The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the National Tourist Board (NTB) have on the 21st May 2021 officially signed contracts for a Small Grant Programme (SGP) with Tiwai Island, Banana Island and Wara Wara Hills under the repackaged sustainable tourism development programme supported by the Enhanced Integrated Framework (EIF) Tier II.
Explaining the overview of the project, the General Manager of the National Tourist Board, Fatmata Kroma said they have come a long way in reaching such a historic milestone for the three tourism sites. She gave a brief background of the SGP noting that the project aims at creating an enabling environment for sustainable growth of the tourism sector with strong emphasis on ecotourism, capacity building and contribution to local and marginalised communities.
She stated that the main goal of the SGP is to support ecotourism communities and sites to enhance their engagement in providing and delivering quality ecotourism related products and services in their respected destinations while pointing out that the sites were chosen on regional balance. She explained the facilities that will be installed in all the three sites.
The Director of Tourism at the Ministry, Mohamed Jalloh maintained that the project has been long overdue but grateful that it is happening with the leadership of Minister Pratt in ensuring that the project becomes a reality.
He said this is the first of five pilot projects they are undertaking. He explained that the funding is not a corporative funding but they are ensuring that the project is implemented in time and due process must be followed.
In her keynote address, the Tourism Minister, Dr. Memunatu Pratt expressed her delight toward the signing of the contracts between the Ministry, NTB and the three communities. She said the tourism industry was operating in darkness and projects meant for the people were not actualized, but maintained that since 2018, the industry has manifested change, hence the signing of this long awaited project.
She added that there were serious challenges with the EIF project when she took office, but with the commitment of her team they were able to deliver the project. She revealed that the Government of Sierra Leone contributed 4 billion Leones as part of the grant for the project.
Signing the contracts, the project coordinators for the three communities expressed delight that at last the long awaited project is signed assuring the Ministry and the Board of their commitment to making it a success.
The Head of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), Chief Superintendent, John K. Alpha, was suspended together with his Deputy, Tommy B. Zizer and Operations Officer Mohamed K. Allieu.
An internal memo issued by AIG Brima Jah, the new Director of Professional Standards who was until recently the Director of Crimes at CID, indicated that the three senior Police Officers were suspended for negligence, corrupt practice and noncompliance to orders issued by the Inspector General of Police, Ambrose Sovula.
Their suspension was effected on May 21 – the same day all three were demoted to subdivisions as a Local Unit Commander and General Duty Officers respectively.
Unlike M.K Allieu, who became notorious for arresting a portrait of the former President as evidence in last year’s trial of Dr Sylvia Blyden, the fourth man, Insp. Brima A. Munu, is not a well-known law enforcer.
All four men have been stripped of their badges and placed under investigation.
In an internal Memo from the Director of Professional Standards to all the affected personnel it was stated that in accordance with Regulations 23 (1) & (2) of the Police Regulation 2001, they are hereby suspended from duty with immediate effect.
It continued that such is to facilitate an impartial and timely investigation for the aforementioned offences at the CDIID Headquarters adding how they will remain suspended until the outcome of the investigation.
The offences committed were Neglect of Duty Contrary to paragraph 9 rule 16 (a), Corrupt or Improper Practice Contrary to Paragraph 9 Rule 31(e & f), issued by the Inspector General to Comply with any Standard Order Contrary to paragraph 9 rule 43 and Conduct to the Prejudice of Good Order and Discipline Contrary to Paragraph 9 rule 47.
The LUCS/Support Officers Congo Cross, Lumley and Harbour Divisions, were instructed to ensure proper handing over and retrieve all Police Property including ID cards and other badges of identification from them immediately.
Besides, they are to report at CDIID Police Headquarters, Freetown at 09:00 hours daily till the outcome come of the investigation.
The President of the Sierra Leone Employers Federation (SLEF) and Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum-Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd), Kobi Walker, on the 25th May 2021 at the NP House, Cotton Tree, in Freetown hosted the National Youth Service Executive Director, Mohamed Onanah Jalloh and Deputy Executive Director, Paul Saffa Tapema and assured them of his support to the development of graduates in the areas of Corps Deployment and Training.
The Sierra Leone Employers Federation (SELF) was established in 1966 as a non-profit business association. It serves as the main employers’ organization in Sierra Leone. It has collaborated with hosts of businesses and organizations including the International Labour Organization (ILO) as well as the Sierra Leone Labour Congress (SLLC). SELF is part of the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency and is present on the Board of the National Social Security Trust (NASSIT).
Speaking on his support to the National Youth Service, Kobi Walker, who already has two (2) NYS Corps deployed at NP-SL Limited, assured the Executive Director of more deployment opportunities at NP SL Limited and SLEF Secretariat.
He commended the NYS Executive Director on Graduate Deployment Maximization and assured him that he will encourage the membership of the Sierra Leone Employers Federation to accept NYS Corps in their various institutions.
President Kobi Walker explained about the structures, functions and operations of the Sierra Leone Employers Federation and highlighted some of its achievements. He maintained that despite the outbreak of COVID-19 to date, his Federation has been working relentlessly with key partners to ensure that workers’ rights and conditions of service are well improved.
In his contribution, the Executive Director of the National Youth Service, Mohamed Onanah Jalloh applauded the efforts of the SLEF President and requested for support in the areas of training and deployment. He explained that the NYS came into being by an Act of Parliament in 2016 and implementation started in 2018.
He disclosed that the first batch of corps trained and deployed were 200 in 2018. He continued to explain that they later increased the number to 500 in 2019 and 800 in 2020 respectively.
Mohamed Onanah Jalloh explained some of the success stories of the NYS especially within the private sector and commented on the challenges with particular reference to the payment of stipends to serving Corp members.
Kobi Walker presented the Executive Director and his Deputy to Mr. Thomas, the Executive Secretary of the Sierra Leone Employers Federation (SLEF) and encouraged them to work on a Memorandum of Understanding.
The United Bank for Africa (UBA) Sierra Leone has on Tuesday 25th May, 2021 joined other countries to celebrate Africa Day 2021during an auspicious event held at its Headquarters in Freetown.
Speaking during the ceremony, Managing Director of UBA Sierra Leone, Usman Isiaka, expressed gratitude that the bank is celebrating adding that the United Bank for Africa is a bank that is meant for all Africans and therefore in that regard they thought it fit to celebrate Africa Day in a special way across all the 20 countries were the bank is operating in Africa.
Underscoring the importance of Africa Day he said it is to show the rich cultural heritage of Africa evident in how members of staff of UBA were culturally dressed to portray the rich culture of Africa furthering that the Africa Day celebration is being observed across all the 20 countries where they do operate.
Usman Isiaka maintained that in order to encourage members of staff of UBA to dress in their traditional attire to showcase their African Culture they decided to award the member of staff putting on the best African attire.
He said the winner of the best African attire that showcases the richness of the African culture will win fifteen Million Leones (15,000,000) and the runner up will bag Ten Million Leones (10,000,000).
He added that they are doing such to show the depth and the originality of the African culture.
The Managing Director added that for the first time the United Bank for Africa (UBA) is celebrating Africa Day 2021 by bringing together global leaders at the 2nd UBA Africa Day Conversations screened live across the continent.
“UBA helps set the debate around Africa’s economic development through its series of “Africa Conversations”, he continued adding that this year the focus is on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the COVID-19 pandemic.
He furthered that leaders emphasized the need for meaningful collaboration between Governments and the private sector as a requirement for the quick recovery of the economy of the African continent during the post COVID-19 period.
The Managing Director revealed that the panel included the President of Liberia, H.E George Weah; United States Senator Chris Coons; the President & Chairman of the Board of Directors of the African Export–Import Bank (AFREXIMBANK), Professor Benedict Okey Oramah; President, International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Peter Maurer; and was moderated by the Group Chairman, UBA Plc, Tony O. Elumelu.
Usman Isiaka added that other leading voices that contributed were the Founder, Africa CEO Forum, Amir Ben Yahmed; the Secretary-General of the African Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP), H.E George Chikoti; Administrator, United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Achim Steiner and Donald Kaberuka, the former President of the African Union.
He pointed out that the Conversations concluded with the need to act quickly and effectively, highlighting that Africa has lessons to teach the world in containment but is economically vulnerable.
He revealed that the United Bank for Africa is a leading pan-African financial institution offering banking services to more than twenty million customers globally.
With footprints in 20 African countries and presence globally in the United Kingdom, the USA and France, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail, commerce and corporate banking, innovative cross border payments and remittances, trade finance and ancillary banking services.
The event was climaxed with the recitation of a poem by a member of staff of the United Bank for Africa on the topic “Africa to the World”.
During a press briefing held at its headquarters on Tower Hill in Freetown, on the 24th May, 2021 , Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats-SL),the institution that is charged with the responsibility of compiling statistical data in the country released the Consumer Price Index for April 2021.
According to the Report, the National Inflation Rate for April, 2021 (year-on-year) stood at 9.60 percentage point from 8.95 percent in March 2021. The monthly national consumer price inflation for April 2021 is 2.73 percent; up by 1.89 percentage point from 0.84 percent in March 2021.
The Statistician General, Professor Osman Sankoh, noted that the CPI is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by largely urban consumers for a market basket of consumer’s goods and services, adding that they are using the modified lapeyres formula to compute indices according to the Classification of Individuals Consumption by Purpose (COICOP) with 12 functions consistent with the ECOWAS, IMF and World Bank.
Professor Osman Sankoh further added that the CIP Methodology- basket prices are collected for 446 items identified in 2008 (base-year/reference year), adding that the basket can only be more appropriately changed after a living standard survey (Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey-SLIHS).
Giving highlights on the CPI for April, he said the April 2021 CPI shows that the annual national inflation (year-on-year) stood at 9.60 percent up by 0.65% point from 8.95% in March 2021; and the monthly inflation is 2.73 percent up by 1.89 percentage point from 0.84 in March 2021.
He said that the March 2021 Consumer Price Index (CPI) shows that transportation has increased from 6.21 percent in March to 8.01 percent in April 2021 and the inflation rate increased by 1.80 percentage point year-on-year.
The Statistician General said food and non-alcoholic beverages increased from 15.45 percentage points in March 2021 to 15.64% in April 2021, of which the inflation rate increased by 0.19 percentage point year-on-year, adding that communication also declined by 1.01 percentage points from 3.25 percent in March 2021 to 3.24% in April 2021.
He furthered that two regions went up and two regions came down, up is the Western Region which moved from 7.90 percent in March 2021 to 8.11% in April 2021, adding that the Northern Region moved from 9.93 % in March 2021 to 12.79 % in April 2021.
He added that the Southern Region went down from 10.59% in March 2021 to 10.49% in April 2021, and the Eastern region also moved down from 8.57% in March to 7.51% in April 2021.
The national monthly CPI (2008=100) increased from 334.60 in March 2021 to 334.60 in April 2021 resulting to 2.73 percent inflation this month.
He maintained that April year-on-year national inflation rate indicates a slight increase but remains at a single digit and on a downwards trajectory; and is above the estimates of the Western and Eastern regions but below Southern and Northern region estimates, adding that food and non-food inflation rates went up by 0.19 and 0.79 percentage points respectively.
The 24th May 2021 will go down the annals of history as a watershed when the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources (MMMR) and the National Minerals Agency (NMA) held a Geodata Launch and an Exhibition Event at the Freetown International Conference Centre, Bintumani Hotel, Aberdeen to celebrate and showcase progress made in the country’s minerals sector.
The event provided an opportunity for investors, mining companies, banks and financial institutions, legal firms and various product/service providers to join Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Development Partners and other key stakeholders to share experiences and ideas on the investment opportunities and challenges in the mines and minerals sector.
In his keynote address, President Bio said: “I am not here to do a symbolic launch and walk away to my office. I am here to speak to friends, partners, and potential investors present and not present. I am here to share with you what we have done about the mining sector over the last three years.”
The President also stressed that he was at the event to listen very keenly to people’s thoughts, ideas, and experiences.
“I want to assure you that we will create even more opportunities to sit down and talk; to think together; to cooperate; to reach consensus; and to work together to further develop the extractives sector and make it even more viable for investors and their shareholders, the Government, communities, and the country as a whole.
“As I have always said, I want that relationship to be built on mutual trust with all parties being transparent, patient, and clear about pursuing a win-win outcome,” he concluded.
Gayle Martin, the outgoing World Bank Country Manager, commended the Government of Sierra Leone under the leadership of President Bio for the progress that led to the event of the launch of Geodata and Exhibition, saying that critical to the post-COVID-19 recovery was the extractive sector, which she said if managed well would transform Sierra Leone’s economy.
She also noted that the Geodata was financed by the World Bank because they knew it would help lift people out of poverty, saying that the data would not only support the mining sector but would also help other areas necessary for national development.
“Under the able leadership of President Bio, the Government has embarked on a growth strategy that focuses on economic diversification. Economic diversification does not mean moving away from extractives, but rather to optimise the growth in other sectors to protect the economy from negative shocks”, Gayle noted.
Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Musa Timothy Kabba, said that he was grateful to the President for the confidence reposed in him to serve in the Ministry, saying that they had taken huge steps by acquiring the geological data which would be critical for the optimisation of benefits from the minerals sector.
He further stated that the Geodata would serve a useful function in guiding Government’s decision relevant to the exploitation of mineral wealth, adding that they were critical in shaping Government’s strategy in transitioning from a first-come-first-serve system for the award of mineral right to a competitive bidding system.
“With this launch, Your Excellency, Sierra Leone has once again demonstrated, under your leadership, that it is a competitive destination in Africa for investment in the mines and minerals sector,” he noted.
The Director General of the National Mineral Agency (NMA), Julius Daniel Mattai, in his welcome address said despite challenges posed by the Coronavirus converging at the Bintumani Conference Centre clearly shows that the country is making steady progress in sanitising the minerals sector.
“Ladies and gentlemen, this Geodata launch and exhibition form a critical part of our Government’s agenda to rebuild confidence and attracting investment into the minerals sector of Sierra Leone’s economy. This maiden event provides a perfect setting for long-lasting and meaningful investment in this country and for its development,” he noted.
He also stated that Sierra Leone is endowed with abundant mineral wealth and natural resources but characterised by multidimensional poverty, but assured that the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources and his agency are working harder to see a turnaround and a much further inroad in terms of growth in the sectors with large investment potential.
The NMA Director General furthered that the event consists of three opportunities: first, the launch of the deliverables from the Nationwide Airborne Geophysical Survey (NAGS), the Enterprise Geoscientific Information System (EGIMS) and the National Minerals Agency Strategic Plan 2020-2025; second, promotional exhibitions; and, third, an exclusive Networking Cocktail Party.
He underscored that the event provides the perfect setting to see these three opportunities unfold for the first time in Sierra Leone.
Julius Daniel Mattai highlighted that so pivotal has mining been to the development of Sierra Leone, that it inevitably carries some of the worst of the legacy of the past.
He stated that in the same measure, the challenges of Geodata management and good governance and the opportunities of real transformation are enormous, especially in creating new opportunities for meaningful investment and inclusive growth.
These challenges and opportunities, according to him, form a critical part of the broader transformational agenda of Sierra Leone’s mines and minerals sector in the twenty-first century; hence, the theme of the event is: “Leveraging Geodata Management Systems and Good Governance to Improve the Mines and Minerals Sector”.
He maintained that the role of the mines and minerals sector in the economic development of Sierra Leone is still a suspect and the sector is currently striving to make meaningful impact on the country’s overall economy.
“It is perhaps an inconvenient truth that Sierra Leone would be much further down the road in terms of growth of the mines and minerals sector had it taken a comprehensive stock of its mineral resource inventory earlier,” he intimated.
He added how Sierra Leone has serious mining investment potential, which if governed and exploited rationally, could contribute to inclusive and sustainable development.
The mining sector, he continued, is the crux of Government’s effort to revive the country’s economy through the attraction of investments with its proven associated benefits such as generation of critically needed foreign exchange, employment creation and transfer of technology and knowledge.
He said at a time of continued global economic and financial vulnerability due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Government of Sierra Leone, under the astute and transformational leadership of HE Dr Julius Maada Bio, has yet again proven its commitment to making Sierra Leone’s mines and minerals sector as one of the key pillars of our national development agenda.
Julius informed the gathering that the lack of quality, complete, reliable and readily available Geodata has seriously affected and weakened the Government of Sierra Leone’s ability to assess the grade, quality, quantity, depth, orientation size, shape, etc of its mineral resources and ore reserves in the areas under exploration and exploitation.
He continued that it is for such a reason that the Government of Sierra Leone, through the Ministry of Mines and Minerals Resources and the National Minerals Agency, commissioned a high-resolution Nationwide Airborne Geophysical Survey (using magnetic and radiometric sensors) covering the entire country during 2019 and 2020.
The NMA Boss acknowledged that the Survey was fully funded by the World Bank through its Extractive Industries Technical Assistance Project 2 (EITAP 2).
“The Sierra Leone Nationwide Airborne Geophysical Survey is the highest resolution countrywide magnetic and radiometric survey ever conducted in Africa with 150 m line spacing and nominal flight height of 50m above ground level,” he noted stating that the unprecedented level of subsurface detail provides unique opportunities for mineral exploration in a country already well known for its mineral wealth, but with untapped potential for modern minerals essential for transition to a green and low-carbon future.
He said the deliverables form the Survey are also useful in water resources management, including hydrogeology and geohydrology; agriculture and agrogeology; environmental management; geotechnical and engineering works; and urban planning, all of which ultimately assist in societal development.
“The deliverables from the Survey now form a critical component of our geological and mineral resource inventory and will be globally available, for an affordable fee, to the public and investment communities from early June 2021 via a bespoke online Sierra Leone Geoscience Portal and from the NMA Head Office in Freetown,” he stated.
The NMA Boss stated that Geodata are very important and strategic national assets and they are costly to acquire and challenging to store, manage and secure over a long period of time.
“Hence, we must invest in the mines and minerals sector and motivate, inspire and empower our young men and women with the relevant knowledge, skills, professionalism, attitude and integrity to govern, manage and administer Geodata and its management systems,” he admonished.
On the 20th May 2021, Paramount Chief Member of Parliament, Hon. Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III, representing Tonkolili District, made a jolting revelation in the Well of Parliament when he stated that ECOMED, which is Freetown’s most advanced medical diagnostics centre, with innovative technology, first class equipment and internationally trained staff, is a public owned facility and not a privately owned entity as many are of the opinion.
The Hon Paramount Chief Member of Parliament made that revelation, which sent a cold chill down the spines of Members of Parliament, during the ratification of a treaty geared towards the establishment of an African Medicine Agency, which is to serve as a regulatory institution for African countries relating to issues that have to do with medicine.
The Paramount Chief further pointed out that, according to an initial agreement, the Government has 60% shares in ECOMED while on the other hand 20% is owned by Ghanaian doctors.
He added that certain individuals clandestinely changed the initial agreement and surreptitiously converted the facility to become a privately owned entity stressing that he has documents to the effect which he will forward to the Speaker of Parliament if the latter is willing to see them.
In the wake of the startling revelation, the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Abass Bundu told the Parliamentary Committee on Health to do a follow up on the issue and asked the Hon. Paramount Chief to tender the said documents to members of the Committee.
“We want to know the true ownership of ECOMED and if we know or discover that it is a true property of the Government and People of Sierra Leone, then recommendations will be made by Parliament for it to be transferred to the Government,” the Speaker of Parliament vehemently stated.
In a swift reaction to the claims made by the Paramount Chief Member of Parliament, Hon Bai Kurr Kanagbaro Sanka III, the Proprietor of ECOMED (SL) Ltd, Jihad Swaid, on the 24th May 2021, categorically and robustly stated that he wishes to set the records straight relating to the alleged submission made by an MP, in the House of Parliament on Thursday 20th May 2021.
According to, Jihad Swaid, ECOMED (SL) LTD, is a wholly owned private sector venture that commenced operations in 2012.
He furthered that since its inception, ECOMED had never received any funds from Government nor from any third-party that was “directly or indirectly” meant for Government, as was reportedly alleged.
“The said allegations are baseless, unfounded and bear no connection to the TRUTH,” he vehemently stated maintaining that those allegations are simply dramatic fictional misrepresentations stressing how such undoubtedly leaves much to the imagination as to the real intention of such utterances.
“We are looking forward to the promise by the said MP to submit to the Honourable Speaker of Parliament his acclaimed documents that carry the proof of such preposterous allegations,” he challenged also stating how they are patiently waiting to see such documents which in his opinion DO NOT EXIST.
The Proprietor of ECOMED additionally stated that meanwhile as an entrepreneur he has refused to be deterred by unscrupulous allegations that are sometimes calculated to discourage private sector activities and derail investments.
“In my own little capacity, I will continue to genuinely harness much needed investments in various sectors of our economy, thus humbly and modestly contributing towards national development,” Jihad Swaid concluded.
In commemoration of African Day and in Loving memory of one of the pioneers of the Pan-African Patriots, Isaac Theophilus Akunna Wallace Johnson, the Pan-African Patriot Assembly and the Black Purse Philanthropy, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone National Museum, has on Tuesday 25th May, 2021 commemorated the 58th African Day in honor of their fallen Pan-African Ancestors that contributed immensely to make the African Liberation struggle a memorable and enduring legacy for all Africans. The event took place at the Sierra Leone National Museum on Siaka Stevens in Freetown.
In his statement, the Founder/Chief Executive Officer of the Pan-African Patriot Assembly, Trixx Mitch Med Hazzeezz, noted that they are celebrating African Day with heavy heart because there is nothing to write home about the African day in terms of African liberation, adding that Africans are not fully liberated.
He further disclosed that they decided to choose the museum to commemorate the day rather than choosing the beach, because it is a historical venue maintaining how they are joining their ancestors and asking for their spirit to continue to guide them until the fulfillment of their blue print.
Trixx intimated that a lot of people celebrate liberation day, but they are not liberated and that Africans should not celebrate African Day until they are liberated and then as Africans they can begin to commemorate African Liberation Day.
He past heroes and heroine did all what they could do in terms of liberation but there was so much neglect by past generations and maybe all generations are not paying attention to things that are really relevant to the freedom of Africans.
He continued that they intend to make a difference wherein the Pan-African Patriot Assembly are effecting visible signs and actions that can be followed by coming generations.
Trixx underscored that for their first time in the history, people can read Pan-African languages across Freetown as they have erected signs posts in specific areas within the Freetown municipality, noting that the Pan-African Patriotism has gone as far as Bo, Kabala, Kono, Kenema, and Moyamba as they are trying as much as they can to have Pan-Africa languages right across the country for the first in history in Sierra Leone.
In conclusion, he said they are very committed to ensure that they are pursing their mandate as an organization in order to ensure that Pan-Africa languages reached the four corners of the country.
The event was climaxed by the presentation of the portrait of Isaac Theophilus Akunna Wallace Johnson to the Sierra Leone National Museum which was received by Head of Education, Mrs. Oliver.
President of Kingho Energy Group handing over a book to President Bio
By Abdul Malik Bangura
President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio has, on the 25th May 2021, assured the Management of Kingho Investment Company of the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL) fullest support towards achieving the company’s vision and goals.
President Bio made that assurance during a courtesy visit on him at State House in Freetown by staff of the company who were led by the President of Kingho Energy Group, Colin Ding.
During his response to the presentation by the Company’s Director of Corporate Affairs and a statement by the Kingho Energy Group President, His Excellency President Bio said he was happy that the meeting brought everyone together to have a shared view on the roadmap of the company in Sierra Leone. He expressed joy that Kingho has started very well and thanked the company for not disappointing him.
President Bio emphasized that Government will do its parts to ensure that the programmes, vision and developmental aspirations of Kingho are mutually beneficial. He expressed optimism that he would truly look forward to the stage when Sierra Leone will be a hub for the production of steel in the sub-region. Therefore, the President assured that the GoSL will give its supports to the company so that the latter will actualize it goals.
On the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), the President o further assured that GoSL stands ready to help the company and will always be there to give its support. He said he is hopeful that the pledges made by the company will be adhered to and that the roadmap of transforming the iron ore mining industry of Sierra Leone will be a vision achievable during his tenure as President.
Meanwhile, the remarks of President Bio was a direct response to the statement made by the President of Kingho Energy Group, Colin Ding, who had earlier in the meeting spoke about the desire of the company to launch Phase II of its vision. Phase II, he said is to optimize the Tonkolili Iron Ore grade from 52% to more than 65% so that the company’s product will be globally competitive.
Ding thanked the President and GoSL for the relentless support given to the company so far and assured that based on the trust and confidence bestowed on Kingho, the company will do all it could to transform the iron ore industry of the country.
Also, earlier, the Director of Corporate Affairs, Kingho Investment Company Limited, Salim Sillah did a PowerPoint presentation in which he looked at the company’s vision, mission, values, Human Resources and Human Capital Development strategies.
Director of Community Affairs, Kingho Investment Company Limited, Madam Judith Kosseh presented the Kingho delegation. The meeting was also attended by the Chief Minister, Jacob Jusu Saffa, Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources Musa Timothy Kabba, Minister of Finance Dennis Vandi, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Anthony Brewah, Director General National Minerals Agency Julius Daniel Mattai and several other Government officials.
President Bio and Kingho teamKingho’s President extending greetings to President Bio
After two-and-a-half years of intense negotiations, a successor to the Cotonou Agreement is in sight. On 15 April, European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) as chief negotiators concluded the negotiations that will lead to the signing of a new Association Agreement between the 79 members of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union.
The two are proud of what they have achieved together. According to them the Agreement renews, modernises and deepens the special relationship the African, Caribbean and Pacific States and the European Union have built over more than 40 years. It sets a framework for cooperation in the next twenty years.
It was mentioned that together they represent 1.5 billion people on four continents, 106 countries, and more than half of the seats at the United Nations’ General Assembly. “We share common values, but also a common vision: peaceful and prosperous societies that leave no one behind,” it was stated.
In a troubled world, grappling with an unprecedented environmental crisis, a devastating pandemic, and a revival of the unilateralist temptation, the relationship between the two groups of countries represents a pillar of stability and a beacon of hope. They choose to work together.
The new Agreement takes their partnership to the next level. It is more ambitious, comprehensive and flexible than its predecessors, be it in terms of jobs, global challenges, rights, multilateralism and differentiation. It really goes beyond the Cotonou Agreement, in various fields.
From geopolitical perspective, they will together be stronger globally and strive to implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Paris Agreement, the overarching frameworks guiding their partnership.
From a partnership point of view, the first time in over forty years of collaboration, strong regional components are included in the text. This strengthens the EU’s relations with each region through three tailor-made regional Protocols with specific priorities.
In substance, the agreement puts human rights, gender equality, democracy and good governance at the core of the partnership. They will have special focus on human development, fostering economic opportunities for all, and preserving the environment.
The result of the negotiations is a testimony to the vitality of their relationship. It is a true turning point, a major political achievement, and a powerful tool to advance the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.
According to the EU their young people demand a fairer, greener and more peaceful world. The future generation deserves a global rules-based order that regulates power politics, protects the vulnerable and promotes open societies while leaving no one behind. It was said that their new agreement works towards that.
