NP-Sierra Leone Always Sets the Pace that Others Try to Emulate

October 23, 2019

By Amin Kef Sesay

Steadfastness in optimal service delivery has made the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL-Ltd) one of the most outstanding and vibrant companies that is steadily operating, in thick and thin, in this country. Such largely emanates from the dogged determination on the part of 35 former employees of the then British Petroleum company, which decided to fold up its operations and sold shares, which these workers bought out of their end of service benefits and used as seed capital to commence the running of the now renowned NP-SL –Ltd.

Setting up the company was just one accomplished feat, but taking it from that level to where it is today, speaks volumes of the selflessness on the part of the shareholders, who were all Sierra Leoneans, to see their ‘baby’ grow and succeed up to an appreciable stage that they were yearning for. It is this selflessness on the part of the shareholders which eclipsed personal aggrandizement, misappropriation of funds and insincerity to such an extent that the resultant effect culminated into an overall success story.

At this material point in time the company has bagged a whole lot of recognition for its outstanding performances in the line of marketing qualitative petroleum products. It stands to be contested that NP-SL Ltd is the number one oil marketing company in this country, which is equal to none, as it continues to break new frontiers in its expansionist drive.

When the name NP is called, what immediately comes to mind is First for Customer Care and this is not a mere masquerading in borrowed robes, but rather a true accomplishment of what the company fervently believes in and is striving towards actualizing. To the shareholders and Management of the company, providing utmost satisfaction in its service delivery to its esteemed as well as numerous customers is just as important as importing petroleum products into the country. Keen consideration is given to marketing high grade products that customers utilize for the effective performances of vehicles and other gadgets.

Besides, the company ensured that its pumping machines used in Filling Stations are modern and standardized in order to give customers their monies’ worth. These machines are very transparent, as it displays the number of litre pumped and the corresponding prices. Besides, customers concerns and suggestions are taken into consideration when policies are mapped out and Management decisions are arrived at, which makes it possible for various shades of opinions and inputs to be factored into how the company tailors its operations.

With the avowed aim of making their customers feel at home, NP-SL-Ltd has made the procurement of petroleum products very simple by introducing the use of NP Smart Card. NP Smart Card has unique embedded security features which cannot be easily faked by unscrupulous persons and the Card could be topped up to contain a considerable amount of money which a particular customer could use for purchasing purposes, with amounts deducted depending on the quantum of the products so far demanded. Indeed, it is a latest technological device and is becoming very trending.

For effective cooking purposes the company also has on offer for sale NP Gas, a device found in different cylinder shapes, that could be accessed at all the company’s Filling Stations as well as authorized dealers at affordable prices. Environmentally and medically certified as user friendly, NP Gas is presently going like hot cakes and there are energized workers in all the stations that readily offer tips or guidance as to how to optimally make use of this wonderful gadget. As a matter of fact a particular user can easily gain access to gas for refilling purpose.

A marked feature of the company has to do with its one hundred percent ‘Sierra Leoneanship’, having shareholders, Management and general staff who are all indigenes. Such a premium placed on making use of local talents and raw materials are parts of the core bedrock of the much talked about Local Content Policy.

Employing knowledgeable Sierra Leoneans to execute certain tasks has been a cardinal principle that has permeated the company’s existence throughout the periods it has been in active existence and such has been paying meaningful dividends. It also means offering various training opportunities to broaden the knowledge horizons of its members of staff for sound contributions to the company’s viability and buoyance.

Bent on maintaining that stance, the company has been helping in poverty reduction because by offering job opportunities, either directly or otherwise, it is putting monies in the pockets of individuals to take care of responsibilities. Monies are spent internally as opposed to a situation where the company should have concentrated on importing foreign expatriates to do tasks that indigenes could do better.

NP-SL Ltd has, over the years, in its drive to roll out the company’s Corporate Social Responsibility complementing Government’s efforts to enhance improved standards of living. It has offered institutional capacity supports to vibrant entities as was recently done to the National Fire Force by facilitating the construction of a state-of-the-art water facility at the Force’s Kissy Branch, from which water could be sourced to respond to any fire emergency within that part of the country and even beyond to the entire Greater Freetown. This is just a microcosm of the kind gestures that the company has dished out, all with the objective to make lives better.

To have branches in different parts of the country and going further to have presence within the West African sub-region tells of how the company is determined to grow. We now have NP in Liberia, Guinea, Ivory Coast and The Gambia and the vibrant functioning of all those branches is a true testimony of how successful its shareholders and Management want to see customers enjoying qualitative petroleum products. The company is providing job opportunities in those countries and at the same time paying taxes, which form components of generated revenues that are used by the respective Governments to undertake the implementation of various development programmes and projects.

NP-SL is moving on the right trajectory and deserves all the necessary support it requires to move from one height to another. The company is poised to continue creating meaningful impacts and consciously moving towards the direction of always setting the pace for others to follow.

Sierra Leone’s leading oil marketing company, the National Petroleum Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL-Ltd) has been very steadfast in its service delivery of high standard petroleum products, which it imports since this country is not an oil producing nation. All we need to do at this point in time is to give the company all the necessary support needed to make it become much more stronger than it is at the moment.

Choithram Memorial Hospital Sierra Leone Remains Committed to serve Humanity

October 23, 2019

By Amin Kef Sesay

News making the round on various Social Media platforms creating the impression that the Choithram Memorial Hospital in Freetown is holistically a charitable entity that must be rendering medical treatments for free, that is without any form payment, has been certainly proven, through sustained, incisive and detailed investigation mounted by this medium has indeed turned out to be completely false, baseless and totally misleading. The name of the hospital, Choithram Memorial Hospital is completely different from how some people misconstrue it to be the Choithram Charitable Hospital. It is as simple as that. Why all the fuss?

It must be noted at this particular juncture that the Choithram Hospital’s connotation of charity simply does not mean free in its totality as it is logical that without receiving any external support or assistance, financially or otherwise, it would be extremely difficult to operate a hospital of such a nature that offers first class medical treatments. How could members of staff be paid? How could Management procure medicines and other equipment?

According to the responsive Management official at the hospital, which has been rated as one of the best in the country as well as by other sources, the entity is run on a cost recovery basis having an outlined policy of admitting patients of all types regardless of their status in society. What this means is that they do admit patients who can afford to foot medical bills but most importantly the hospital also accommodates and treats patients who are so extremely poor to such an extent that they cannot afford to make any form of payment. Based on the information this medium accessed, all patients are accorded the same facilities as Management strongly frowns on discrimination.

“This hospital is supported by the Choithram International Foundation and does not in any shape or form receive any modicum of assistance from the Indian Government,” one of the hospital’s top Management hospital official intimated furthering how they are annually paying the sum of one million and five hundred thousand Leones (Le1.5 million) to the Government of Sierra Leone as lease agreement for the land where the hospital is situated on Hill Station in Freetown.

In justifying Choithram Hospital’s stance on offering qualitative medical treatments, it was divulged that there is a concrete arrangement bordering on annually bringing medical experts from Germany to undertake critical surgeries which most often turn out to be very successful.

It should be noted that just recently the hospital carried out twelve (12) successful heart surgeries for free which in a normal circumstance should have cost the patients fifteen thousand dollars ($15,000) each if the surgery should have been done overseas.

It will be recalled that Professor Thomas Crawford and team were in the country recently to follow up and evaluate patients who were implanted by the Choithram country team. Intra Cardiac Defibrillators were surgically implanted alongside the country team free of cost for patients who met the requisite indicators.

It could be recalled that in February 2018 a team of international cardiologists comprising Professor Thomas Crawford from the University of Michigan,Ann Arbor in the US and Professor Zaheer Yousef from Cardiff University alongside the Choithram team comprising Dr.James Russell and the hospital staff successfully implanted several Intracardiac pacemakers for the very first time.

In the wake of that major success the local team headed by Dr.Russell had successfully implanted several intracardiac pacemakers in Sierra Leonean patients who were suffering from bradyarrhythmia, a case of a very slow heart rate that requires treatment and the outcomes have been good.

Going down the annals of history a team of German pediatric surgeons in collaboration with Choithram Memorial Hospital have been conducting free surgeries in Sierra Leone on poor and needy patients below 18 years of age.

The surgeries, done under the umbrella of Bintumani-German Sierra Leone Society, started on the 8^th of February, 2019 and ran up to the 23^rd of February.

“On the first day, we did eight (8) surgeries and another nine on the second day,” said Dr. Ibrahim Al Naieb, one of the surgeons. “One of the operations was very complicated but it was very good we did it for the patient. We are hoping to perform surgeries on up to 100 patients and we are sure of doing all of them.”

This whole talk about the Choithram Hospital being a charitable entity and as such no payment should be made by patients emerged as a result of a statement made during the recent visit by the India Vice President when he stated that it is a charitable hospital. But this is a non-starter as it must be underscored that the real name of the hospital is Choithram Memorial and not Choithram Charitable hospital.

His statement was completely misunderstood and blown out of proportion but the question that is on the lips of many well-meaning persons is how could a privately-owned and run hospital be sustainable in terms of offering high class medical treatments pro bono when it is not receiving any external financial assistance not even from the Indian Government? The answer is simple: Sustainability of running the hospital will definitely be at stake. It must be reiterated that Choithram Memorial Hospital is an independent, privately owned entity devoid of any form of the India Government or any other partner’s assistance.

Apart from offering medical treatment the hospital is on record for dishing out scholarships and other supports to the needy all in the name of helping to alleviate poverty.

We need to get the facts right and stand up for the truth as it is only the truth that shall set all of us free.

Aftermath of 2018 elections… Female opposition member’s life in danger

October 21, 2019

By Saidu Dumbuya

Female opposition politician, Kumba Komba’s life is reported to have been in grave danger.
According to Kumba Komba, a victims who narrowly escaped the recent attack at their party APC headquarters on Brookfields, the Opposition All People’s Congress APC, after losing the 2018 presidential elections, its hierarchy and some strong party members decided to hold a meeting to address certain issues relating to the uncountable political intimidation and other inhuman treatment meted against their members and supporters by the ruling SLPP.

Madam Komba maintained that the party hierarchy and members were busy discussing when a group of thugs alleged to have belonged to the ruling SLPP attacked the party Secretariat with dangerous lethal weapons disrupted the meeting, brutalized party members including women who where in that meeting.

Madam Kumba explained that ” we were in the middle of the meeting when we
first heard people raining motherly invectives outside the Secretariat, when we looked through the windows, we saw a large group of people whom we believed were Kamajors and SLPP youths wearing green T-shirts written with inscription “Paopa for Paopa”. which mean force by force”.

She stated that those armed thugs violently stormed the meeting and started firing tear gas canisters, pelting stones, destroying property Worth millions of Leone and carted away property belonging to the party Secretariat.
She explained further that the gas suffocation was too unbearable that she had to hide in the bathroom for safety.

“I was seriously suffocated and couldn’t bear the suffocation, I had to come out “. She said.
Madam Kumba said that no sooner she came out of her hiding place, than the thugs draged her on the floor started punching her here and there.
She said while the thugs were busy manhandling her, the police came at the scene, but sadly, instead of the police making effort to rescue her and others from the hands of those thugs, they fired live bullets at the APC Headquarters’ offices.

She said “I was not shot, but I sustained serious body pains, the police arrested me together with other members, we were frog matched to the open truck and taken to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) police station”. She narrated.
According to Kumba Komba she slept in the smelly police cell for two days without being charged to court. She informed that they were later released on October 18, 2019 after spending two days in cell.

Madam Komba underscored that shortly after their release from cell, she was at her salon at Pike Street, west part of Freetown when another group of SLPP thugs violently attacked her again and showered several slaps on her and told her that, they will continue to attack her until they get rid of her life, since she has insisted on supporting the APC.
She pointed out that the SLPP thugs also threatened to kill her children and mother should she continue to support the APC party.

Kumba revealed that she tacticaly escaped using the back door. “I was helped by my shop caretaker Madam Konteh, had it not been her support, I would have been a dead woman by now” she explained in tears.

Madam Kumba also alleged that while she was struggling to escape from the irate thngs one of of them tore her blouse rendering her to run almost halfbaked.
Sources say, after that unpleasant and brutal attack against Madam Kumba Komba, she is reported to have left the country to an unknown location. Many say this is not the first time Madam Kumba Komba has been violently attacked and faced death threats from the ruling SLPP members and supporters but times without number.

Before her recent attack she was among the APC party members whom were violently dislodged by the Sierra Leone Police for staging peaceful protest along Siaka Stevens Street in Freetown where she also narrowly escaped and involuntary left the country to seek refuge in an unknown neighboring country.

As we go to press last night the whereabouts of Madam Kumba Komba is still sketchy.
When this medium contacted the police for their own side of the story, they declined making any comments regarding the said matter.
We are closely monitoring the situation.

150 Male Inmates Moved to Mafanta Correctional Centre Sierra Leone

October 20, 2019

__________________________________
By Leslie Cole – Showers

One hundred and fifty (150) male inmates have been commuted from the Pademba Road Correctional Centre to the Mafanta Correctional Centre, in Tonkolili District, three (3) miles off Magburaka town.

“Three hundred (300) inmates were supposed to have been transported to Mafanta, in order to ease congestion in the Pademba road Centre; the vehicles we have could not accommodate all of them. However, before next week ends, the remainding 150 male inmates would have been taken to Mafanta,” Deputy Director General of the SLCS, Mr. Dennis Harman said.

The DDG disclosed that the beddings, toiletries, kitchen utensils, and food stuffs had all been taken to Mafanta for the in- going inmates.

He said the 300 inmates will be occupying two blocks that were refurbished with funds provided by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) & the International Bureau of Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL).

“60 officers have been transferred to the Mafanta Correctional Centre, to add to the already 49 officers on the ground.”

It can be recalled that about a month ago, the Pre- trial Detention and Simulation Centre at Kissi town Waterloo, was commissioned, and it is now home to 100 male and 10 female inmates. In addition, the Mafanta Centre now affords the SLCS an added space for 300 male inmates- summing up to 410.

Before these developments, the SLCS had a total holding capacity of 1, 935. As at press time, the SLCS has an accommodation capacity of 2, 345.

Orange-Sierra Leone Commissions New Site at Lugbu Chiefdom, Bo District

October 20, 2019

By Foday Moriba Conteh

In its bid to enhance reliable and accessible communication services to citizens across the country, Sierra Leone’s leading GSM mobile operator, Orange Sierra Leone, on Friday 18^th October, 2019 commissioned their newly constructed site at Kpetewoma village, Lugbu Chiefdom in the Bo District, Southern Sierra Leone.

The event was graced by traditional and religious leaders, youth groups, the Honorable Member of Parliament of Constituency 078 and the Chief of Lugbu Chiefdom and spiced by cultural performances from the community people.

Geo-Marketing Manager of Orange Sierra Leone, Emmanuel James, said that the company is a global company operating in other parts of the world, adding that Orange SL cares about its customers’ condition of services and in that regard, when a request was made to them to improve their services in that part of the country, they adhered, as commissioning the newly constructed site shows how committed they are to provide the best telecom services in Sierra Leone to ensure its customers get an unmatched experience.

He said that Orange-SL is known for adding value to the lives of its customers wherever they operate, noting that as a company, they take cognizance of the fact that Freetown is not Sierra Leone and this has informed their exploration of remote communities in the country to provide them with reliable and accessible services.

He admonished the people of Lugbu Chiefdom to make good use of the opportunity and that they are looking up to them in order to sustain the service in that part of the country.

Hon. Member of Parliament of constituency 078, Alimamy Osman Kamara, who officially commissioned the newly constructed site, expressed appreciation to Orange Sierra Leone for the erection of such a site in his constituency, noting that with the new site, fast and reliable communication in the Chiefdom will be enhanced.

He said that the poor network services was a challenged to them in that part of the country, and this has necessitated the embarking on a dangerous venture of climbing up trees or hills to get courage and make calls, but with the commissioning of this new site, this problem will be a thing of the past.

He encouraged Sierra Leoneans to put their faith in Orange Sierra Leone, as the company is reliable and accessible, and Orange will continue to put smiles in their faces.

Chief of Lugbu Chiefdom, Chief Mamoud Fofanah, extoled Orange Sierra Leone for the construction of the new site in his chiefdom, stressing that with this new site, reliable connectivity will be enhanced in the chiefdom. He also lamented over the previous poor condition of service that had prevailed prior to this new development, but expressed optimism that with the newly constructed site they will have the very best of telecommunication in that part of the country.

He assured Orange Sierra Leone that the people of Lugbu will take good care of the facility, describing it as the property of the people of Lugbu Chiefdom and that since the construction work started, the people have been protecting the facility and they will continue in that direction.

APC Must Manage Its Transition Well or Risk Big Split in Sierra Leone

October 19, 2019

COMMENTARY

By Amin Kef Sesay

The main opposition All People’s Congress faces a critical future as it stands at the crossroads between its present leadership and a yet unknown future. Within the party, the National Reformation Movement is calling for a radical shift away from the politics of the past to a new democratic era wherein its national officers are elected and not selected.

Although the payoffs for sustainable growth are clear, transitioning to democracy is no easy task, as there is a lot of volatility in the processes.

APC becoming democratic is not simply a matter of ousting the present administration but rather a continuous process that shapes the party’s mindset, principles and importantly its political aims and objectives within clearly defined parameters.

As such, there can be no uni-linear and predictable path to incorporating fully fledged democracy into a party that for long believed in the communist philosophy of the leaders selecting themselves and doing what they feel is right for the party without necessary recourse to its members for their inputs. As such, instilling a democratic culture into the APC, as demanded for by NRM, will be complex and unpredictable. Gains can be achieved only to be backtracked and reversed to later re-emerge.

From the diversity in the country’s recent experiences with political parties and democracy since 1996, parties in transition generally can learn from the costly mistakes made by Charles Margai in monopolizing power in the PMDC and how that eventually led to the party losing popularity and its membership from a very impressive showing in the 2007 elections in which it helped the APC and Ernest Bai Koroma come to power by capturing very crucial votes and seats in parliament in the South.

Lessons to be learned by political parties in transition include:

Move forward incrementally when beginning a democratic transition.

Democracy by definition must include the full range of stakeholders, interests, and principles. There are no shortcuts, knowing that political and social movements are not built overnight and take time to mature. While some political transitions in the past have been characterized by mass mobilizations, incremental changes work in democratic transitions because it allows stakeholders to adapt and mature with the process. As such, small steps are better, rather than waiting for a major change to occur.

Retain a positive and inclusive vision at all times:

Transitions to democracy carry expectations for significant change. That can pose a risk if the reality does not match up as quickly as people hoped. One key aspect is to avoid excessively inflating people’s expectations. Thus, political leaders and other officials shaping the transition process must be able to present a commonly accepted vision of the transition through both long-term goals and modest promises to combat public fear and avoid disillusionment amongst the people.

3.Build coalitions:

Transition needs to focus more on what unites people and with patience and persistence, signal to all actors that they will have a stake in the new dispensation to emerge. As such, partnerships and alliances are important in every multi-stakeholder undertaking, and democracy is no exception. Collaboration and cooperation are at the core of a democratic system centered on inclusiveness, transparency and accountability. Opposition forces, students, women’s groups, etc. need to be included in every process including constitution building. Bridges must be built across and between sectors.

Create and protect spaces for dialogue:

Promoting space for discussion and dialogue is important if democratic transitions are to yield development gains. Dialogue is necessary to increase trust between the members, which will in turn affect the transition success. Discussions need to focus on future common goals rather than previous disputes.

Focus on constitution building:

A constitution is crucial to a political party’s future because it serves as a basic guide post. Constitutions need to go through revision from time to time to reflect the progressive temperaments of the time that must be scrutinized by interest groups within the party that ask for amendments.

As such, drafting the new constitution should be a truly inclusive process engaging a wide range of participants based on broad goals rather and maintain transparency throughout the process, to help ensure all sectors are on board.

NP-Sierra Leone Shows Determination to Continue Effective Service Delivery

October 19, 2019

By Amin Kef Sesay

The National Petroleum –Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) is really poised to continue doing business in petroleum products in this country despite all the challenges it is confounded with. Going beyond the normal business spirit the Shareholders and Management of the company deemed it as a moral obligation to avail the people living within this country accessibility to qualitative petroleum products believing that they are meaningfully contributing towards enhanced standards of living.

This indomitable company has gained massive local as well as international recognition for its meteoric rise and the higher height that it has reached through effective service delivery. Through its pro-active stance, the company is always ensuring that members of the general public have easy and ready access to qualitative petroleum products of high quality.

Those who have interfaced with the company have confessed that it is amongst the most successful privately owned and operated business entities this country can boast of that have withstand varying external shocks, within and without, but admirably is steadfast in its service delivery.

As a 100% indigenously owned and operated company, NP-SL has over the years, successfully extended its operations country-wide and even beyond to the West African Sub-region in Guinea, Liberia, Ivory Coast and The Gambia where it is doing extremely well with regards service delivery, rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility, availing job opportunities, offering new products among a host of other things that it is churning out.

Very mindful that without their cherished customers there will be no NP-SL, the shareholders and Management have made customer care a number one priority which is why the company is synonymous with 1^st For Customer Care. With the conviction that every experience matters, the Management is very receptive to new initiatives, ideas, suggestions and concerns as long as they could help in shaping the policies that the company outlines from time to time that will be translated into tangibles on the ground.

In order to give maximum and optimal satisfaction to customers, NP-SL has always ensured that it operates in tandem with international standards and best practices so that after any service delivery customers get the good feeling that they have derived value for money. The company’s filling stations are state of the art structures having modern calibrated pumping machines that are transparent and accurate in terms of measurement.

Their attendants are well mannered, always courteous and ready to assist both old and new customers whenever they are in doubt of what to do. Most have tire repairing sections, shopping marts and relaxation points where they can spend time doing what they think is right to do. All these facilities are made available to make customers feel at home and be comfortable.

“I always carry my NP Smart Card with me just in case my car’s fuel gauge will show red and I may not exactly have the required amount of money to refill or even if I have it such could be for another purpose. With my card I can just breeze into any NP Filling Station and by using my card the attendant will pump the quantity of petrol I need,” Amadu Bangura, an engineer intimated adding how the card’s security features are unique and could not be easily falsified. “When I first heard of ‘Your fuel on Smart Card’ I thought it was a joke but only realized its efficacy when I started making use of it,” he furthered saying he is really finding it very convenient in doing so and as such prevent him from withdrawing big cash from his bank account for purchasing fuel adding how it as well help in also saving him time.

NP Gas is now the talk of the day as numerous individuals are everyday coming to the realization that it is very suitable for cooking purposes without posing any serious health risks. Manufactured in different cylinder sizes NP Gas is marketed at all the company’s filling stations and by authorized dealers going at affordable prices. Advantageously, NP Gas can be refilled with gas that the company imports and markets making them simple for customers to continue their use.

With regards rolling out its Corporate Social Responsibility, NP-SL Ltd is rated high as it has been contributing effectively in improving lives and communities. The company has been making meaningful interventions, meaningfully supporting entities , like it did lately to the National Fire Force by facilitating the construction of a water facility at the Force’s Kissy Branch, in order to capacitate it with water supply to respond to any fire emergency in that part of the country and in other areas within Greater Freetown.

These interventions, worth millions of Leones, are ways by which the company is magnanimously giving back to society. Lives have indeed changed for the better as a result of NP’s interventions.

Utilizing local skills and talents has been topmost in the agenda of discussions relating to national development. The argument for embracing the Local Content Policy borders around enhancing entrepreneurship, comparatively making use of less financial resources to pay for accomplished tasks and creating job opportunities thereby reducing poverty.

NP-SL has made it an established policy to give priority, in terms of employment, to Sierra Leoneans as long as they are in positions or competent to perform. The same is replicated everywhere the company is operating. Such an acclaimed stance is contributing greatly towards poverty reduction and improving lives.

From all indications it is very apparent that the premier oil marketing company, NP-SL-Ltd, is doggedly poised to continue to improve on its business strategies and step up interface with relevant stakeholders with the avowed aim of continuing to diligently and selflessly serve the people of this country and indeed it is walking the talking. doing exemplary well to foster meaningful socio-economic development.

Chinese Ambassador Awards 47 Scholarship to Students and Pupils in Sierra Leone

October 19, 2019

China, the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Hu Zhangliang

By Foday Moriba Conteh

As part of deepening the bi-lateral relationship between Sierra Leone and the People’s Republic of China, the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Hu Zhangliang has on Thursday 17^th October, 2019 awarded 45 scholarships to students and pupils from different institutions under the 2019 Chinese Ambassador Scholarship Awarding ceremony. The event took place at the Chinese Embassy on Spur Loop, Wilberforce in Freetown.

In his address, His Excellency, Hu Zhangliang, said that since 2015, the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone has established the Chinese Ambassador Scholarships geared towards encouraging students with outstanding academic performances and support those with financial difficulties. “We hope this could help relevant students better conduct their studies and finally be able to contribute to the social and economic development of Sierra Leone,” he underscored.

He said that two weeks ago, the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone held a grand reception in celebration of the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and friends from all walks of life both in China and Sierra Leone celebrated the event in a solemn and warm atmosphere, revealing that the Embassy is holding another Awarding Ceremony of the 2019 Chinese Ambassador Scholarships and hold an Embassy Open House Day with a view to further promote China-Sierra Leone friendship and friendly cooperation.

He added that the Chinese Embassy also displayed an International Photo Exhibition celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China to showcase China’s development in the past 7 decades. He disclosed that this year marked the 48th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Sierra Leone, noting that over the past 48 years, China and Sierra Leone have achieved fruitful cooperative results in various fields, among which education is an important component.

He said that Sierra Leone enjoys the reputation of been regarded as the Athens of West Africa and the Sierra Leonean Government and people have always attached great importance to education.

Hu Zhangliang said that the current Sierra Leonean Government takes education as one of its top priorities of its New Direction Agenda for national development and China has consistently supported Sierra Leone in its educational development and human capacity building within her ability.

He said that China has been trying her best to contribute to the “Free Quality Education” flagship program proposed by H.E. President Julius Maada Bio, adding that the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone bade farewell in August this year to nearly 120 Sierra Leonean students who were enrolled by Chinese Universities under the Chinese Government Scholarships Program.

“To date, a total of 73 students have benefited from the Chinese Ambassador Scholarship program, including the 25 to be awarded scholarships today. I will also provide grants to 20 economically less privileged students at Fourah Bay College Junior Secondary School and an additional 2 students,” he further disclosed.

He said the scholarship recipients were mainly recommended by Fourah Bay College, the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM),Njala University, University of Makeni, the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology, to which the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education especially Hon. Minister Gbakima offered valuable support and important guidance, adding that the 20 recipients of the grants were recommended by Fourah Bay College Junior Secondary School, and supported by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Prof. Aiah Gbakima, expressed appreciation to the Chinese Ambassador for the kind gesture which he considers to be very important in helping the students to learn.

He said that as a Government they are very grateful for the support the People’s Republic of China has been giving especially by setting up the Chinese Ambassador Award, adding that the People of Sierra Leone are really grateful to China for contributing towards the building of Sierra Leone.

He admonished beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity further urging them to desist from examination malpractice as, he said, it will hinder them in the future, adding that as a Government they are committed to providing quality education for all Sierra Leoneans across the country. He encouraged them to take their studies serious as education is the key to success.

Abdulai Y. Marah, a Civil Engineering student at Fourah Bay College, who is one of the beneficiaries, thanked the Chinese Ambassador for the offer which he said is not only important but timely.

He noted that since the establishment of the bilateral relationship between the two countries there have been great rewards accruing to the two nations.

The Ambassador highlighted how the Chinese have been helping in the development of different sectors in the country referencing the medical sector, infrastructure etc.

“These scholarships that have been awarded to us is an opportunity that will help us achieve our desired dreams of being educated and empowered for sustainable impacts which resonate with his Excellency President Maada Bio agenda of developing the human resource for the viable development of our beloved nation,” he maintained.

He congratulated his colleagues who were fortunate to bag the scholarships and admonished them to make good use of the opportunity so far offered.

New North-West Regional Office for ACC Sierra Leone is Open

October 19, 2019

Commissioner of the ACC, Francis Ben-Kaifala Esq

By Brima Sannoh

The Anti-Corruption Commission has on Thursday 17th October 2019, formally opened its new North-West Regional Office in Port Loko Town amidst great aplomb; under the distinguished Grand Chief Patronage of the Resident Minister of the North-West Region, Hon. Haja Isata Abdulai Kamara. Giving the welcome address at the well-attended ceremony, Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, Augustine Foday N’gobie, thanked all present for making it to the event which he termed as an epoch making one.

Chairman of the occasion, Ibrahim Santigie Bangura, the Chairman of the Port Loko District Council, expressed gratitude to the ACC for extending the fight against corruption to that part of the country. He encouraged the regional office to bolster its public education drive, as more people are yet to come to terms with the dangers of corruption.

Representing the Paramount Chief of the Bakeh Loko Chiefdom, Adikali Mella II, Section Speaker Chief Malapi M.A Tarawallie, stated that the people have long waited for such a momentous day and assured the ACC that the people are wholeheartedly in support of the President’s genuine war declared on corruption, which, according to him, has held the destiny of the country to ransom.

In his keynote address, Commissioner of the ACC, Francis Ben-Kaifala Esq thanked the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, His Excellency, Brig. (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio, for his unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption. He referred to the event as historic, in the sense that, the formal opening of the North-West regional office has sealed the establishment of the ACC all over the country. “Our country has suffered a lot under the myth that nothing can be done about corruption; I want to challenge you all that something can indeed be done in rescuing our country from the cancer of corruption. All that is required of us all is unity of purpose”, he said.

Making an analogy of the Gospel of Christ, the ACC Czar stated that the Gospel of corruption had to be preached all over the country; and that the establishment of the office will serve as the temple where all indigenes of the region can commune to further the crusade against corruption. He ended by rallying the leadership and people of the North-West Region to continue providing the enabling environment and support to Regional staff of the ACC to successfully lay the foundation for a healthy and thriving nation.

The Deputy Mayor of the Port Loko City Council, Zacharia Bangura, referred to the occasion as a new dawn in the region, and encouraged all to join the fight actively, efficiently as corporate members of the ACC.

Councillor Hajaratu Kamara of Ward 234, Port Loko City, called on her colleague females to become players to clamp down on graft. “No nation can succeed in its development aspirations with rampant corruption in the public sector, ” she added. She reminded all of how corruption served as a major trigger to the ten year senseless and bloody war in our country; urging all to make a commitment to never again go down that path.

The Resident Minister of the North-West Region, Hon. Haja Isata Abdulai, the distinguished guest at the occasion representing His Excellency the President, did the formal opening of the new regional office. In her statement, she referred to the opening of the Port Loko Office as “the beginning of end” of rampant corruption in the region and termed the Anti-Corruption Commission as “a valuable partner” in President Bio’s vision to transform Sierra Leone.

The North-West Region which covers Kambia, Karene and Port Loko Districts, is the fifth regional hub of the Commission; and was borne out of the desire to bring the work of the ACC to the door step of the newly established Regional hub; and consistent with the ACC’s strategic objective to making the ACC the People’s Commission– ensuring that all citizens are brought along in the national crusade against corruption.

The opening ceremony was attended by hundreds of guests, including Assistant Inspector General of Police of the North-West Region Jorwulor Ansumana Gbonnoh; Mohamed Kamara of Campaign for Good Governance and Chairman of Civil Society, Sitting Magistrate of the Region, Augustine B. Samura; Civil society activists, market women, school going pupils, University students; amongst others.

Newly appointed Manager of the North-West Region, Mr. Alhassan Sesay gave the vote of thanks; and assured all present that the fight against corruption in the region will be highly robust. He called on the residents of the region to Resist, Reject and Report corruption at all times, for the transformation of the region.

Sierra Leone 2019 Poppy Week Commences

October 19, 2019

By Sam Pratt

On Friday 18 October 2019, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio officially launched the 2019 Poppy Week in honour of the military and in remembrance of their servicemen and women who lost their lives along the line of duty.

While addressing both retired and active servicemen at State House, President Bio said that the event marked an important day in the calendar of the Sierra Leone Ex-Servicemen’s Association (SLESA). He said as a nation-member of the Commonwealth, the National Remembrance Day was of special significance because they were remembering, in a very special way, those compatriots who made the supreme sacrifice for the peace and dignity of not only Sierra Leone but also the wider world.

President Bio mentioned that there was no better sacrifice than laying one’s life for the survival of fellow man, adding that that was the sacrifice they made years ago by deciding to enlist into the army. He noted that as young school leavers, they had a variety of other walks of life but he took the bold decision to select a military career, saying that that was a manifestation of their love for the country.

“As we remember and honour our fallen heroes and heroines at this time, we should also not lose sight of those who continue to live with the scars of war and the many innocent civilians who lost their lives. The military, as their core role, had always come in at crucial times in the security of the state and the importance of their contributions to the survival of our country cannot be overemphasized.

“The experience of the 11 years’ civil war still lingers in the minds of many people and all efforts should be made through good governance to avoid wars that cause undue sufferings on mankind. I want to admonish the rank and file of the Sierra Leone Ex-Servicemen’s Association to be more focused, peaceful and law-abiding so as to be able to contribute to the security and development of the state with sincerity of purpose,” he said.

Secretary-General of the 2019 Planning Committee, Lieutenant Colonel (Rtd) Dominic Sowa, said that it was as per tradition in this time of the year to remember the comrades who made the supreme sacrifice during the first and second World Wars and by extension the 11 years’ rebel war in Sierra Leone. He commended the Government through the Ministry of Defense for their support to the Association and also expressed appreciation to President Bio for increasing the pension of retirees.

A traditionally long week of events, the poppy week is normally observed by Commonwealth member States since the end of the First World War in honour of servicemen and women killed in all conflicts.

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