for the recent review on mobile termination rates (MTR), resulting in the removal of the $0.02 tax on local interconnect call and the coming reduction of the MTR to $0.025.

“We are also hopeful that the removal of $0.01 tax on international outgoing calls and the removal of price cap on international voice and SMS tariffs will be given consideration. I’m optimistic that feedback from stakeholders in the telecoms industry will be given consideration during the final review of the draft National Communications Act due to be enacted in 2019.

“The aforementioned will be accompanied by our launch of new mobile financial services such as micro loans, efforts to become a digital transformation partner of choice, and continued CSR programmes – it’s undeniably exciting times for our company, this country and its people.”

“Improving security and providing a means for saving and managing money more effectively,” she explained.

SLPP: Beware of KKY Innuendos

January 31, 2020

REBUTTAL To: “KKY Exposes SLPP & APC Cycle of Revenge and Retributions” Published in The Calabash Newspaper of 27 January 2020

By Farla Barbu

There is power and evil in the tongue. The Book of James 3: 5-6 says: “Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a word of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, set the whole course of his life, and is itself set on fire by hell.”

The above biblical quotation about the tongue readily unsettled my nerves as I read an address delivered during a debate by Honourable Kandeh Yumkella to students of the University of Makeni (UNIMAK), on 24 January 2020 as to take my pen once again. The theme of the debate was: “Enhancing Citizens’ Participation in Accountable and Inclusive Politics in Sierra Leone” published in the Monday January 27, 2020 edition of the Calabash Newspaper.

As expected the Honourable’s remarks were as remarkable as his prided intellect. Nevertheless, it is my fear that the sense of opposition politics is fast consuming the very fabrics of that prided intellect and which has all the potential to cause students and people’s uprising in the country.

With his great gift of the gab and as someone with eyes on the throne of the country, understandably one could rarely expect KKY to deliver good choice words about government in power. The honourable man in his blistering remarks got the UNIMAK students spellbound over issues of what he referred to as “circle of revenge and retributions” under both the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the All People’s Congress Party (APC). In another breadth of remarks, he rendered a blatant innuendo capable of giving rise to students’ uprising in the country.

His first reference point happened to be the recalling of diplomats within few months into coming to power by both the SLPP and APC governments. “The devastating impact of these actions on our governance and institutions results in weak and incompetent institutions often staffed by political cronies who do not know their right from their left,” fired KKY; strong words, eh?

But the question is: who will continue to be the sacrificial lamb in Sierra Leone politics? Not SLPP. Honourable Yumkella in his candid apolitical conscience could vouch with certainty that from its formative years SLPP, (KKY’s late father’s party), has always taken the path to democratic values. From the Father of the nation – Sir Milton Margai – to Alhaji Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, on to present day President Julius Maada Bio, the pursuit of national peace, unity, love for one another, development and security of Sierra Leone under past and present SLPP Governments have remained far more demonstrative than the other’s.

In his idle thoughts about SLPP politics of national drive, Sir Albert Margai – the younger brother of Milton Margai who succeeded him – attempted to introduce tribalism into the politics of the country. No sooner than later the SLPP leadership kicked the bulky man out of power and let him go wallow in political wilderness.

Truth to be said, Siaka Stevens- founder of APC party – fired by the earlier democratic initiatives of the SLPP government – introduced a government of national unity. As a symbol of unity he claimed to be Mende, Temne and Limba in one (the three major tribes). Although he was a dictator, a leader whose personal bank account was synonymous with the national treasury, corrupted beyond human understanding as to have caused eleven years of civil war in the country in the end, he was a unifier.

United Nations ex-diplomat, the late President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah upon being declared winner of the 2002 elections under the SLPP flag, could not wait to tell the nation that his own government was not SLPP government but that of government of national unity. He went on to appoint his officials of government that was made up of more opposition APC party members from the north his home, to the chagrin of the SLPP stakeholders and supporters. The late man in the aftermath of eleven years of civil war ensured that democratic structures were put in place for national development and cohesion among the people. Tribalism, regionalism and ethnicity found no place under the Kabbah watch.

That however could not be the case under his successor, ex-president Ernest Bai Koroma. Ex-president Koroma in his cooked-up election victory address to the nation in 2007 promised to unite the country on the path to national development. As a matter of fact, he in the end left the country in ferment, in a state of repressed fear, restless silence, forced tolerance and hidden hatred among the people.

Ex-president Koroma for eleven years presided over north-west and south-east divide. Never in the history of this country had any government and leadership before him divided Sierra Leone into such tribal, ethnic and regional proportion. He was the worst leader Sierra Leone has ever had.

To have come or live in Sierra Leone under ex-president Koroma rule was to witness a scene of polarised nation between the south-east (Mende) and north-west (Temne, Limba and Creole). His policy decisions singled out the south-easterners for neglect, discrimination, exclusion and persecution. Tribalism, regionalism and ethnicity remained factors that determined who got job in his government with south-easterners consigned to the raw edge of the bargain. They were sacked from their jobs en masse with impunity and replaced by their north-west compatriots.

Where was Honourable Yumkella who today wants to portray the SLPP government with his ivory tower rhetoric about “circle of revenge and retribution” under the government of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, and now wants to incite students to an uprising in the country?

Addressing the students of UNIMAK on students’ participation in national politics, he accused the students of behaving as though they were helpless. “In the last 15 years,” he charged, “change has come through connective action, through people who were discontent with the political systems in their countries and the adverse economic and social consequences they suffered.”

He gave as an example the Arab Spring which he said was led by youth and students using social media applications like whatsApp and Facebook who rallied their nations to remove their dictators (leaders).

Such rhetoric by KKY was blatantly inciting as to cause trouble in this country. Students are known all over the world to be restive, and given our present economic, social and political malaise caused by eleven years of misrule by the APC government, the people are impatient and need instant solution to their welfare. The country was rampaged by the locusts of the APC Government for a period of nearly eleven years leaving the people in a strait-jacket austerity. Does KKY expect President Bio’s Government to have solution to such devastated economic, social and political foundation of the country in just 18 months of governance?

President Bio in his eighteen months in office has painstakingly endeavoured to bring the divided nation once again together. He called for national dialogue through Bintumani III which the opposition APC party ignored. Unlike ex-president Koroma who sacked most south-easterners from their jobs, President Bio against the background of an outcry of dissatisfaction, regret and chagrin among his party stakeholders, members and supporters decided to leave most former APC Government officials in post, some in very sensitive areas. Where is the “circle of revenge and retribution” that the Bio Government is practising as to warrant KKY to call on students and the people to reinvent the wheel of Arab Spring in this country?

As one with an eye on the leadership of this country, is this the kind of rhetoric that KKY would like others to ascribe to his future leadership, if at all – restive and explosive? Little wonder the woes of Africa had been blamed on our so-called intellectuals whose greed and selfishness can go to any length to divide their people if only to gain political power.

KKY is a highly respected gentleman in the society from whose lips much juicy morsels of wisdom are expected to drop and not to betray national decorum, peace, love and unity among the people as he demonstrated at Makeni. It was below the belt.

The tongue is evil and given its use by the opposition, the SLPP Government of His Excellency President Bio must beware. A Government in power that is roundly bullied by the opposition with impunity, threatened with chaos and war by the opposition and now the incitement of the people to Arab Spring experience by Honourable Yumkella, there is cause for concern.

When security gives way to conspiracy, trouble reigns. SLPP GOVERNMENT, BEWARE!

SLAJ President Urge Lands Minister to Publicly Respond to Land Related Concerns

January 31, 2020

By Amin Kef Sesay

In a very proactive move, the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) on 29 January 2020 urged the Minister of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Dr. Dennis Sandy, to speak to the public in order to respond to the many concerns being raised by citizens and non-citizens regarding his handling of land matters in the country.

The Association’s President, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, took the opportunity to encourage the Minister to throw light on these concerns, especially the naming of Pa-O-Pa Town when members paid a courtesy call on the Minister on Wednesday 29th January 2020 at his Youyi Building office, Brookfields, Freetown, to follow up on progress in relation to allocation of State land to SLAJ.

Dr. Sandy responded by describing the Ministry of Lands as a whole industry that has been plagued by all kinds of criminal activities and conspiracies over the years. And to free the Ministry from such negative situation and give it a new direction, he said they have to employ aggressive measures.

“Everybody wants land; it’s a whole industry. It’s challenging, it’s 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 explained, adding that under his leadership there’s not going to be business as usual.

Regarding his recent naming of a settlement at Grafton as Pa-O-Pa Town, Dr. Sandy said he has authority to do so under many laws including the Freetown Improvement Act (Cap 66 of 1966).

He said it was the same powers that former Minister of Lands, Bobson Sesay, used to name the settlement around the US Embassy in Freetown as South Ridge areas around Hill Station as Plums Heath, IMATT and SS Camp; and other areas such as Angola Town and Gbangbayilla.

Furthermore, he explained that the settlement in question at Grafton was named Gibo Town or APC Corner by settlers on their own, which he described as illegal.

“We went there and found out they were state lands which were not properly acquired. So we reclaimed it and re-allocated the lands in a structured and orderly manner, and we are monitoring every construction on that land and every other settlement that we have identified, reclaimed and re-allocated for that matter. We called the key settlers, including Gibo, to a meeting here at my office and we all agreed to rename the area Pa-O-Pa Town,” explained Dr. Sandy, adding that there are many All People’s Congress (APC) supporters in the area whose land documents the Ministry has now authenticated.

He explained further: “It seems as if it is the name some people are unhappy about. When it was called APC Corner nobody raised concern. Pa-O-Pa is not SLPP. Pa-O-Pa means for the good of the country.”

The Lands Minister assured that whatever action he’s taking is supported by evidence and statutory authority of the Ministry. He mentioned briefly about families historically claiming 80 to 100 acres of land without proper documentation, people with documents but no land and non-citizens acquiring huge portions of land to the disadvantage of citizens among others, but assured SLAJ he would explain all of these in detail to the public very soon.

He said on Tuesday next he would be on Radio Democracy 98.1 FM’s popular ‘Gud Morning Salone’ program to explain to the public and respond to further concerns and questions.

Meanwhile, SLAJ requested for state land within the central business district to construct a convention center and in the provinces for its regional bodies in the North, South and East. The SLAJ President lamented the challenge of paying rent for the headquarters in Freetown and the regions against the background of struggling times for the country’s media industry.

Dr. Dennis said it would be historic, and a big legacy for him, for the Ministry to allocate land to SLAJ and its regional bodies, but advised the Association to follow due process and procedures by putting in an application formally.

One year after Sierra Leone’s Gender Violence ‘Emergency’

January 31, 2020

Girls carry drinking water across a bridge in Freetown, Sierra Leone

By Amin Kef Sesay

President Julius Maada Bio in February last year declared a state of emergency over sexual and gender-based violence. Claiming there was no time to spare, his move allowed the Government to immediately introduce new regulations without consulting Parliament. These included new provisions for victims and more severe punishments for offenders.

The President’s actions occurred during a series of high-profile cases and rising discontent over the issue. These included the case of a five-year-old girl who had been severely assaulted and left paralyzed from the waist down. Gender-based campaigns were also becoming more vocal. These included gender activist Asmaa James’ Black Tuesday and the First Lady’s Hands off Our Girls movements.

To cap it all off, new figures also showed that the number of sexual assault cases reported to the Police in 2018 had more than doubled to 8,500. A third of the cases involved young girls.

Maada Bio’s emergency measures were widely applied. But there was uncertainty about the legality of using state of emergency procedures to effect deep legislative changes without parliamentary involvement. In June the state of emergency was quietly revoked. The Government instead introduced a full-blown legislative programme through the usual parliamentary channels, which passed the amendments in September.

Opinions about the value of the short-lived state of emergency vary. Interviews suggested that the President was given bad legal advice and should never have declared it. This has now created a situation where the regulations passed during this period were only temporary, leaving some offenders in limbo.

Others have supported the President’s declaration because it refocused much-needed attention on sexual violence and fast-tracking cases in the courts. One gender activist stated that it had unlocked new donor funding for her organisation.

Despite the mixed reaction, there’s no denying that it created momentum, which ultimately led to substantial legal changes that intend to better protect women and girls.

The new law

Numerous amendments have been made to the country’s 2012 Sexual Offences Act. Many activists regard the original Act as a “robust piece of legislation”, but with shortcomings.

For example, it failed to address how cases should be managed. This included how they should be handled prior to prosecution, during investigations as well as court case management and sentencing. The Act also failed to provide a minimum sentence for sexual offences against children, resulting in some outrageously low sentences being passed.

The 2019 Amendment addresses some of these criticisms. Among other things, it increases the minimum sentence for rape from five to 15 years for adults (with a maximum of life imprisonment). It can allow cases to go directly to the High Court for trial, without the need for a preliminary investigation at the Magistrate court.

The new law also includes provisions for new offences including solicitation by persons in authority – such as teachers, religious figures, doctors – and aggravated sexual assault. Significantly, it criminalises individual involvement of anyone – be it a family head, religious leader or chief – attempting to settle a sexual assault or rape case in their community instead of reporting it to the police. Offenders face a fine of 10,000,000 Leones ($1,000) and could also face jail.

Unfinished business

The new provisions have been greeted as a positive step. But they also bring new challenges and controversies.

For instance, sentencing guidelines still need to be set out by the Chief Justice. Also, provisions for a sex offender register don’t include details on how it will work. And while victims are supposed to be able to access free medical care in relation to their assault, there are no guidelines around this.

The other unresolved issue is that Sierra Leone’s correctional centres are already overcrowded. The potential for longer sentences means this will only get worse.

Perhaps the most controversial change is that people below the age of 14 can now be prosecuted for sexual offences. There is also criticism that recent attention has focused disproportionately on sexual violence, particularly of young girls, and neglected other types of gender-based violence.

Broader structural issues also need to be addressed if the State really intends to tackle sexual and gender-based violence.

Firstly, most Sierra Leoneans don’t use the formal, state-sanctioned legal system. Police stations are often very far from where people live and it costs time and money to report crimes. Police facilities are poorly staffed and underfunded, especially outside big cities.

There are also concerns that, due to the potential for significant sentences, the new laws may negatively affect sexual crimes being reported. Evidence already suggests that people don’t report assaults to formal authorities because of the ripple effects it can have in tightly-knit communities. The notion that someone in the community could go to jail for a longer period may make people even more cautious about coming forward.

Finally, the fact that trying to broker a deal has been made a criminal offence could affect local power structures. It’s not uncommon for chiefs and community leaders to intervene as part of the practice in rural areas of trying to resolve cases using informal channels. Criminalising compromise may drive a further wedge between the formal legal system and traditional authorities.

As ever, the remaining challenge is to ensure that Sierra Leoneans have access to and faith in the social and criminal justice services that exist to uphold these new laws.

IMF First Deputy MD & President Bio Meets at State House

January 31, 2020

President Dr Julius Maada Bio & First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF Dr David Lipton

By Theresa Kef Sesay

A high-level delegation from the International Monetary Fund, IMF, led by its First Deputy Managing Director, Dr David Lipton, held a fruitful meeting with His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio at State House on 28 January 2020 where head of the delegation commended his efforts of promoting human capital development.

Presenting the team, Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa, said he was pleased that the New Direction Government was able to win back the confidence of the Fund after it suspended its programmes with the previous Government, adding that the country is excited with its renewed partnership with the IMF, especially in the area of its technical advice to the country.

In his statement, President Bio welcomed the visiting team by saying that Sierra Leone deserves the visit because they had worked very hard as a Government to establish a very strong relationship with the IMF. He described the Fund as one of their strongest development partners, adding that despite having inherited a very challenging economic system they were able to institute reforms that would benefit the people.

He noted that his Government had chosen Human Capital Development, which included providing free quality education, health service and agriculture, as the thrust of its development process. He said that as part of its development agenda, the Government had worked extremely hard to fight corruption, which was one of the main obstacles to development.

“The main thrust of our economic management has actually been fiscal consolidation – to make sure that we mobilise enough revenue and also manage our expenditure and we have experienced some growth. We chose Human Capital – access to food, education, and health as the main pillars to support our development. We are also working hard and creating an ecosystem that is inviting for investment,’’ he said.

In his response, Dr Lipton expressed appreciation to the Government for the hospitality accorded him and his delegation, adding that they had a shared perspective with the Government on the situation in the country. He said that his meeting with school pupils in the country showed their eagerness to learn, saying that that was an indication of Sierra Leone’s tremendous potentials.

He said that they were in the country to help offer advice and guidance and to also help the Government in its fiscal consolidation as part of their partnership with the Government. He also noted that they were ready to work with Sierra Leone to be a helpful and responsive partner and added that they were impressed with the Government’s focus on human capacity building.

Dr David Lipton has been the First Deputy Managing Director of the IMF since 2011. Prior to joining the IMF, he was Special Assistant to President Barack Obama and served as Senior Director for International Economic Affairs at the National Economic Council and the National Security Council at the White House.

Bio Encourages APRM Leadership to Promote a Cleaner Image of Sierra Leone

January 31, 2020

By Brima Sannoh

At State House on 28 January 2020 the National Governing Council of the African Peer Review Mechanism, APRM, paid a courtesy call on His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio during which they commended him for maintaining good governance in the country.

The Executive Secretary for the APRM, Dr Charles Joezie Silvia in presenting the team to the President said they had mutually agreed on the instrument that was voluntarily acceded to by member States of the African Union as a self-monitoring mechanism.

Dr Silvia said that APRM was founded in 2003 and Sierra Leone joined it in 2003 with the mandate of encouraging conformity with regards to political, economic and corporate governance values, codes and standards, among African countries. He added that the objective around socio-economic development was also to ensure monitoring and evaluation of AU Agenda 2063 and SDGs 2030.

Chairman of APRM, Ms Abigail Renner, expressed deep gratitude to President Bio on behalf of the Secretariat. She added that they were pleased with the leadership of the President to strengthen the capacity, reinforce and monitor compliance of the standards of APRM in Sierra Leone.

“Your Excellency, we will continue to work hard to ensure that Sierra Leone positions herself in meeting the requirements that were set among its continental peers, and also to support your administration achieve the desired successes, especially in promoting best practises not only in our beloved country, but in Africa as a whole,” she noted.

On his part, President Bio thanked members of the visiting team, stating that he was pleased to see that the Secretariat was reconstructed and now functional. He added that he wanted to see a cleaner image of Sierra Leone in the international arena.

“Good governance is at the heart of everything we are doing. We want to be useful members and to play our part for all to see and it should be acceptable around the world. We all should work hard to make us better to deliver on our mandates,” he emphasised.

Henrietta Mbawah Foundation & Youth Ministry Mount Campaign To Combat Drug Abuse

January 31, 2020

By Edward Vamboi

On 28 January 2020 the Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs, Hon. Lusine Kallon, joined the entertainment industry and other line agencies to campaign against drug abuse and other substance misuse among young people.
He said medical researchers have opined that the exact cause of substance abuse is not clear as some are either a genetic disposition which is learned from others, or a habit which if addiction develops, manifests itself as a chronic debilitating disease.
“We inherited a challenging situation with the youth facing the brunt but it is time to act and change the ugly story but we cannot do it in isolation, hence the need for partnership with key stakeholders,” the Deputy Youth Minister stated.

According to him, the recent risk assessment conducted with the United Nations team from New York gave a clear picture of the exact situation of the youths in terms of vulnerability. He stressed that the assessment was to prepare them in addressing the problems of drug abuse and substance misuse among young people.

The Deputy Youth Minister assured that such a partnership will yield positive result in disorientating the negative mind sets of the youth to make them responsible citizens in society.

In her address, the head of Henrietta Mbawah Foundation said the purpose of the press conference is to premiere a movie titled “Crip Town” which was produced after a visibility study on the current situation of young people.

“Our study alluded to the fact that the system has cracked and we needed to find a prompt solution,” said Ms. Mbawah.

She said what has worsened the situation are Indian companies that largely produce alcohol at a very cheap price. She therefore encouraged the Government to intervene as many are not using Brewery products because they are expensive.

She also called on the parents to stop protecting a bad child that is a menace in society. She commended President Bio for giving the opportunity to young people to serve at national level in all governance structures of the New Direction administration.

The Deputy Commissioner, National Youth Commission (NAYCOM), Emerson Kamara said drug and substance abuse is a national concern that needs action.
He said, “We have made a lot of commitments and what we are looking forward to now is real action.” He added that “in moving into real action you identify the key players so that a sustainable solution will be enforced.”

Lagumba Keili- Director of Planning, Interagency Relations and Strategic Communications, Office of National Security said youth indiscipline and lawlessness have become an existential issue in the country and therefore recommended for a national conversation on youth issues.
He said 2020 is meant to develop a cohesive strategy and programs for the country underscoring how such a strategy will reverse such an ugly development.

He described the current crop of young people as a ‘lost generation’ and declined that they are future leaders of Sierra Leone.

“Our political leaders have not been able to help the situation,” he said, whilst stressing that they used young people during elections and dump them later.

Legal Aid Board Executive Director, Mrs Fatmata Claire Carlton Hanciles called on her audience to applaud the Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs for his untiring role to address the problems of young people saying “his heart is really in reforming this country.”
“Minister Kallon has done more and he is a household name because he sees himself as one of them.”
She pledged her institution’s support to promote the movie to sensitize the youth.
Chief Superintendent of the Sierra Leone Police, Mira Dumbuya, said they are on track but have limited personnel to man the entire country as according to her, the country has porous borders that are serving as a gate for illicit drug importation. She said they have raided cartel and ghettos to destabilise them. She recommended a multi-sectoral approach to addressing the problem.

HRCSL Chairman Discloses Statelessness as a Human Rights Issue

January 31, 2020

By Fatmata Jengbe

During the HRCSL engagement with the Head of CID, John K. Alpha, Supervisor of Violent Crimes, M.K Alieu, ASP L.A Sana Vandi and the two deportees from the United States of America, the Chairman of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone(HRCSL) ,Patricia Narsu Ndanema , pointed out that ‘Statelessness is a human rights concern’.

“As an institution mandated to protect and promote Human Rights in Sierra Leone, the Commission is investigating to see what we can do with regards the deportees as statelessness is a very serious human rights issue,” she stated. Saren Idaho and Prince Artman Latayo who are the deportees have said they were not Sierra Leoneans.

The discussion borders around what has been done so far by the CID and what could be done for the deportees.

The two were brought in on August14th 2019 on the allegation that the two had Sierra Leonean travel documents. But the deportees said they were not given the said documents as they were only handed travel certificate when they arrived in Sierra Leone.

The 1954 Convention relating to the Status of Stateless Persons and the 1961 Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness are the key international conventions addressing statelessness. They are complemented by international human rights treaties and provisions relevant to the right to a nationality.

Between 2011 and 2015, there were 49 accessions to the two Conventions on Statelessness – an increase that will lead to more action to protect stateless people, resolve their predicament and prevent new cases.

450,000 Reproductive Health Services Provided by Marie Stopes in 2019

January 31, 2020

Marie Stopes Country Director, Dr. Ufuoma Omo-Obi

By Amin Kef Sesay

In a latest statistical data produced by Marie Stopes Sierra Leone it was stated that 450,000 sexual and reproductive health services were provided to people who needed them in 2019.

This revelation was made by the organization’s Country Director, Dr. Ufuoma Omo-Obi. He described 2019 as one that was full of activities and during which time it closely collaborated with the Government through the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.

“We see the sexual and reproductive health services we provided as important because it includes the provision of sexually transmitted infections prevention services. This is critical for the prevention and spread of STIs in Sierra Leone,” he noted.

He added how those infections could lead to lots of injuries, deaths and public health problems like challenges in child birth and infertility issues.

Highlighting the successes recorded for 2019, Dr. Omo-Obi disclosed that about 180 Government public sector providers were trained to deliver family planning and post-abortion care services and also extensively engaged the National Teenage Pregnancy Secretariat and Paramount Chiefs on sexually and reproductive health issues.

“We treated over 39,000 women for safe abortion and also provided post-abortion care in 2019 as against 35,000 in 2018. We also delivered over half a million short and long term methods of contraception and delivered over two million condoms for safer sex activities, child protection, HIV/AIDS and STIs,” the Marie Stopes Country Director revealed.

He highlighted that even though there was recognition from the public sector that their services are free, but a challenge still remains about who should access them, especially contraceptives for women and girls.

Dr Omo-Obi emphasised that every activity undertaken or services offered have the full backing of the Government through the Health Ministry.

While boasting that they have done better to offer the rights services to the right set of people, the Country Director spoke about the lots of misconceptions they are grappling with as most times people don’t understand their services, and those eligible to access them.

“We are deeply focused on service delivery and pushing boundaries and our teams are out their five days a week delivering services. Our service provision is backed by rigorous counselling. We have now broadened the scope of our services as we have doctors working for us and we have brought in the latest ultra-sound scan device to provide screening services,” he added.

Dr. Omo-Obi recognised the fact that they have to do more to improve service delivery but said they are moving towards becoming a public health organization that looks at the whole family not only women and girls.

He added that 2020 will be used by Marie Stopes to build on the many successes recorded in 2019 and consolidated them for effective and efficient service delivery.

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