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NCRA Engages Western Area Tribal Heads on Strengthening Births and Deaths Registration

By Foday Moriba Conteh

As part of their efforts in strengthening births, deaths, marriage and divorce registration in the Western Area, the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) has on Tuesday 24th August, 2021 held a one day engagement with local & tribal heads within the Western Area in Freetown. The one day engagement took place at the Buxton Memorial Hall on Charles Street in Freetown.

In his address, the Director of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), Mohamed M. Massaquoi, expressed appreciation to the local and tribal heads within the Western Area for gracing the occasion which he said is very important towards the strengthening of birth, death registration services in the Western Area.

He maintained that as a Government they have realized that partnering with local Government will yield a lot of result towards educating the populace on the importance of birth and death registration which, he said, is the reason why they decided to undertake the engagement of tribal heads within the Western Area in consultation with the Local Government.

Mohamed M. Massaquoi said the role of tribal heads in recording vital events within their communities cannot be overemphasized, adding that in most cases residents of their various communities do report happenings to them like births, deaths, marriages etc. of which he said these tribal heads, in the process, will definitely help the NCRA to have access to the information needed as they happen in their various communities which will make the work easier for his institution in terms of recording births, deaths, marriages as they occur.

The Director General maintained that the registration of births and deaths is very key towards the development of the country, stating how there have been some issues in relation to registration of births and deaths in the country, but said he is with the strong conviction that with the engagement with these tribal heads it will increase the awareness about the importance of the registration of births, deaths, marriages and divorces in the Western Area and the country as a whole.

Delivering his statement, the Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, Tamba Lamina, expressed gratitude to the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) for the collaboration with the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development towards strengthening the registration of births, deaths, marriages etc. in the Western Area and by extension the country as a whole.

He said that there have been some challenges in respect of registration of births, deaths etc. but said that with the engagement those issues will be addressed.

Tamba Lamina also reiterated the importance of registration of births, deaths, marriages and divorces in the Western Area which he said will help Government to plan in terms of resource mobilization, supporting citizens in accessing social services like education, justice, healthcare etc.

On his part, the Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF, Stefano Schwarz, said that the process of recording a child’s birth is a permanent and official record of a child’s existence, and provides legal recognition of that child’s identity.

He added that birth registration is not only a fundamental human right, it also helps ensures that children’s other rights are upheld like the right to protection from violence and essential social services like health care and justice.

Stefano Schwarz maintained that UNICEF will place its focus on children under one year of age due to the low registration for this age group (73 percent) and to the national legal framework, which requires birth registration within 90 days of birth.

Underscoring some of the issues within the birth registration, he said entrenched traditions and culture interfere with the registration processes such as late naming of births, adding that public awareness about the compulsory aspect of civil registration is weak, as most people are unaware of the significance of such  registrations.

One of the participants, the Western Area Mende Tribal Headman, Chief Matthew Jibao Young, showered praises on the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) for considering them as very important players towards the strengthening of the registration of births, deaths, marriages etc. within the Western Area in Freetown.

He assured all that they as tribal heads will cascade the information about the compulsory nature of registration of births, deaths, marriages and divorces within their communities.

VP Juldeh Jalloh’s Intervention May End Impasse between NP-SL & APP

By Amin Kef Sesay

Some sections of the citizenry are of the opinion that there is the need as a nation to encourage trade and economic competition as long as such could be hugely beneficial to overall national development. Although some have been criticizing President Julius Maada Bio for his frequent overseas travelling, however, a cursory look at the rationale behind such moves bordering around wooing foreign investors into the country, has provided justification for him to have embarked on them and continue to do so in the best interest of the country.

With having genuine investors, who are ready and willing to pour their resources into different areas in the economy, there will emerge job opportunities, Government will derive revenue from the imposition of taxes, socio-economic development will transpire through the rolling out of Corporate Social Responsibilities etc. The more options availed individuals to choose from results into greater efficiency and offering of qualitative products that adds value for money.

It is against such a backdrop, that this medium, through its findings, has maintained that the National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is not in any way averse to any form of competition as some may think.

The show of interest by the All Petroleum Products (APP) Company, with the principal partner being a Nigerian, to invest in the country by constructing the largest petroleum storage tank is indeed a welcoming idea with lots of benefits attached to it. This form of investment will be good and fine for the country.

What later turned out to be an impasse between NP-SL and APP which some are finding difficult to understand is the forceful way and manner in which the APP wanted to execute their work which, it was understood,  was in total contravention of a prior agreement they had with NP-SL Ltd. The agreement bordered on an understanding that APP should pass its pipes within certain portion of NP-SL’s concession area but lamentably, APP renege on that condition and decided to do otherwise which eventually resulted into an impasse between the two parties.

From day one when the misunderstanding started it was expected that the Petroleum Regulatory Agency (PRA) in collaboration with other stakeholders would have arbitrated the matter and allow life to go on unabated.

However, that was not the case as already the situation had been allegedly compromised by certain public officials hailing APP and deriding NP-SL Ltd by creating the impression that the latter is afraid of competition. It was like adding fuel to an existing fire thereby aggravating a very tense situation.

The intervention of the Honourable Vice President, Dr. Juldeh Jalloh on the 24th August 2021 when he paid a visit at the troubled site, the Kissy Terminal, to do an inspection was indeed very timely, diplomatic to say the least. He acted in a fatherly way by telling both parties to the impasse that all of them are equally important and should work in harmony in the best interest of the country.

The Vice President told all the parties to take advantage of the support the Government of Sierra Leone is providing to oil marketing companies and encouraged them to work together to ensure stability in the supply and prices of oil products.

He intimated about Government’s tax reduction effort to ensure the price stability of petroleum products in Sierra Leone, adding that Sierra Leone has one of the cheapest prices of petroleum products in the sub-region.

Vice President Jalloh stated that the operation of new companies like the All Petroleum Products (APP) will enable government to expand strategic resources. “The more companies, the more storage facility, the more keeping of petroleum products to cushion the country from external shock, in case there is rise in price at the international market,” the Honourable Vice President reiterated.

Vice President Jalloh opined on the relevance of the petroleum sector, stressing that government is cognizant of the critical nature of the sector to the economy of Sierra Leone. Dr. Jalloh emphasized about the creation of jobs and contribution to revenue generation by the petroleum sector.

He disclosed how President Bio takes the petroleum sector seriously, adding that the Government will continue to provide support to the petroleum sector.

The Honourable Vice President encouraged the petroleum companies to work together as one and benefit from the support the Government of Sierra Leone is providing to the sector and further encouraged them for a cordial working relationship among them, so as to enable the companies to provide an effective and stable supply of petroleum products with competitive prices for consumers.

After addressing the parties, the Vice President then inspected facilities of the National Petroleum (NP) Sierra Leone, and the All Petroleum Products.

The Vice President told them to look at the grey areas, go to the drawing board and re-emerge with a consensus to forge ahead in the interest of overall national development. It is expected that with the intervention of the VP such will bring to an end the impasse and at the end of the day there will be a positive outcome for the good of the country.

It is the candid view of a Political Commentator that if some of the President’s appointees are not equal to simple tasks they are mandated to execute then it means they are not fit for the purposes why they were in the first place appointed.

Government must be mindful of its responsibility bordering on enhancing economic development. In doing so it must treat each player with respect and dignity. NP-SL Ltd has been offering over forty years of unblemished service delivery and is a key player within the petroleum landscape through its importation and marketing of high grade petroleum products .It has contributed in so many ways to the socio-economic development of the nation and still continues to do so.

Besides, it is a 100% indigenous company which should not be treated with scorn in the face of a new player as the company deserves better treatment than to be portrayed as a bulwark standing in the way of development.

It is high time for President Bio to take note of some of those around him because from the look of things it appears that some of them are more interested in lining their pockets instead of thinking nationalistically.

Let the jaw, jaw take place with progress seen materializing than the war, war. May Common Sense Prevail!

PRESS RELEASE QNET LAUNCHES WEIGHT-CONTROL PROGRAMME WITH BELITE 123

QNET, a leading company in the direct sales and e-commerce sector, has officially launched an innovative weight-control programme in its African market, to address the spread of obesity and overweight problems causing corollary metabolic diseases, all linked to people’s lifestyles in recent years. The programme is in the form of a product called BELITE 123. The product boosts metabolism, balances appetite and detoxifies the body.

The new Belite 123 comprises three components that work in tandem to offer a weight management plan that can be easily integrated into one’s daily lifestyle:  Belite 01 is a natural tea that acts as a morning booster to increase metabolism and regulate blood pressure. It includes a unique blend of natural green tea, chrysanthemum flowers, and kaffir lime leaves that help kickstart the day. Belite 02 is the star of the Belite 123 range, featuring the African Mango species known as Irvingia Gabonensis, an ingredient renowned for its weight-loss properties. Popular American Health expert Dr Oz calls it a “breakthrough supplement” and a “miracle in your medicine cabinet”. Belite 03 is a natural tea consisting of cinnamon bark, senna leaves, and peppermint leaves, aimed at detoxing the body and improving digestion. This tea serves as the perfect end to the day, as it can calm the senses and heal the body during sleep. Together, they form BELITE 123.

BELITE 123 was launched at a meeting between the media and independent representatives of QNET, on Friday 20 August 2021, at the Bushman Café, Riviera CIAD in Ivory Coast under the theme: “Nutrition, health and wellness for beauty”.

Dr AKA Félix, a Nutritionist and Naturotherapist raised awareness on the importance of nutrition and good eating habits for good health. At the event there was an enriching conversation between health experts and participants as panelists took turns to interact with the audience.

Landry GNAMBA, Actor and Model shared his experience on the impact of his lifestyle and how it helped him create a healthy and fit physique that he is noted for..

Yibaï BAPES, an Ivorian influencer and plus-size model, concluded by raising awareness on the importance of good health and self-acceptance, which is a guarantee of optimum well-being.

Mrs Maxime PETI, speaking on behalf of Mr Biram FALL, Regional General Manager of QNET sub-Saharan Africa, said: “We are always keen to provide the best products and we aim to provide our customers around the world with different solutions for a healthy life. Therefore, we have launched a weight management programme to address the growing need for weight management. Indeed, the number of overweight people is increasing every day and Africa is increasingly affected by this phenomenon. People are eating less balanced meals and are becoming more sedentary. The BELITE 123 programme requires discipline and determination. Being healthy is not just about looking good, it is also about feeling good about yourself. That’s why BELITE 123 focuses on weight control, not weight loss.

BELITE 123 can detox the body and boost metabolism, suppress appetite, downregulate the obesity gene, inhibit fat deposition, lower cholesterol, reduce inflammation, and improve bowel movement. Regular use of the Belite 123 weight management system delivers a holistic solution to anyone concerned about their weight. The Belite 123 weight management system/product, is the result of years of research and is supported by four different U.S. patents and 9 clinical studies that prove its efficacy. It uses a holistic approach towards weight loss that looks beyond diet as the cause of weight fluctuation and takes into account a combination of factors such as gut health, genetic influences and lifestyle habits.

 

About QNET

QNET is one of the leading direct selling companies in Asia. It offers a wide range of health, wellness and lifestyle products that enable people to lead better lives. For over 20 years, QNET’s core business model, fueled by the power of e-commerce, has helped empower millions of entrepreneurs in more than 100 countries around the world.

QNET is headquartered in Hong Kong and operates in more than 100 countries around the world through subsidiaries, branches, agency partnerships and franchisees.

QNET is a member of the direct selling associations of France, Spain, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as the Hong Kong Health Food Association and the Health Supplements Industry Association of Singapore, among others.

QNET is also active in sports sponsorship worldwide. Some of the most important partnerships include the direct sales partnership with Manchester City Football Club and the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Total Champions League, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Total Confederation Cup, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Total Super Cup.

For more information, please visit us:

www.qnet.net

https://www.facebook.com/QNETAfricaOfficial/

 

Media Contact

Maxime PETI

Maxime.peti@qnet.net

+225 07054430

Local Courts Are now Under the Judiciary -Attorney General

By Elkass Sannoh

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Anthony Y. Brewah, has disclosed on the 20th August 2021 that the Judiciary of Sierra Leone will now start the enforcement and implementation of the Local Courts which has been its statutory mandate as provided for the Local Courts Act of 2011.

He said the law has been in existence for the past ten years but the implementation was not enforced.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice made that disclosure at the Bo District Council, Kakua Chiefdom in administration Bo Town during the ongoing stakeholders engagement to implement the Local Courts Act of 2011.

“Local Courts administration is no longer in the hands of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, not even the District Office but the Judiciary of Sierra Leone,” the Attorney General and Minister of Justice said.

Registering his disappointment over the poor attendance of Paramount Chiefs from Bo District, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice said there is going to be recruitment for all positions and those who are qualified will be shortlisted and recruited to serve in those positions prescribed in the Local Courts Act.

He said a lot of misinformation had been peddled in regard to the status or position of the Local Courts, adding that this one-week tour is to set the record straight by stating the fact as provided for in the Act.

In Kenema, he commended the sacrifices made by all Paramount Chiefs and those stakeholders in the administration of Local Courts. He encouraged them to continue the good work in ensuring the sustainability of peace and security in their Chiefdoms.

In responding to a question asked by the Paramount Chief of Niawa Chiefdom, PC Mariama Jaward Tamia III regarding the appointment of Local Courts officers, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice said he is a lawyer with 30 years standing and the current Principal Legal Adviser to the Government. He said the implementation or enforcement of the Local Courts administration

will not go contrary to the very Act which created it.

In his presentation, the Team Leader Hon. Justice Aiah Simeon Allieu said the 1963 Act was repealed and replaced in tandem with the Sierra Leone Constitution, Act No. 6 of 1991 with specific reference to Section 120 (1) which states that, “Judicial power of Sierra Leone shall be vested in the Judiciary of which the Chief Justice shall be the Head.”

He said the Judiciary has transformed, noting that a lot of reforms are underway and the Local Courts will be well reconstituted in the administration of justice at the local level in adherence with the customs and traditions of the people.

 

Government Empowers Bo with Two transformers and One for Kenema

By Austine Luseni

Ing Dr. Edmund Wuseni, the Project Coordinator at the Ministry of Energy has on behalf of the Minister of Energy on the 20th August 2021 reaffirmed Government’s commitment to providing sustainable and affordable electricity to the people of Bo and Kenema districts.

Dr. Wuseni was speaking in Bo and Kenema on the twin occasions of the formal presentation of two transformers in Bo and one in Kenema consistent with Government’s overall policy objective of providing electricity for the two cities through the Bo-Kenema Network Rehabilitation and Expansion Project.

Dr. Wuseni said that as the Project Coordinator at the Ministry of Energy, he is responsible for the supervision of all projects undertaken by the Ministry adding that the Bo-Kenema Electrification Project is one that Government is treating with utmost seriousness and urgency. He said the transformers were critical to the successful implementation of the project.

The Project Coordinator spoke about the regional West Africa Power Pool which he said is now at a considerably advanced stage, while assuring the people of Bo and Kenema that even though the project would be fully completed in March next year, plans are underway to ensure that the two cities start to benefit from that power in December this year.

He mentioned towns along the Bo-Kenema Highway that would benefit from the project and assured that donor partners who had recently sent teams of monitors on the ground were more than satisfied with the way the Ministry is implementing its energy sector reforms.

Resident Minister South, Mohamed Alie and his colleague in the East, Andrew Fatorma, both thanked President Julius Maada Bio for delivering on his promises and Alhaji Kanja Sesay for superintending over the energy revolution in the country. They called on residents to own the project, the transformers and to be ready to pay their bills.

Deliberate Attempt to Drag NP-SL Down into the Gutters is Most Unfortunate

By Amin Kef Sesay

Somebody read the arrant trash posted on social media about National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) over the past weekend and called up this Press to roundly lambast the author as he has not only breach all journalistic rules but to also caution him to be mindful of serious breach of IMC rules and regulations governing, guiding and proscribing the practice of the profession in Sierra Leone.

The deliberate publication of fake news by any media organization or online network is an aberration within the journalism practice.

For a multinational company like NP-SL which guards its reputation and integrity jealously, the “journalist” who posted that trash that NP-SL has paid “raray” boys in Kissy to drug and intoxicate themselves to carry out diabolical acts paints a picture of NP-SL having the characteristics of a Mexican drug cartel.

That said, for NP-SL, fake news about the company is bad news. Such obscurantist intentions and dissemination of falsehood about NP-SL to the people through the virtual media, social media and old media is a depravity clearly aimed at spreading mischief, acrimony and crises. It is a total negation of journalistic values and news values.

If it is news, as the author of that disgustingly malicious parcel of lies says, it must be based on truth and facts. If it is news, it must be new. If it is news, it must be based on actualities. If it is news, it must be based on evidences.

If it is news, it must be fair. If it is news, it must be based on realities. If it is news, it must not be based on vendetta. If it is news, it must not be a hoax. If it is news, it must not be fallacy. If it is news, it must not be innuendoes.

Spreading fake news is very dangerous. It has legal liabilities. Fake news is when one fabricates news with harmful intent to spread lies. Otherwise, it is called-Mal-information – conveying genuine information with intent to cause harm.

The reason why spreading of fake news is very appalling is because it is presented as factually accurate and truthful when it is not. Let us imagine how much damage this can cost to the character and reputation of the person or entity that it is said about.

Yes, the post about NP-SL spending Le50 million to induce boys to break the law is sensational but outright dishonest on the part of the author and the paymaster(s).

Fake news is not new. Historically, it traces its origin to the 13th Century B.C., when Ramses the Great spread lies and propaganda portraying the Battle of Kadesh as a stunning victory for the Egyptians.

The fake news depicted Ramses the Great himself killing many of his foes at the Battle. Whereas, the Treaty between the Egyptians and the Hittites, reveals that the battle was actually a stalemate. Besides, Octavian misinformed the people against his rival Mark Antony, portraying him as a drunkard, a womanizer, and a mere puppet of the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra VII.

In the second and third Centuries A.D., false rumours were spread about Christians claiming that they were engaged in rituals and cannibalism, and incest.

During the Medieval period, a significant fake news in 1475 claimed in Trent that the Jewish community had murdered a two-and-half year-old Christian infant named Simonino.

The false news triggered the arrest and torture of Jews in the City, where fifteen of them were burned at stake. All attempts by Pope Sixtus IV to suppress the phony news proved abortive. The “blood libel” news had turned tragic as the Jews were claimed to have killed Christians deliberately to use the blood of the children for religions or ritual purposes.

In the aftermath of the invention of the printing press in 1439, the publication of counterfeit news became widespread as there was yet no standard journalistic ethics to follow.

It is remarkable that in the 18th Century, publishers of fake news were fined and banned in the Netherlands. A publisher, Gerard Lodewijk Van der Macht, was banned and fined four times by Dutch authorities. And he re-established his Press four times.

The publishers of fake news inspired the US Government into the Spanish-American war, which was triggered as USS Maine attacked the harbour of Havana, Cuba. That is how damaging fake news can be.

With the global network of information through the World Wide Web (WWW) in the 21st Century, fake news continues to be widespread. It is amazing how fake news is increasing at increasing rate with the emergence of the International Networking (Internet), and creation of untruthful, misleading, and unwanted information which lacks verification, like the mischievous lie told about NP-SL Ltd.

Dr. Sengeh Pleads for all to Fight Corruption in the Education System

By Amin Kef Sesay

Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, Minister of Basic and Senior School Education (MBSSE), has regarded the fight against corruption in education as the hugest fight against corruption in the country, noting that in achieving that all parties have a key role to play.

He made that disclosure on the 19th August 2021, during the ‘Gud Morning Salone’ Programme on Radio Democracy 98.1.

“One of the biggest successes we can get in the fight against corruption is when we combat corruption in education. In achieving that, parents have a big role to play because they are the ones paying bribes instead of encouraging our children to study and make good grades, pupils that are engaged in examination malpractices to make good grades, and Principals that are receiving bribes from parents and also extorting a lot of money from the Government also have important roles to play,” he said.

He mentioned an instance in which the Ministry in collaboration with the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has to summon school authorities that are inflating the number of pupils they are sending for public examinations with the Government bearing the cost.

The Minister said in fighting corruption in education, the Ministry is implementing two things, one is by preventing face-to-face interaction through the implementation of digitalization, noting that computers cannot be bribed, and second he said is using the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), noting that the Ministry has signed a communiqué with the ACC to stop corruption in schools.

“I am pleading with parents not to pay for admission for their children. If school authorities attempt to extort money from parents, they should call the toll-free line of 8060 or report to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC),” he said.

He encouraged parents to make use of the toll-free line if parents think that school authorities are asking them to make payment for what is part of the Free and Quality School Education package.

He said with the Placement Checker, every pupil that has the NPSE Pass Mark can go to a secondary school without paying a cent.

According to him, after so many years pupils that took the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) are going to start the 2021/2022 Academic Year with other pupils, noting that the Ministry decided to do so to prevent teenage pregnancy which most times occurs as a result of girls long stay at home after sitting to the BECE.

He stressed the need for radical inclusion and equity in acquiring education in the country.

SLP Cyber Unit Enhances its Strides in Retrieving Stolen Phone

By Amin Kef Sesay

It seems it is not only doom and gloom for the Sierra Leone Police with regards the public perception that it is knee deep in corruption. This came against the backdrop that the Force has in recent weeks intensified not only its operation on drug dealers but also other criminals including those who are phone thefts.

The SLP Cyber unit is charged with the responsibility to track down criminals through the computer system.

Stealing of phones with impunity used to be the order of the day but the operation of the cyber unit has rendered that act unfashionable as they have retrieved many stolen phones and charged to court culprits.

Among the increased number of retrieved stolen phones in recent times, is the Le 1. 5 million, Techno CAMON X phone belonging to B.W.Bockarie of the Strategic Communications Unit, Ministry of Information and Communications.

According to him, the Tecno CAMON phone was stolen on 25th September, 2020 and he reported the matter to Lead Investigator Madam Janet Biango of the Cyber Unit on the 28th September 2020.

Since last year, investigation carried out by a team of Cyber Unit personnel, led by Janet Biango, kicked off in earnest until quite recently when one of the users(3) was located. The phone was finally retrieved on Monday 16th August 2021, together with 3 suspects from the Moa Wharf Community. The suspects are already in police custody helping with investigations.

Meanwhile, Inspector in charge of the Cyber Lab, has assured all Sierra Leoneans that with the much needed public cooperation, the Cyber Unit will leave no stone unturned in the vigorous clampdown on phone thieves in the city and across the nation. Phone owners are however advised to always reserve the IM number, name/ type of phone maybe with receipts and other relevant related documents to help the Cyber unit in their investigations.

The Sierra Leone police is not only a force for good but a force to reckon with. They deserve commendations for diligent service to the nation despite the challenges.

Standard Chartered PLC Abrogates Client’s Right & Flout International Conventions -Lawyer Osman Jalloh

By Amin Kef Sesay

The case between two former employees of the Standard Chartered Bank Limited-Sierra Leone and the Bank itself came up again in High Court on the 17th August 2021 presided over by Justice Sengu Koroma.

Legal representative of  one of the aggrieved former employees, who took the Bank to court for what they deem as illegal dismissal or sacking, Barrister Osman Jalloh in his submission maintained that both the Standard Chartered Bank Sierra Leone Limited and its parent body, Standard Chartered PLC, infringed the human rights of his client as well as violating international conventions.

Lawyer Osman Jalloh referred the court to the supplemental affidavit in opposition sworn to by his client on the 11th August, 2021, to which exhibits U-1 to 17 were attached.

He said he relied on the entirety of the said affidavit.

He argued that the 2nd defendant (Standard Chartered Bank PLC) is a vertically organized entity with absolute control over the 1st defendant (Standard Chartered Bank-Sierra Leone), an arrangement which he stated presupposes that it is a single entity.

The Lawyer drew the court’s attention to exhibit T-1 to 6- a document that deals with the appointment of a Management Team by the Chief Executive Officer of the 2nd defendant (Standard Chartered Bank PLC) to lead the entire global operations of the 2nd defendant.

He said during the appointment of the Management team it was stated that they will “work together as a single team with the leadership of the bank and the interest of our clients”.

Lawyer Jalloh said in exhibit-T 1-6, it was confirmed that Management appointments and directives are issued for the entire globe by Standard Chartered Plc stating that what the other side is seeking for is that the 2nd defendant be treated in the court as a single entity.

To further corroborate the position in exhibit T 1 to 6, he referred the court to exhibit U 1 to 17, a document emanating  from the website of the 2nd defendant in which its defines it workforce.

He said the 2nd defendant has 85,000 employees present in 59 markets with its network serving customers in close to 150 markets worldwide.

Lawyer Osman Jalloh informed the court that the above data was listed on the London and Hog Kong Stoke Exchange, adding that the 2nd defendant described itself as having 776 branches worldwide and 85,000 employees around the world, thus submitting that his client was one of the 85,000 employees across the world.

He submitted that through the description of the 2nd defendant, the documents consciously put out to the world makes a bold statement of its 85,000 employees around the world, thus submitting that his client was certainly included.

He submitted that the 2nd defendant cannot, having presented to the world that, Sulaiman Lome was his employee, now wants to disown him only to suit its convenience.

Jalloh submitted that Sierra Leone is just a small shop out of the 776 branches Standard Chartered PLC has across the world, stating that exhibit-B, which is the substantial affidavit, was what the 2nd defendant put forward as standards based on universal value of Human Rights that they adhere to.

He also drew the attention of the court to the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights, and more particularly Article 13 to 31.

He submitted that the particular claim in the Writ of Summon on exhibit-B of the proceedings and what they have put before the court, was that Standard Chartered PLC had failed to live up to the standards they boldly advertised on their website across the globe.

He said they commenced the proceedings to seek redress for the plaintiff because the 2nd defendant is a necessary and proper person to be before the court.

He submitted that a duty of care was owed to the plaintiff by both the 1st and the 2nd defendants, adding that the said duty was breeched and resulted in career threatening damages.

He recalled that in the submission of the other side before the court, they referred to relief No.7 which is damages to conspiracy in exhibit-B.

He noted that such would not be a necessary claim, submitting that the plaintiff has not satisfied the claim in terms of the particulars to support it.

He said his first submission to that claim was that they do not need any requirement to satisfy that claim and that such was not a basis to argue that the 2nd defendant should not be the necessary and proper party to the matter.

Lawyer Jalloh noted that if at all the other side was right the procedure was to ask for better claim and not to say the court should strike out the 2nd defendant.

He said Order 2, Rule 1 of the High Court Rules, are clear that even when there was non-compliance, such does not render the proceedings null and void.

Barrister Osman Jalloh submitted that when the other side was filing a defence on behalf of the 1st defendant, they filed without even asking for better particulars and referred the court to the supplementary affidavit in reply from the other side on 6th August, 2021, coupled with exhibit K attached to the said affidavit.

He said the requirement for conspiracy was fully complied with, and submitted that even if they have not done so, there were procedures to be applied.

The Lawyer submitted that the evidence been put before the court has raised serious issues which support the plaintiff’s claim.

He said the affidavit in opposition shows that the 2nd defendant put out group wide application standard guidelines and policies.

He also put before the court evidence, exhibit-N 1 to 9, which showed that the 2nd defendant took active step in training personnel of the 1st defendant including the plaintiff, stating that they also put before the court evidence which showed that personnel of the 2nd defendant were very active in the supervision and enforcement of the standards, guidelines and regulations put out by the 2nd defendant.

He said Edward Ensah, who is the Head of Employee Relation for West Africa, was the one giving notice to the plaintiff about disciplinary proceedings instituted against him, noting that they have also put before the court exhibit-K 1 to 46, which shows that a transaction in Sierra Leone was dealt with extensively by persons in the United Kingdom, India, New York, Austria, Dubai, Nigeria and other countries.

He said they have also shown to the court that the 2nd defendant supervises among others, the 1st defendant’s operations and also the management of the affairs of the 1st defendant.

He argued that for the decision to be taken against his client they went right across the world, which shows that the 2nd defendant actively participated in the supervision, management and operations of the 1st defendant.

He submitted that their position in so far as the case is concerned is that, their case is stronger and what they have put before the court unequivocally establishes that the 2nd defendant is a direct majority shareholder of the 1st defendant, and readily, the 1st defendant through its vertical management structure.

He noted that the 2nd defendant actively participated in the dismissal of the plaintiff from his employment, refused to hear the plaintiff’s appeal against his dismissal and now seeks, notwithstanding its motto ‘Here for Good’.

The learned Counsel said the grounds of appeal were reviewed by people who are not working for the 1st defendant and that it showed that the 2nd defendant participated actively in the enforcement of the standard guidelines, hence it is a proper case of the 2nd defendant to face trial in Sierra Leone.

1000 Children to Benefit from FPU Le500 Million Scholarship Program

By Foday Moriba Conteh

In a bid to complement the Government’s Free Quality Education flagship Program in the country, the Fullah Progressive Union (FPU) has on Thursday August 19th 2021 unveiled a Five Hundred Million Leones Scholarship Scheme for one thousand (1000) early childhood pupils in four Districts in the country which include Falaba, Karene, Port Loko.

In addition to the 1000 children that will benefit twenty scholarships will also be allotted to students in tertiary institutions who are studying highly specialized courses. This disclosure was made during the launching ceremony of the education initiative which took place at FPU’s Headquarters on Aberdeen Road in Freetown.

In his address on the Education Initiative Project, the FPU Education Secretary, Hasmieu Barrie, intimated that members of the organization deemed it fit to come up with such an initiative as part of their efforts in complementing the Government’s commitment towards enhancing human capital development in the country.

He added that the launch of the Five Hundred Million Leones Scholarship Scheme is a pilot phase which he said is perfectly aligned with the national agenda, stating that the scheme will fill a lot of gaps within the education sector in the country continuing that the scholarship scheme will be mainly targeting the Girl Child and the scholarships for students pursuing courses at tertiary institutions will target female students who are in the STEM that is  those pursuing course in the Sciences, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

In his statement, the President of the Fullah Progressive Union (FPU), Alhaji Umaru Sanu Barrie, said he is very happy to launch the scholarship scheme which, he said, will not only be implemented during his administration as President of the organization but even after his tenure .

He assured all that as the President of the Fullah Progressive Union (FPU) he will work assiduously to ensure that he delivers on his campaign promises.

Alhaji Umaru Sanu Barrie noted that they consider education as the key to success underscoring how they want to ensure that all children that dropped out of school as a result of one reason or the other are given another opportunity to continue their schooling which, according to him is part of their contribution to complement the Government’s Free Quality Education initiative.

He stated the need for unity towards the rolling out of the scholarship scheme, adding that there is going to be an upscaling of the scheme targeting every region in the country of which he said such cannot be achieved without the support from members.

Unveiling the scholarship scheme, the Minster of Technical and Higher Education, Prof. Alpha Tejan Wurie, expressed profound gratitude to the current leadership of the Fullah Progressive Union (FPU) for the laudable venture and their strides to bring the Fullahs under one umbrella.

He maintained that the latest move by FPU will complement the efforts of the Ministry of Basic and Senior School Education with regards enhancing early childhood education stating how he is particularly impressed as the scholarship scheme is targeting pre-school pupils adding that catching them young will shape them for the future.

Prof. Alpha Tejan Wurie said the negative issues impinging girls’ education like early marriage is common among the Fullah ethnic group but stated that the FPU is now trying to change the narrative as it has really demonstrated commitment towards the development of the girl child further admonishing those belonging to the ethnic group to desist from allowing their female children to be married at an early age.

He noted that Fullahs have always been at the apogee of education in the country as they have been dolling out brilliant graduates who have etched their names in every tertiary institution in the country.

Prof. Wurie concluded by doing the official launching of the education initiative and the launching of the Western Area Membership Card for the Fullah Progressive Union (FPU).

Climaxing the ceremony was the pouring of donations coming from members which include the Financial Secretary of the FPU who donated One Hundred Million Leones (Le 100,000,000) to the scheme, the President and his family donated a whooping Three Hundred Million Leones (Le300, 000,000).

At the end of the donations from members the targeted five hundred million was passed and the need for all to sign up for the membership card was emphasized which is now available at the FPU Headquarters on Aberdeen Road with members put into different categories.

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