NP’s Contribution to the Nation’s Revenue Basket is Impressive

May 28, 2021

By Amin Kef Sesay

One of the business entities that are contributing immensely to the revenue basket of this nation is indisputably the indigenously owned National Petroleum Limited. As a matter of fact NP-SL Ltd falls in the category of large taxpayers according to the National Revenue Authority (NRA) the body charged with the responsibility of collecting all taxes on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone.

It therefore came as no big surprise when it was recently revealed by the petroleum regulatory institution that out of 753 Billion Leones that was paid to the Government of Sierra Leone last year NP-SL Ltd contributed up to 60% in the form of taxes.

Impressively, records have shown that NP-SL Ltd timely pays its taxes to the Government and there has never been an instance when the company has renege in doing so.

Timely payment of huge taxes speaks volumes of how the company is contributing immensely towards nation building and positively helping to improve standards of living of the vast majority of the populace.

Besides, it is a living testimony of the viability of a company whose major objective is to avail the people of this country with qualitative petroleum products.

It is widely acknowledged that the company has dominated the petroleum trade in the country based on its proactive stance with regards the importation and marketing of high grade petroleum products including petrol, diesel, gas and lubricants of which one of the best is the widely used Castrol oil.

Being an indigenous company that cherish its numerous customers, NP-SL Ltd, over the years, has placed high premium on customer care, which it has effectively rolled out over the years to such an extent that it has earned the enviable reputation of 1^st for Customer Care. It is within that realm that the initial shareholders of the company, thirty-five (35) of them, thought it entrepreneurially prudent to import and install modern calibrated machines at all its Filling Stations.

These are automated and high precision machines which have the capability of pumping the exact quantity of fuel that a particular buyer or customer requests for, displaying quantity (in litres) as well as the price(s). With these machines, contrary to what used to obtain in the past when less sophisticated pumping machines were used, customers have sincerely attested that they do derive utmost satisfaction whenever they do transactions expressing the belief that the process is really transparent.

Within that same domain of satisfying and providing care for its customers, the company made it a must that all its Filling Stations should have safety regulations. That is why it cautions its customers and others that they should not use naked flame, that mobile phones should be switched off, engines must also be switched off at Filling Stations when fuel is pumped among others.

In order to ensure that fuel is distributed timely to all its Filling Stations in the country, the company has maintained a fleet of tankers (vehicles that transport fuel) and they are regularly maintenance in order to ensure that they are roadworthy.

With the avowed objective of making fuel transactions easier and very convenient for its esteemed and numerous customers, the company again introduced the brilliant idea of introducing the use of NP Smart Card. This is a cashless way of transacting business or in other words purchasing fuel without using physical cash. The holder of an NP Smart Card could present the card at any Filling Station, as long as it contains money, and request for the quantity of fuel he or she requires.

The card is then slotted into the pumping machine with the subsequent discharge of the amount of fuel into a car or jerry can. This method of conducting cashless transaction is very advantageous in the sense that a customer is saved the hassle of intermittently rushing to the bank to withdraw cash for the sole purpose of purchasing fuel. This is so because already his or her NP Smart Card is loaded with money for that purpose. Indeed, it also provides security as the card is securitized only having the particulars of the holder which cannot be used by another person.

Human beings cannot exist in the absence of food as it is a basic necessity of life. Food is prepared in various ways but one popular way of doing so is by cooking. In this part of the world, most households are dependent on largely using wood and charcoal for cooking purposes. However, the cutting down of trees to be used as wood and charcoal have been frowned upon by environmentalists on the grounds that such is contributing negatively to the depletion of the environment and pose other adverse consequences on the ecosystem.

Against this backdrop, the Shareholders and Management of the company thought it fit that to assuage that they must introduce a safer way of cooking. It was out of this idea that the initiative of introducing an environmentally cooking device arose and NP Gas was borne. Manufactured in different cylinder sizes, NP Gas has a high precision performance and to refill it is simple as the gas could be accessed at all the company’s Filling Stations in the country. Many whom have tried them intimated this medium that it is worth having at home and one could never regret having it but would rather recommend it to others.

NP-SL Ltd has etched its name in the sands of time for embracing and effectively rolling out the country’s Local Content Policy. As one of its major priorities, the company has placed high premium on giving employment preference to Sierra Leoneans. It is only on rare circumstances that the company make use of expatriates and in most cases it is when local personnel cannot be sourced.

In a country where accessing a secured and suitable job is like finding a needle on the beach for a company like NP-SL Ltd to avail Sierra Leoneans the opportunity to access job is indeed commendable. This posture, on the part of the company, has given the beneficiaries the opportunity to live improved lifestyles and have a sense of believing that they are contributing to national development.

A company that has vibrant branches in neighbouring Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia speaks volumes of a serious company that is determined to grow. In all those countries, the company employs indigenes and is paying taxes to the Governments which in turn are used to fund various development programmes.

From what have been said so far, NP-SL Ltd is a company that is making Sierra Leoneans proud and is an epitome of selflessness with a strong passion to further climb higher heights. Indeed, the company is truly a success story!

Blame Not President Bio So Much… The Country’s Huge Electricity Deficit Dates Back to the 1970s

May 28, 2021

His Excellency, the President Dr. Julius Maada Bio

By Amin Kef Sesay

Truth be told; President Bio’s ‘New Direction’ Government would find it very hard to explain to citizens of the capital city why they do not get regular supply of electricity.

These citizens remember that they used to enjoy a reasonable amount of regular electricity supply during the days of the former President Koroma led APC Government.

Now they wonder out loud why instead of power generation and access increasing to meet demand, it has suffered a frustrating downfall – to the chagrin and annoyance of hundreds of thousands of consumers who moan that they buy top-up but do not get satisfactory service from EDSA.

It particularly angered many Freetonians when in his recent speech to Parliament and the nation, the President said that electricity generation has increased. One very annoyed citizen shouted out loudly that President Bio was very economical with the truth because according to him, many communities in the Western Areas these days complain about going days without electricity.

To be fair with the President and his hardworking Minister of Energy whose resignation many frustrated and angry electricity consumers are calling for as not being up to the task assigned him; they have both time after time told Freetonians that this Government inherited an electricity generation system that was dilapidated.

Coupled with this headache is an archaic transmission and distribution system that wasted much of the power generated by Bumbuna and other available sources.

So far as is known through research, the country’s slide generally into electricity deficit started in the 1970s. After independence in 1961, up to the early 1970s, Freetown and all provincial district headquarter towns had not only electricity but also water supply.

However, due to lack of a maintenance culture and failure to invest in new plants, all these services went into ruin and disuse. The situation worsened with the war that lasted from 1992 to 2002 when Government diverted resources to fighting the war.

Since the war ended, tens of millions of dollars from by the World Bank, GoSL and other development partners to remedy the situation met with little or no success.

Sierra Leone’s energy needs are under resourced and the scarcity of a reliable energy supply is one of the key impediments to Sierra Leone’s economic and social development.

The country’s installed power capacity per capita is among the lowest in the world with approximately 105 MW available for a population of over 7 million in 2018.

The difficulty in accessing electricity is also compounded by significant transmission and distribution network problems, resulting in losses of 34.5% of the electricity supply in the Freetown Capital Western Area alone in 2017.

Added to this is large-scale theft of electricity by both large and small-scale consumers.

However, the situation would not remain dismal for very long; as many new Government and private sector investments into new renewable energy sources, for example the solar farm at Newton, the West Africa Power Pool project and replacing the transmission and distribution line would help to considerably increase generation and access in both the capital city and provincial communities.

In an Open Letter to President Bio… Founder and CEO of Salone Jamboree Calls for Creative Arts Support

May 28, 2021

By Amin Kef Sesay

In an Open Letter written by the Founder and CEO of Salone Jamboree, Sierra Leone’s Arts and entertainment newspaper, who is also a freelance reporter for the German International broadcaster, Deutsche Welle, Murtala Mohamed Kamara, to His Excellency the President, Julius Maada Bio, Murtala posited that the Creative Arts could turn around Sierra Leone’s economy if given the right support.

He stated that in the President’s 2019 State Opening of Parliament statement, he stated, that developing the creative industry is among his Government’s priority.

Quoting the President speech Murtala referenced: “Mr Speaker, Honourable Members, we also remain committed to promoting music and performing Arts given the jobs it creates for our youth and the rebranding of our image as a nation. My Government will review and enforce policies and laws governing the sector, seek support to establish a National Arts Gallery and Theatre for Performing Arts using the Private Public Partnership model and re-establish and develop a cultural village.”

Murtala underscored that the creative industry is one of the fastest-growing sectors for economies around the world.

He said the sector can be a driver for a country’s economy if given the right policies and adequate investment but lamented that unfortunately for Sierra Leone, the country has not positioned itself properly to harness the immense opportunity that the sector has to offer.

“I’ve argued many times that we can never make a breakthrough without the right policies, capacity building, infrastructure and adequate investment,” he pointed out.

Referencing NIGERIA he said Governments across Africa are now turning to the creative industry to address the many unemployment challenges in their countries.

Murtala argued that they are not only developing their youths’ skills but are also providing investments, policies, and infrastructure to address some of those challenges.

He said Nigeria has exploited the creative industry for the benefit of its people. According to him the Nigerian film industry alone employs over one million people with annual profit of almost 600 million dollars, producing an average of 1,500 movies per year, making it the second-largest producer after Bollywood (India). He said in terms of revenue, Nollywood is the third largest film industry after Hollywood (US) and Bollywood.

Murtala raised the point that in 2011, a loan scheme of about 200 million dollars was approved. He said the Nigerian Government further gave grants of several million dollars between 2013 and 2017. These grants were given under the “Project Act Nollywood”, an investment aiming to ensure better production, distribution network and capacity building.

Dilating on GHANA he stated that learning from the Nigerian success story, Ghana’s President, Nana Akufo-Addo, last month launched a $25 million Dollar ‘Presidential Film Pitch’ to the local film industry. The initiative, Murtala told President Bio, aims to provide jobs for 6,000 Ghanaians and create opportunities to market Ghanaian films abroad.

The project, he said, will engage investors, broadcasters, distributors, sponsors and platforms worldwide for potential collaborations, sponsorship, investment, sales and advertising opportunities.

President Akufo-Addo, according to him, said that he has also given assent to the Creative Industry Act passed by Parliament. He said the Act would help create the enabling environment for the Ghanaian film sector and the creative Arts, in general, contribute to Ghana’s growth.

Murtala argued that Sierra Leone has all it takes to be a movie giant in Africa.

“I’ve seen better movie locations in Sierra Leone than some of the locations I saw in Mauritius and South Africa. I’ve seen far better talents than some of the actors in Nollywood. What we lack is the right infrastructure; we have failed to add value to that location. We have failed to create the right policies; we have failed to invest in this sector. Therefore Sierra Leone is losing out,” he strongly stated. He highlighted that ‘Blood Diamond’, a film about Sierra Leone’s conflict Diamond, which cost over $100 million to make, was shot in Mozambique and South Africa.

Murtala concluded by telling the President that the creative arts industry has the potential to transform Sierra Leone’s economy if given the required attention.

“Sierra Leone can do it, we could learn from the others highlighted above,” Murtala firmly intimated.

Former President Koroma on Elections Observer Mission in Somaliland

May 28, 2021

By Foday Moriba Conteh

In furtherance of his commitment to deepen democracy on the continent, Sierra Leone’s former President, Ernest Bai Koroma, on 26th May, 2021 departed for the Republic of Somaliland to serve in an Elections Observer Mission which is scheduled to take place on 31st May, 2021.

Through the South African based Brenthurst Foundation, President Koroma’s outstanding democratic record and valuable political experience have been leveraged by the Government of the Republic of Somaliland.

It follows similar engagements he successfully carried out in Namibia, Togo and in Benin on behalf of the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) respectively.

Responding to the request of the President of the Republic of Somaliland, H.E. Muse Bihi Abdi, the Sierra Leonean statesman said, “It is becoming increasingly critical to continue to inspire peaceful democratic transitions across the continent; to avoid a reversal in the gains we have made so far. I therefore stand ready to support especially home-grown efforts geared towards building on and consolidating peace and democracy in Africa”.

The thirty-member observer mission includes H.E. Mr. Erastus Mwencha, Former Deputy Chair of the African Union Commission, leaders of political parties and think tanks, researchers, policy, media and communications experts, as well as civil society activists.

During this Mission, President Koroma and team will hold consultations with Government officials, members of the Electoral Commission, political parties, civil society groups, the media, members of the diplomatic corps and other international observer groups.

As the Reconcile their Difference… APC Party Yearns for Victory in Coming Elections

May 28, 2021

By Foday Moriba Conteh

In a Press Release dated 26th May, 2021 and signed by the National Secretary General of the Party, Amb. Dr. Alhaji Osman Foday Yansaneh, it was categorically stated that the All Peoples Congress (APC) has reconciled its differences and agreed on a roadmap for victory vis-a-vis the 2023 upcoming elections.

The Release further stated that the leadership of the APC wishes to inform the general public that the Party has now agreed on a roadmap for peace, reconciliation and healing in the Party continuing that a set of actions would be undertaken over the coming weeks and months to ensure victory for the APC Party in the 2022 Local Council Elections and the 2023 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

It was also highlighted that the aforementioned conclusion was reached on the 25th May 2021 in Makeni following a very successful meeting between the leadership of the APC, key stakeholders of the Party and the BIG 6.

Also stated was that the leadership of the APC appreciates the BIG 6 for their sustained commitment to the APC and for the patience, maturity displayed in the midst of all the accusations which they vehemently denied.

The Leadership of the Party, it was underlined, is appealing to all members and well-wishers to uphold the decisions reached in Makeni and to ensure that peace and tranquility prevail in their beloved Party, adding that the Leadership is also appealing to all members of the Party to refrain from cursing and the use of invectives against comrades with immediate effect emphasizing that all must treat each other with dignity and respect.

The Leadership, it was said, further wishes to make it known that concrete steps are being taken to ensure that all matters currently before the courts are resolved amicably within the shortest possible time.

S/L UK Based Artist Releases New Single ‘Holy Ghost Fire’

May 28, 2021

By Foday Moriba Conteh

One of Sierra Leone’s finest songwriters and Hip-Hop Artists, Boizie Gadd, popularly known as King SL Zee Born in Freetown, Sierra Leone, who is currently based in the United Kingdom representing the Black Game Entertainment has released his new single classical song titled ‘’Holy Ghost Fire’ featuring a renowned Cameroonian Female Rap Star, Kizzy.

The song “Holy Ghost Fire” is a pure African trending style. It’s a blend of Dancehall and Hip hop. Produced by Treemelo, a young sensational Sierra Leonean producer based in Makeni City, Northern Sierra Leone the song was also mixed & mastered by Money Making Machine, CEO, Innocent Kuti.

The song is also about bad mind people in contemporary societies which many described as a song that will surely hit the length and breadth of Sierra Leone and Africa as a whole.

He started his music career in 2006 at aged 15 and because of his perseverance in the music industry, King SL Zee put out many single songs like “Cut yah put yah” with Innocent. This song was a great success for him as it served as a breakthrough for him in the music industry.

After he released that very single, he has been working tirelessly towards building his music career and in the same year he also released another single called “Yams White Coba Ram” which also paved the way for him as it was loved by many Sierra Leoneans in and out of the country. The song went viral and up till now the song is still been played by different Radio and TV stations across the country and beyond.

King SL Zee got this overwhelming recognition outside the Sierra Leone music industry from the Gold Coast now Ghana after jumping on the Kenyatta Challenge. Inarguably he had one of the best challenges that landed him an international collaboration with the sole aim to rebrand SL Music and give it a new face.

He has been working tremendously to promote the talents of young Sierra Leonean Artists and has contributed towards the growth of the music industry in the country.

King SL Zee attended the Trinity Primary school where he attained his National Primary School Examination (NPSE) Certificate and later furthered his studies at the St. Edwards Secondary School Kingtom in Freetown and finally in 2005 he left for the United Kingdom where he is currently pursuing his music career.

Fans who want to download the song can access it on diverse music platform or visit: https://youtu.be/NbXYxUEMS94

Teaching Service Commission Unveils President’s National Best Teacher Award 2021

May 28, 2021

Chair of the Teaching Service commission, Conrad Sackey

By Foday Moriba Conteh

As part of their aim to award the most innovative, resourceful and dedicated teachers at District, Regional and National levels as a motivation in the teaching profession, the Teaching Service Commission has on Thursday 27th May, 2021 officially launched the President’s National Best Teacher Award 2021 during an auspicious event held at the Teaching Service Commission Conference Hall on Priscilla Street in Freetown.

The vision of the said award is to have a teaching force with high standards of delivering quality outcomes for students at all levels, the best of whom are ready to compete with their peers at national and international levels.

Speaking during the launch, the Chair of the Teaching Service commission, Conrad Sackey, described the launch of the Award as a laudable venture in recognizing the efforts of teachers across the country.

He maintained that the TSC, in collaboration with Technical Staff of the Planning and Policy Directorate at the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary School Education successfully piloted a legislation for teachers.

Conrad Sackey added that the Commission is working on plans to develop an electronic database with links to certificate awarding institutions to enable rapid retrieval and verification of Diplomas and Certificates presented by teachers.

He also noted that the Commission has developed an HR manual for teachers and school leaders, adding that they have also recruited 500 new teachers to replace 3740 retired teachers and they have also processed 4158 teachers for both assessment and promotion in the past three years.

The Chair further added that the Commission is working with a wide range of partners to develop a national strategic framework for continuous professional development for teachers with a view to harmonize and coordinate the CPD approaches.

He pointed out that after highlighting some of the Commission’s achievement and plans it is against such a backdrop that he wants to introduce the President’s National Best Teacher Award which he said will recognize innovative, resourceful and dedicated teachers at District, Regional and National levels as a motivation in the teaching profession.

Founder/CEO of the Sierra Leone Teacher Prize, Josephine Saidu, disclosed that President Julius Maada Bio in his maiden speech to the nation, issued the people’s Manifesto, in which he promised to introduce the National Best Teacher Award.

She stated that the initiative was conceived as an integral part of the Government’s Free Quality School Education with teachers playing a crucial and decisive role in its successful implementation.

Josephine Saidu noted that the objective of the award is to recognize the value of teachers, promote excellence among teachers, stimulate competition in their pursuit of excellence and to motivate and inspire teachers.

Dilating on the eligibility criteria ,Josephine Saidu, noted that the criteria includes full-time trained and qualified pre- school, primary and secondary school teachers in Government and Government assisted schools in the country, consistent demonstration of high performance and dedication as teachers for the period of at least 5 years, evidence of meeting the professional standards to be defined in the knowledge, practice and engagement domains and practicing the teaching profession in line with the teacher code of conduct.

Outlining the timeline for the Award, Director of Teacher Management at the Teaching Service Commission, Marian S. Abu said that have started the process way back in March 2021 of which they opened the nomination window which she said was followed by selection at District level.

She added that on the 31st May, 2021 there will a selection of regional winners and that from the 1st-4th June 2021 they will be verifying the regional winners, from the 1st -10th June 2021 will be for public voting for winners of the National Best Teacher Award 2021 which will be followed by a selection and endorsement of the National Best Teacher Award 2021 from 8th-10th June 2021.

Marian S. Abu revealed that the 1st National Best Teacher Award 2021will be hosted on the 17th June, 2021 with the venue to be announced later on.

AMCOW Honours Fatima Bio as Champion of Sanitation and Hygiene

May 28, 2021

By Theresa Kef Sesay

The African Ministers’ Council on Water (AMCOW) on the 27^th May 2021 recognised the First Lady, Her Excellency Fatima Maada Bio, as African Champion of Sanitation and Hygiene, the third prominent person to be honoured after Rwanda’s President Paul Kagame and former President of Liberia, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

The championship honour is in recognition of her tireless efforts in ensuring that women and girls have access to a clean and safe environment, citing her landmark ‘Hand’s Off Our Girls’ campaign and programmes, which has also commenced a nationwide distribution of free sanitary pads to school-going children.

AMCOW was formed in 2002 in Abuja, Nigeria, primarily to promote cooperation, security, social and economic development and poverty eradication among member States through the effective management of the continent’s water resources and provision of water supply.

Acting Executive Secretary of AMCOW, Thomas Banda, extended warm fraternal greetings from the Secretariat and noted that the status of Africa in terms of water and sanitation was not anything good to write home about. He added that access to adequate water and safe sanitation and hygiene services is still a challenge to many of the over 400 million people of the African continent.

“It is in this regard that AMCOW Secretariat initiated efforts to identify, engage and nominate a high-level champion for sanitation and hygiene. The search kept narrowing down until we landed at the profile of Her Excellency, the First Lady of Sierra Leone,” he stated.

Mr Banda said they looked forward to working with Madam Fatima Bio to strengthen their advocacy efforts and to ensure that everyone around the continent had access to safely managed sanitation and hygiene, including menstrual health and hygiene services, and towards ending open defecation in Africa.

In her brief acceptance speech, the First Lady said she was positively overwhelmed by the African Union recognition of her work, which she is doing very passionately. She thanked President Bio for not only being her husband but for also being her adviser, mentor and for believing in her as a woman.

“I want to say thank you, Your Excellency, for your support. I will succeed only if you continue to give me that support. For Africa to see me and the work I am doing to serve humanity, it is because of the free space you have given me to work,” she noted.

She further stated that hygiene and satiation together remain serious challenges that need attention. She, therefore, promised to work with all stakeholders to not only see Sierra Leone become a cleaner and hygienic country, but to also push for a cleaner Africa as a whole.

“Thank you very much African Ministers’ Council on Water for this recognition. Thank you, my team, from the Office of the First Lady, for your support. It is because of you that I have the zeal and oxygen to do more work that has led to this achievement,” she concluded.

President Bio described the event as particularly significant because it was a ceremony at which a very passionate Sierra Leonean, who had provided leadership for causes that had changed attitudes and life outcomes, was being recognised.

“We are especially proud of her extensive work throughout Sierra Leone with ‘Hands Off Our Girls.’ Madam First Lady, as a result of your fervent advocacy for gender empowerment and for the protection of women against sexual and gender-based violence, more girls are now safer in their communities and schools.

“More girls persist in school and are not forced into early marriages; more girls have access to menstrual hygiene products; and there is greater recognition of the immense potential of girls in fostering sustainable and inclusive development in Sierra Leone.

“Equality, equity, access, and empowerment are suddenly not incidental to how girls see themselves and believe in themselves in Sierra Leone. Congratulations again, Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio, Sierra Leone is very proud of this continental recognition of your selfless and committed leadership. Thank you,” he concluded.

ECOWAS Condemns Military Takeover in Mali -Speaker of Parliament Discloses

May 28, 2021

By Abdul Malik Bangura- ECOPARL Press Corp, Sierra Leone

His Excellency Rtd. Honourable Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, Speaker of Economic Community of West Africa States (ECOWAS) Parliament, has on the 27^th May 2021 affirmed that the regional Parliament has condemned in its entirety the military takeover in the Republic of Mali.

The Speaker made that affirmation in his welcome address during the opening ceremony of the ECOWAS Parliament 1^st 2021 Ordinary Session which is ongoing in Abuja, Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Whilst delving into the efforts made so far by the ECOWAS Parliament regarding the situation in Mali, the Speaker said, “earlier this year, I led a Parliamentary Fact-Finding Mission to that country and held discussions with all Stakeholders in the transition process. We were assured by all parties of their commitment towards a transition to democratic rule.”

“Unfortunately”, the Speaker said “we have observed a few days ago, a dramatic shift in the political situation, which led to the arrest of the Transitional President, His Excellency Bah N’Daw and the Prime Minister, Moctar Ouane.”

Speaker Tunis emphasized that “the ECOWAS Parliament condemns, in the strongest terms, the military takeover in Mali and all acts in the region that threatens or stalls the process of entrenching democracy across our States.”

The Speaker said, “we have made many efforts in securing a peaceful and stable ECOWAS and it is about time we take firm and decisive actions against forces that tend to reverse this trend,” adding that “the ECOWAS Parliament stands ready to support all efforts aimed at putting Mali on the right trajectory of peace and democracy.”

President of ECOWAS Commission, His Excellency Jean-Claude Kassi Brou whilst deliberating on the issue in the Republic of Mali said as a community, ECOWAS has engaged the current authorities in Mali for the immediate release of the former Interim President and the former Interim Prime Minister. He assured that in the coming days, they will have to brief the various organs of ECOWAS and ensure that a decision is taken.

On the same issue regarding the current situation in the Republic of Mali, President of the Republic of Ghana and Chairman of the ECOWAS Council of Head of States and Governments, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo during his opening address said he has authorized the ECOWAS mediation delegation to Mali which is headed by former Nigerian President, Goodluck Jonathan to go to Mali and do an assessment of the entire situation. He said, after that, he will look at the report and then summon an emergency extraordinary session of Heads of States and Government of the ECOWAS region to review the relationship between ECOWAS and Mali.

Meanwhile, it should be noted that the Republic of Mali is one of the 15 member States of ECOWAS, with 6 Members of Parliament representing it in the ECOWAS Parliament. In that country, the interim President and Prime Minister resigned on Wednesday, two days after they were arrested by the military.

President Bah Ndaw and Prime Minister Moctar Ouane were said to have been taken to a military base outside the capital on Monday after a cabinet reshuffle in which two officers lost their posts.

The intervention led by Vice President Assimi Goita, according to international Press, has jeopardized Mali’s transition back to democracy after a coup in August overthrew former President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita. It has provoked international condemnation and raised fears that a political crisis in Bamako would affect regional security.

Standard Chartered Planning Hundreds More Job Cuts

May 28, 2021

By Amin Kef Sesay

Early this year, it was published on the world leading business media Blomberg that Standard Chartered Bank is preparing further job cuts in 2021 as the emerging market lender continues a restructuring that was postponed by the onset of the pandemic.

The London-headquartered bank is expected to cut several hundred jobs this year across its global businesses, with the reductions focused on more junior employees, according to people familiar with the matter. The bank has about 85,000 employees around the world.

Focused on markets in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, the lender has faced pressure from investors to reduce costs to improve returns to boost its share price.
Under Chief Executive Officer, Bill Winters, who recently celebrated his fifth anniversary at the bank, Standard Chartered has undergone a radical revamp that has shrunk middle Management and invested billions of dollars in improving its technology.

According to an article that was published by the world leading business media Blomberg written by Harry Wilson and Ambereen Choudhury they indicate that in July, the company said it was making a “small number of roles” redundant. Since then, several Senior Managers have left, including Didier von Daeniken, the Head of its private banking arm. Its shares have fallen 31% in the past year.

It was noted that the job cuts restarted in the second half of last year as Standard Chartered, like other major lenders, faced pressure to curtail costs to cope with the impact of the pandemic and the Bank had reported its full-year financial results in February.

The publication revealed that the Chief Financial Officer, Andy Halford said in October that the firm needed to improve returns and its goal of achieving a 10% return on equity had been pushed back by COVID-19. The lender has said it will consider resuming dividend payments to investors after the Bank of England started to relax pandemic-related curbs in December.

The latest job cuts come as Standard Chartered prepares for the eventual departure of Chief Executive Officer Bill Winters.

What Does this mean for its West African branches especially the Sierra Leone Franchise?

This medium is closely monitoring this development and will provide more details in subsequent publications.