Home Blog Page 897

Torma Bum Rice Project to Benefit Over 35,000 Families   -Pres. Bio Stated

By Amin Kef Sesay

President Bio, on the 11th, June 2021, launched the Sierra Leone Regional Rice Value Chain Project in Torma Bom, Southern Province of Sierra Leone, intimating that food security is probably the most critical pillar among the human capital development priorities of the country.

He informed the gathering of locals, development partners and members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, the Islamic Development Bank and BADEA present at the ceremony in Bum Chiefdom, Bonthe District, that a well-nourished child or adult could stay healthy, live well, learn, fend for himself or herself and live a reasonably good quality of life.

President Bio said the project will directly benefit 7,000 women and youth farmers, along with 35,000 farming families who are growing rice on 35,000 hectares of farmlands in the project locations.

“I am informed that the beneficiary identification and selection process was above board and merit-based,” the President stated.

He stated that they came into governance to low levels of food security, even though the country has vast stretches of arable land in this country, consistent rainfall and rivers, and fairly even weather conditions.

The President continued by stating that the price of the country’s staple food, rice, has not been stable and consistent on the world market. He stated that there had been no well-thought-out and sustainable investments in the agriculture sector that will benefit all.

“Instead of taking short-term populist actions and granting massive import subsidies at the detriment of the economy or pronouncing an overnight reduction in the price of a bag of rice for political propaganda purposes, we decided to think very closely about a permanent fix…In order to strengthen the participation of the private sector, Government, through the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank, has ring-fenced $50million to support private sector investments in agriculture,” he said.

The President also noted that because the country did not produce sufficient food for its population, the Government had increasingly spent hundreds of millions of dollars every year to procure food from the world market.

He added that a huge chunk of the country’s foreign reserves that could have been spent on education and healthcare among other urgent priorities for a developing nation ended up being spent on importing increasingly expensive food items.

“In our governance assessment for our 2018 Manifesto and in our Medium-Term National Development Plan, we committed to working toward increasing the domestic production of food to significantly take care of our domestic needs and to ensure that the food produced domestically was available, affordable, and nutritious.

“We, therefore, decided on a well-thought-out, well-designed, well-implemented, and sustainable solution. We can transform our vast arable lands into massive food production centres and thus make our nation rice/food self-sufficient and also food and nutrition secure,” he said.

President Bio thanked the Islamic Development Bank and BADEA for examining his Government’s plan, identifying with the objectives of their commitments and sharing their aspiration to work towards domestic food self-sufficiency.

“As with everything we do as a Government, we have been very intentional in our planning so that when once we deliver this solution which will be sustainable and long-lasting. Traditional subsistence farming of low-yield seeds in small plots will not lead to domestic food sufficiency. The answer is in increased mechanisation and larger acreage yields, more access to input, more advanced farming techniques and more agriculture financing that expands private sector investments in agriculture,” he averred.

Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, the Vice President, who chaired the occasion,  told the gathering that the project is not only a dream come true for the President and his New Direction Government but it is also a huge milestone for the country.

He said at its full operational capacity the project would minimise the large scale of importation of rice into the country and reduce cost on Government, adding that the President made no mistake when he decided to invest in rice production and other food production activities making agriculture his top priority.

In his welcome statement, Paramount Chief Alex Maada J.J. Kainpumu II thanked President Bio for the opportunity he availed them to host the launch of such a huge project.

He also assured of his people’s commitment to the project and promised that they would take it very seriously for the good of the country.

Abu Bakarr Karim, who is the  Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security  briefly reiterated that the project would provide job opportunities for the people adding how he looks forward to exporting and easing the burden on Government’s importation drive.

The Minister honoured President Bio as Farmer-in-Chief bordering on the President’s tremendous support to the agricultural sector further declaring the First Lady as “Agriculture Champion”.

Farmers were also recognised and some of them awarded Certificates for outstanding achievements in the agriculture sector and at the same time encouraged them to continue with the good work.

Tourism Minister Welcomes Chinese Ambassador’s Visit

By Foday Moriba Conteh

The Chinese Ambassador to the Republic of Sierra Leone Hu Zhangliang ,on the 10th June 2021,  paid a visit  to Dr. Memunatu Pratt, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs at the Ministry’s Head Office in Freetown.

The Chinese diplomat stated that his visit is to show his respect and appreciation to the Tourism Minister for the strong support she and the Ministry are giving to the development of the China-Sierra Leone cordial bi-lateral relationship and to also discuss with the Minister on the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Hu Zhangliang while discussing, asked the Minister about the possibility of cultural performances from the Ministry in celebration of the all-important event. He also highlighted  the promotion of cultural exchange and tourism cooperation between Sierra Leone and China, to which he responded that that it  is important for enhancing the mutual understanding and consolidating the good foundation for their State to State relationship.

The Minister welcomed the Chinese Ambassador to the Ministry saying that the Ambassador’s visit is geared towards building and strengthening the bi-lateral relationship between the two countries.

In terms of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the China-Sierra Leone bi-lateral relationship, Dr. Pratt said that there is going to be cultural performances from the Ministry where she would also deliver a speech.

She called on the Chinese Ambassador to continue supporting the capacity building of the Ministry in terms of training and sending people abroad and also developing cultural dialogues to promote inter-ethnic relations to address xenophobia and discrimination, and to also promote nationalism and peaceful co-existence.

A proposed visit for the Minister to visit her counterpart in China was also on the cards.

A cooperative agreement to support the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs was signed between the Ministry and the Chinese Embassy.

Pump Price of Petroleum Products Hinges on a Variety of External Forces

By Amin Kef Sesay

In this country the marketing of petroleum products is mainly done by privately owned companies though there is a State regulatory institution which, from time to time, ensures that sanity prevails within the petroleum landscape. Government sometimes steps in to give subsidies in order to absorb the shocks that emanate from the changes in market forces which have tendencies of affecting the pump price so that the cascading   effects will not be overbearing for the ordinary man in the street. The rate and manner in which the Government will continue to sustain leveraging subsidy could largely depend on how much Government is able to fiscally mobilize during a specific period of time.

What is known for now is that Sierra Leone continues to use a pre-defined petroleum price structure in a single pricing window using the principle of full-pass-through.

It is important to note   the incontestable fact that the pump price of petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, kerosene etc in the country, is efficiently determined by a +/-5% trigger mechanism of the landed cost, that is the cost of landing the shipped petroleum products in the country and that  is mostly driven by the combined effect of the International Oil Reference Price (Platts) and available as well as accessible Foreign Exchange.

It must be underscored at this juncture that due to the COVID-19 pandemic that negatively impinged and even continue to impinge on international trade there were abnormal situations when Sierra Leone recorded a shock in the trigger mechanism warranting a hike in the pump prices.

However, in order to prevent additional hardship on the populace which an increase in the pump price may have caused, the SLPP led Government headed by President Julius Maada Bio applied an intervention approach to cushion that negative effect on the general public, an intervention which amounted to significant fiscal impact between the months of May-Dec 2020 and Jan-May 2021. The Government provided 66 billion Leones as subsidy for May-December, 2020 and 21 billion Leones for the month of January 2021.

Again it is worthy of consideration, according to an investigation conducted by this medium, that even though the pump price for the month of this June 2021 should have been Le9,500 the key players within the petroleum sector in the country collaborated and agreed to keep the price at Le8,500 until the subsequent or next monthly review.

Our investigation further revealed that though the current pump price remains one of the lowest within the West African Sub-Region there is the likelihood or tendency that there will be a significant change in the market forces which will definitely affect the  price in the not too distant future.

Research has also revealed that Goldman Sachs, a reputable international business entity, forecast Oil Price increase in 2021.Without any iota of doubt the increase will pose serious implications to West African countries, Sierra Leone not being an exception.

Computed pump prices in the sub-region indicate an increase in the price for all petroleum products largely impacted by the sustained volatility in the petroleum reference prices in the Global Markets.

A run-down of the prices of petroleum products on a comparative basis of former regional fuel price converted in Le/Litre-as 31st May, 2021 taking into consideration Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana and The Gambia are as follows: Petrol– Sierra Leone Le 8,500.00, Guinea: Le 9,450.00, Liberia: Le 7,879.33, Ivory Coast: Le 11,728.05, Ghana: Le 11,240.11, The Gambia Le 11,453.17.

For Diesel the comparison are as follows: Sierra Leone: Le 8,500.00, Guinea: Le 9,450.00, Liberia: Le 9, 192.49, Ivory Coast Le 11, 728.05, Ghana: Le 11, 172.45, The Gambia: Le10,904.09.

In terms of Kerosene the comparison is as such: Sierra Leone :Le 8, 500.00, Guinea -, Liberia: Le13, 279.25, Ivory Coast Le10, 583.85, Ghana: Le9, 076.84, The Gambia: Le 8,573.04.

The Exchange Rate source is the Bank of Sierra Leone as at June, 3rd 2021.

It is obvious that the price increase in the global market will inevitably lead to multiplier increase in the prices of consumer products and services as it had been established.

NP-SL Ltd is Determined to Avail its Esteemed Customers the Best in Service Delivery

By Amin Kef Sesay

One of the most successful business entities that are seriously functioning in this country, the National Petroleum (NP) Sierra Leone Limited, continues to receive widespread commendations for its effective service delivery. However, despite the commendations that the company continues to receive for effective service delivery it does not however rest on its oars but rather is resilient and very determined to continue to do more in order to give optimal satisfaction to its numerous customers here in this country and in the West African Sub-Region in countries like Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia.

Being a very successful petroleum entity, NP had and still continues to contribute tremendously towards overall national development.

This 100% indigenously-owned company has so far offered various jobs to residents in the afore-mentioned countries, thereby contributing to the reduction of poverty to a considerable level. This is also directly linked to it being one of the largest taxpayers to the National Revenue Authority (NRA), financially empowering the Government to roll out various development projects.

One of the most outstanding features that NP has is its competent managerial team, which from time to time comes up with good initiatives, always ensuring that they are effusively, effectively implemented to create value for money. Since it was established by 35 Sierra Leoneans who bought shares from the Government years back, the company has grown from leaps and bounds; weathering storms that would have run it down. But the resolve of its shareholders and Management to succeed has been the centrepiece that has propelled NP to a higher level, equal to none in the sub-region.

If you ask those who really know NP, the feedbacks you will get will definitely rally around its commitment to customer care, which it strongly believes must be prioritized to give satisfaction.

It is in that regard that the company ensured that calibrated pumping machines were installed at its various Filling Stations. These calibrated machines pump the exact quantity of fuel that a customer demands. They give confidence to customers that they are transparently transacting with a reliable company and deriving value for money.

To make transactions very easier, in terms of purchasing fuel, the company introduced a new system, known as NP Smart card, which makes it possible for individuals to procure fuel without using physical cash. As long as the card is loaded, a customer can access fuel from the amount of money that is in the card. It is a modern and simplistic way of securing fuel and many have applauded the company for introducing it.

The selflessness and commitment of the shareholders have made it possible for the company to empower many Sierra Leoneans and at the same time put it at a vantage position to continue to open more filling stations across the country. That again is another lane that the company is pursuing with fruitful dividends realized.

NP has doggedly maintained a good business relationship with its numerous customers’ right within the sub-region and most have confessed that they are realizing optimum satisfaction in dealing with NP. The company deals with individuals and various sectors of society, always ensuring that its various petroleum products are available and are sold at affordable prices. This keen symbiotic relationship with its customers has been paying dividends, always resulting in a win-win scenario, making NP very endearing to all and sundry.

The regulatory institution of the different petroleum companies in the country, Petroleum Directorate, has lauded NP for its efficient service delivery wherever it is operating.
The company is also known for offering Sierra Leoneans NP Gas cookers of various sizes, which are affordable, safe and very friendly to use. NP Gas could be purchased at all their filling stations across the country.

When we talk of the serious implementation of the Local Content Policy, NP stands out tall, as it is truly an indigenous company having most of its employees as indigenes in the countries it is operating. This is one of the pillars that have made the company to become a success story.

The company’s result-oriented managerial team will definitely and sustainably continue to put NP at the top.

Without any gainsaying, NP-SL Ltd is doing exceptionally well in all the countries it is functioning and indeed there are prospects for further expansion.

Afrimoney & Access Bank Unveil Bank to Wallet, Wallet to Bank Service

By Amin Kef Sesay

Afrimoney, an appendage of Africell Sierra Leone, in collaboration with Access Bank on the 11th June 2021 launched the Bank to Wallet, Wallet to Bank Service during a snappy event which took place at the Access Bank Building on 30 Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown.

In attendance were the Director of Afrimoney, Massa Mayson Dennis, Managing Director of Access Bank Sierra Leone, Ganiyu Sanni, some members of staff of both Afrimoney and Access Bank as well as a cross section of customers of the Bank and members of the Fourth Estate.

Anifa Adams, a member of staff of Access Bank, in her welcome address, intimated that there has been a longstanding relationship between the two institutions which has mutually benefitted both parties. She furthered that the relationship is going to take a higher dimension as the two institutions are on the verge of launching another platform which is the Access Bank & Afrimoney Bank to Wallet, Wallet to Bank Service. Anifa pointed out that with the new platform customers of the two institutions will now experience enhanced digital banking underscoring the convenience the platform will provide to customers when doing banking transactions.

In her statement, the Director of Afrimoney, Massa Mayson Dennis, revealed how they are delighted to launch the new platform underscoring that it marks another milestone in their financial inclusion efforts in Sierra Leone. She also expressed excitement to partner with, what she referred to as ,one of the preferred banks in the country, in order to launch their innovative Bank to Wallet, Wallet to Bank Service with Access Bank.

“This service will allow Afrimoney subscribers with Bank Accounts at Access Bank to be able to transfer money from their Bank Accounts to their Mobile Money Wallets and from their Mobile Money Wallets to their Bank Accounts,” the Afrimoney Director informed  further stating that according to the National Financial Inclusion Strategy released by the Bank of Sierra Leone, there are almost 80% of Sierra Leoneans that do not have access to financial services in the country saying studies have shown that there is a direct link between financial inclusion and a country’s GDP.

She highlighted that the Bank to Wallet and Wallet to Bank Service is therefore one of the many solutions to digital financial inclusiveness which will directly drive financial inclusion and growth of the nation’s GDP.

Dilating on the benefits which the service will offer , Massa Mayson Dennis, stated that subscribers will be able to move money from their bank accounts directly to their Afrimoney money accounts and vice versa. She furthered that from a subscriber’s Afrimoney money account a customer can be able to check his or her bank account balance and effect any transaction from the comfort of his or her  home or anywhere.

Explaining how the service works, the Afrimoney Director said subscribers holding an Access Bank Account will have to visit the nearest Access Bank Branch to link their Afrimoney Money Accounts to their Access Bank Accounts.

She said after a successful linkage these are the processes to follow:

The subscriber must dial *161#
Select Option 9 “Bank”, Select Option 1 “ACCESS BANK” and then
Choose: Bank to Wallet Transfer,
Enter the Amount of money in LE he or she wants to transfer.
Please enter your pin to confirm the transfer of LE xxxx leones
2. Wallet to Bank
Enter the Amount of money in LE a person wants to transfer
Please enter your pin to confirm the transfer of LE xxxx leones
3. To Check Bank Account Balance

She also stated that a customer must please enter his or her Afrimoney money Pin to confirm the request to check his or her bank account balance.

After explaining the processes, the Afrimoney Director then expressed gratitude to the Management and Staff of Access Bank for entering into the partnership in order to move Sierra Leoneans to join the electronic payment system cashless era.

“As always, Afrimoney continues the lead in introducing cutting edge voice, data and fintech services in the country: thus reducing the cost, improving the speed, comfort and security with which people talk and conduct their financial transactions,” she assured all present adding that Afrimoney will always do more with actions than more with words.

On his part, the Managing Director of Access Bank, Ganiyu Sanni, stated that it gives him great pleasure to be part of the arrangement by the two institutions to partner in order to launch the service that will enhance efforts to address the financial inclusion problem in Sierra Leone. He continued that with this new service they expect to see an exponential growth in its use as well as an increase in customer satisfaction.

The Managing Director said it all started with the principles of financial inclusion which the Bank of Sierra Leone has laid emphasis on. He intimated that the branches of Access Bank has indeed grown maintaining that life is now better for many with the coming of the new service further expressing the view that with the service there is going to be an increase in the volume of transactions conducted with the Bank.

Ganiyu Sanni noted that the platform will enable their esteemed customers to conduct financial transactions securely and efficiently without going through the normal hassle of queuing in the banking hall but can conduct transactions within their comfort zones at any time by using their mobile phones.

He thanked all for working in record time to make the service functional further attesting that they have tested it and it is really working. The Access Bank Managing Director encouraged its customers as well as other members of the public   to make good use of the service and enjoy the benefits it has to offer.

The signing of a Memorandum of Understanding formed the highpoint of launching the Bank to Wallet, Wallet to Bank Service thereby making it operational from that moment.

Handling Fight Between Its Worker & Sierra Leonean Staff… CRSG Demonstrates fairness and Transparency

By Amin Kef Sesay

Contrary to the expectations of many Sierra Leoneans, the action of both China Kingho and CRSG over the fight between their national and a Sierra Leonean staff at the Tonkolili mines in Northern Sierra Leone, the Chinese Company took prompt action to relieve its national of his duties and took the Sierra Leonean national to the hospital for medical attention. This is the first time in the country’s history that a foreign company has taken such drastic action against its staff for fighting a local staff.

In their Press Release, both companies condemned the action of their own national and apologized to the nation for such an ugly incident, urging Sierra Leoneans that the company is poised to abide by the laws of the country and will continue to hold their Sierra Leonean counterparts in high esteem. It noted that the incident was an isolated one and not one that the company will condone, adding that it is against their operational principles.

In spite of the incident, some social commentators say that the Chinese have had very good working relationship with the country and has done extremely well in aiding the country get on its feet. In the agricultural sector, the Chinese are playing a vital role in developing agriculture and promoting production of the country’s staple food. In the sanitation sector, Chinese dump trucks are in use in the country to help reduce the garbage in the city. Chinese-Sierra Leone relationship was highly demonstrated during the Ebola and now in COVID-19, where its doctors and medical team have participated fully in saving the lives of our citizens at great risk to their own lives.

It could be recalled that with the setting up of the Jui Hospital and furnishing with latest modern medical equipment, China has contributed to the development of the health sector, training local staff in the use of modern technology in health matters. It is such experiences that enabled our own local staff to deal with COVID-19 when it surfaced in the country, thereby preventing the many deaths that are seen in the developed world.

What this shows is that the unity between the two countries is firm and cannot be undermined by a single isolated incident, which has already been aptly addressed by the Chinese company. China is a big partner in development with Sierra Leone, and there are prospects for more developmental activities to be undertaken by them in the near future.  Bravo CRSG for prompt intervention.

FBC Engineering Dept. Benefits from Standard Calculators Donated by “Nor Sidom Dey Luk” Organization

By Foday Moriba Conteh

As part of their efforts in extending their humanitarian gesture to vulnerable groups in the country, ‘Nor Sidom Dey Luk’ organization has on Tuesday 8th June, 2021 donated 40 special project calculators worth millions of Leones to the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone. The handing over ceremony took place at the Engineering Department on  Fourah Bay College Campus in Freetown.

The said 40 special project calculators which were donated in order to enhance student’s efficiencies in their studies were handed over to the Deen Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, FBC ,Prof Kelleh Mansaray.

In his address while handing over the calculators, Founder/Chief Executive Officer ‘Nor Sidom Dey Luk’ Organization, Nurudeen Sahid, said that the organization is a community based that was birthed from the Fullah Town Community in Freetown, adding that it was moved by the depreciating conditions of the community, of which a group of passionate young people headed by him thought it fit to establish the said organization to curtail violence, foster development and empower the young generation.

He revealed that in 2019 the organization provided over 125 street lights for the entire Foulah Tong community and that during the outbreak of the COVID-19 in the country they embarked on the distribution of facemasks and coronavirus sensitization on its effects and mitigation techniques furthering that during the three days lockdown they provided rice and condiments to over 150 families as part of their support to deprived communities.

Nurudeen Sahid noted that the organization also donated kits to NPSE and BECE pupils in all the primary schools within the Foulah Tong community, pointing out that every Saturday they provide free fumigation of insecticide for the Foulah Tong community to fight against the spread of malaria and maintain a healthy community.

He maintained that appreciative of the fact that Engineers are pivotal to nation building they thought it fit to donate the 40 special project calculators worth millions of Leones saying what set those calculators apart from traditional calculators are the specific functions they perform to the department with a strong belief that such could be helpful to the students, furthering that these donated calculators are particularly used for estimations; having dimension inputs as the prerequisite for the function.

Receiving the donation, Deen of the Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, FBC, Prof Kelleh Mansaray, expressed appreciation to Nor Sidom Dey Luk’ organization for the kind gesture which he described as not only important but a very timely intervention.

He assured all that the donated calculators will be used for their intended purpose in order to enhance the efficiency of students and also as guaranteed a solid cooperation and lasting relationship.

Students present at the ceremony also showered praises on the “Nor Sidom Dey Luk” organization for the kind gesture adding how they would like the organization to know that they hold them dearly.

They also assured the donors that the items would be used for their intended purposes.

President Bio Highly Recognizes Professor Mohamad Jawad Khalife

By Amin Kef Sesay

For his exemplary and outstanding performance to professional medical training and practice, His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio ,on the 10th June 2021, highly honoured Professor Mohamad Jawad Khalife, a Lebanese citizen, with one of the highest and most distinguished recognition in the country, the Grand Commander of the Order of the Republic of Sierra Leone.

Reading out the citation, Dr Patrick K. Muana, Senior Adviser to President Bio on Strategic Communication, stated that Dr Khalife was also being recognised for his outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment to transforming the health sector in his country and for his sterling contribution to promoting excellence in medical research, training, and cooperation.

It continues by disclosing that Professor Mohamad Jawad Khalife is a Md, Fellow of The American College of Surgeons, Fellow of The Royal College of Physicians, Fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons; Officer, National Order of the Cedar, Republic of Lebanon; Commander, National Order of the Cedar, Republic of Lebanon”.

Dr. Muana also declared while referring to Dr. Khalife that: “You have persisted at the cutting edge of medical practice in Lebanon and in the region as a whole. You are highly respected by your peers and for that you have earned befitting honorary fellowships of the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Surgeons in England. In the world of academia, you are highly respected, cited, and your leadership is inspirational and highly sought after.

“In public service as Minister of Health in successive Governments in Lebanon, you provided peerless leadership in overhauling public healthcare service delivery by developing and managing an innovative health reform plan that ‘guarantees a mandatory public national health insurance system to every citizen.’ You were also instrumental in establishing a registry that oversees the quality and pricing of pharmaceuticals in Lebanon as well as launching the first ever official National Cancer Registry.

“You also facilitated a programme of affiliation between public hospitals and Universities and educational institutions that significantly augmented the quality of healthcare delivery in Lebanon. Sierra Leone now salutes you for your achievements and your commitment to supporting the human capital development priority of our nation through training and research”.

In his words of appreciation, Professor Mohamad Jawad Khalife, thanked President Julius Maada Bio, saying that he had always had high admiration for him, not just because he is President of Sierra Leone, but because he is passionate about the wellbeing of his people.

Professor Khalife further stated that Lebanon and Sierra Leone had a long history of friendship, and promised to work very closely with the authorities for a deepened partnership that would be beneficiary for the citizens of Sierra Leone.

“Your Excellency, I am very grateful for this award from you and the people of this great nation. I will do my best for a strong partnership that will be for the interest of this country,” he stated.

Timber Association Office Attacked, Huge Sum of Money & Assorted Properties Carted Away

By Joenal

Information reaching this medium state that the Timber Association Sierra Leone (TA-SL) Head Office situated on Bai Bureh Road in Freetown was attacked on the 8th June 2021 by unknown persons of the sum of Le250, 000,000 and computers.

The aforementioned theft came in the wake of an official letter written by TASL registering its concern over moves being made to form another Timber Association also cataloguing series of threats they have been receiving, some targeting the lives of the Executive members of the Association and their office.

The letter which was dated 6th June, 2021 was addressed to the Minister of Environment and other line Ministries including the Office of National Security (ONS) and the Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Lamin Dainkeh Kargbo, the TASL Financial Secretary and Administrator disclosed how they held a meeting in the office in the morning hours before they left to engage Government officials in order for them to see reason to reduce the five (5) months ban period on the activities of timber to three (3) months when they received a call from their Office Assistant informing them of the attack which was carried out by the very people who have been making threats against them.

“The cupboards were broken, about Two Hundred and Fifty Million got missing which I left in the office before going for the meeting. 5 Canon computers, a printer and photocopier were also carted away with,” Kargbo accounted.

He maintained that other offices, including the office of the National Chairman, were also attacked.

TASL National Chairman, Mohamed Forna, while waiting for the Inspector General of Police for a meeting at the Police Headquarters in Freetown informed this medium about the peaceful elections, they held on February 24th 2021 which was called for by the Government and conducted by the National Electoral Commission (NEC) adding that the inauguration, which took place at the National Stadium, was witnessed by people from all walks of life.

“We have set up our Executive and everything is going on smoothly from that time,” he affirmed.

He continued that for 4 weeks now they have been receiving threats from those that lost the election also disclosing that on the 5th of June 2021 around 10 pm Police Officers went with two vehicles alleging that they have warrant of arrest for him but failed to show the warrant which he asked them to produce.

The Chairman said as a low abiding citizen, he reported himself to the Police the following day but that nobody told him the crime he committed.

He continued that in their WhatsApp forum those that lost the election allegedly formed a team and said they will take over their office and indeed they saw some of those people during the attack from the video evidence they have.

“I have been given a 4 year mandate which they have to accept and allow my administration to serve our people. We have all the evidence of the action the opposition took and we are going to tender them to the Police,” he noted.

SLAJ Awards President Bio & EU Ambassador

By Amin Kef Sesay

The Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has on the 9th June 2021 recognized President Dr. Julius Maada Bio as Press Freedom Champion during an occasion that took place at State House.  Leadership of SLAJ paid tribute to his Government’s repeal of the obnoxious 1965 law successive Governments used to jail journalists.

“I want to start by congratulating SLAJ on the celebration of their Golden Jubilee Anniversary. This is a great milestone for any professional group. But what makes it interesting is the fact that we certainly did this together. At a time when we have just repealed Part 5 of the Public Order Act of 1965,” President Bio said.

He underscored that the achievement is important for the media and Government’s commitment to free speech in the country, adding that when he made it a party manifesto it was not just lip service. He said he believes that democracy must go with the free press and that SLAJ and Government could be critical friends who respect and appreciate the place of a responsible Press.

“That is why I decided to take the bold step. So, by honouring me with this, as a champion of Free Press, I think it’s important for me because it was already a commitment I made in my manifesto. But I think I’d like to thank you for thinking about that, because many Governments had an opportunity to do it. But they did not have the strength of mind to take on certain sorts of challenges. Of course, there were critical views within my own Government and elsewhere.

“But it can be a useful part of a healthy democracy. We cannot have just one voice, we should have a dissenting voice, especially when those dissenting views are responsible, I think, to give us the opportunity to rethink some of the decisions we make and add value to the decisions we make.

“I am never afraid of dissenting views. And maybe that is one of the reasons why I was never afraid to really take on this challenge. And as a matter of fact, everybody is a journalist in the world now with the new media. So that is why we talk about responsible and professional journalists, who can take critical views, synthesise them and make them useful for public consumption, rather than just commenting or stating what a lot of us do today on social media.

“I want to use this opportunity also to extend my gratitude to the Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed Swaray, who has been tenacious, who believed in what I said. And despite the many obstacles that he came across, he held on to my promise and delivered on it. So, I want to thank him and the leadership of the Ministry. It was never easy. And we will continue to make efforts to make sure that our country is a better place. It is not enough. Our efforts as a Government are not enough,” he said.

On that note, I want to thank you for considering this award. And I will definitely assure you that insofar as I remain here, we will be critical friends and we will provide the support necessary for you to fight not only to practice but to thrive and be a better organisation. Thank you and I hope that friendship continues,” he ended.

Minister of Information and Communications, who declared the purpose of the event, said the President had rekindled the trust and confidence in the leadership of SLAJ and journalists, particularly as it relates to freedom of the press and dignity.

“His Excellency they singled you out for recognition for your relentless efforts and abiding commitment to ensuring a free and unshackled media. You have done a lot for the media. You have dared where others have failed, even though you remain the most castigated, the most vilified the most lampooned presidential candidate in the history of our country. Nobody imagined that you will be rejected as to eventually become the cornerstone, bringing an end to 55 years of speculation, 55 years of trials and tribulations for the media in Sierra Leone,” he said.

President of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, in his statement started by saying that they wished the President had attended their Golden Jubilee AGM in Bo City to receive the Press Freedom Award in person.

“We had wanted the whole national and regional executives as well as the entire membership of SLAJ to physically join in expressing our profound thanks and appreciation for the repeal of the criminal libel laws.

“We wanted to demonstrate, in our own special way, our grateful thanks, so that you can also join in feeling that sense of freedom, which only those who have been to jail can relate to. For it is when you have been locked up and then released that you can fully appreciate what freedom means and how valuable it is for that fundamental human right to be respected and protected.

“Your Excellency, all Presidents and Junta Heads of State we have had in this country, including your very self, have jailed journalists using the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law, but none was brave enough to repeal the law. This was a law that shackled the Sierra Leone media and journalists for 55 odd years,” he said.

The SLAJ President disclosed that the criminal libel law was used 99% by successive Governments and politicians to cower the media and intimidate and incarcerate journalists to escape being held to account and to clamp down on dissenting views.

He added that the law prevented women from coming into the journalism profession and aspire for leadership positions in the media industry, while also preventing private sector investment in the media and rendering the industry poor.

In another development, the Executive Members of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) met with the EU Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Tom Vens ,on the 8th June 2021, at the Delegation’s Leicester Peak office.

Purpose of the team’s visit was to present an award to the EU Delegation for supporting SLAJ and for advocating for the repeal of the Criminal Libel Law, which criminalises free speech and undermines press freedom in Sierra Leone.

The citation on the award reads: “For your support to SLAJ, and Free Speech and Press Freedom initiatives in Sierra Leone notably the Repeal of the Criminal Libel Law.”

President of SLAJ, Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, while presenting the award and a survey report titled, “Impact of COVID- 19 on Journalism in Sierra Leone” said SLAJ recognises the significant role the European Union has played to the sustainability of peace, democratic governance, protection of fundamental human rights and its overall contribution to the country’s development trajectory.

He said SLAJ and EU have collaborated on various projects in the past relating to supporting the training of journalists on the environment and climate change reporting, World Press Freedom Day symposium, EU Beach Clean-up event and  the recent disinformation campaign on COVID-19 among others.

He said these support have remarkably contributed to the development of journalism and the media landscape in the country, which SLAJ strongly recognises and appreciates as the association celebrates its golden jubilee this year.

Receiving the award, Ambassador Vens said the EU is honoured to have been considered for the award and appreciated the strong collaboration between the two institutions over the years. He, however, noted that EU was initially criticised for such a collaboration as it was seen to compromise the independence of journalism, which has never been the case.

He said the EU provides broad support to CSOs including SLAJ to continue to build a professional media landscape, in view of the critical role journalists to ensure transparency and accountability in society.

He congratulated the President on SLAJ’s 50th Anniversary celebrations and expressed hope that the journey of press freedom and free speech will continue in Sierra Leone.

During SLAJ’s Annual General Meeting Golden Jubilee celebrations in Bo on Saturday 5th May 2021, Nasralla particularly commended the European Union for swiftly intervening by providing funds to SLAJ/IRN to roll out a bi-weekly nationwide radio and television programme specifically aimed at addressing fake news and misinformation around COVID-19 circulating on social media and messaging platforms.

The public education campaign which ran from June to October 2020, significantly contributed to fight disinformation on COVID-19, through the talk shows, the dissemination of myth busters, infographics and educational videos.

Since the outbreak of the Corona virus disease in Sierra Leone, there was a serious issue with false and misleading information circulating on social media platforms, which negatively affected efforts to contain the disease, because the public could not distinguish between the fake news and credible information on COVID-19, thereby undermining official guidelines.

The four months programme supported the crucial role of the media in providing the public with accurate and factual information during the COVID-19 crisis and in increasing social media literacy and responsible communication amongst the public.

The programme was also live streamed on the main television stations and EU/SLAJ/IRN Facebook platforms and further supported the National Response Plan Pillar for Communication and Social Mobilisation by relaying official COVID-19 updates, guidelines and practical advice to the audience.

President Nasralla said the programme was successful due to the involvement of a variety of stakeholders – including CSOs, medical practitioners, Government officials, youth, women, key influencers and representatives of political parties who participated in the live talk shows – and the identification and debunking of recurring narratives circulating on social media related to COVID-19.

Until now, the European Union remains a strategic partner to Sierra Leone and has provided continued support, notably by repurposing its funding to CSOs in order to focus on epidemic containment and recovery measures and through various interventions in support of community initiatives.

1...896897898...1,369Page 897 of 1,369