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As Duties & Taxes Shoot Up on Essential Commodities… Citizens Call On President Bio to Intervene  

President Bio.jpg
His Excellency,  Rtd. Brigadier Julius Maada Bio

By Amin Kef Sesay

It is an incontrovertible fact that the private sector in any country, if it is properly functioning, forms the hub for accelerated growth.

The public sector, which is dominated by the Government of the day cannot definitely mobilize all the financial and human resources required to implement various development projects or undertake the setting up or running of certain enterprises.

In some instances the private and public sectors partner together to undertake the execution of certain projects or the setting up of certain business ventures. The fact of the matter is that there must be a symbiotic relationship between both the private and public sector because it is only through such that the standards of living of the citizenry could be enhanced.

In much as it is the Government that has the mandate to map out policies and put into force legislations that have bearing on the private sector such must be done cautiously in order not to impinge negatively on the private sector which could have the rippling effect of affecting the symbiotic relationship between the two that could cascade adversely on the standard of living of the ordinary man.

Agreed, market or external forces may dictate the nature of the relationship between the two sectors but it is highly important to navigate through those forces in order to achieve a win-win situation.

It cannot therefore be overemphasized that the enabling environment must be created by any Government that is in power in order to see the private sector, which includes the business community, grow buoyantly and contribute immensely towards overall national development through reduced cost in the prices of basic commodities and the timely payment of taxes.

If on the other hand, the business sector is suffocated by unreasonable policies or legislations passed by the public sector (Government) then such will be inimical to the rapid attainment of development and consumers will have to bear the brunt which will be evident in high prices of goods and services that are either produced locally or imported.

Having laid the aforementioned basis, this medium learnt that for many Sierra Leoneans it has now become very heart rendering that one of their favourite consumed products, Margarine butter, is currently out of their reach because the price keeps skyrocketing.

“It is mind boggling that we can no longer afford to procure margarine butter which we have used to consume over the years because it is a butter of high quality,” some of them bemoaned adding that every day the price keeps going up.

This medium, which does not believe in blindly casting blame on business persons or traders for the skyrocketing prices of essential commodities, decided to delve deeper by conducting an investigation in order to get at the root cause  for the rise in the price of margarine butter.

When at first we contacted petty traders or shop owners to know why the drastic rise in the price of margarine butter they explained that it is not their fault but they are pegging the price based on how they bought it from wholesalers.

“We just don’t determine prices according to our whims and caprices but rather according to the market forces,” those contacted overwhelmingly intimated.

Our next point of contact was the importers of Margarine butter. According to all that were interviewed it came out glaringly that they are seriously concerned over the additional new Excise Tax of 10% on the Cost Insurance and Freight (CIF value) contrary to what they used to pay in the past before clearing a container full of margarine butter at the Queen Elizabeth 11 Quay in Freetown.

The embittered importers reiterated that the Finance Act of 2021 has imposed an additional Excise tax of 10% on imported Margarine butter which is consumed every day by individuals from all walks of life in society.

According to them, before this time, they as importers used to pay about 50% of CIF value as tax to the National Revenue Authority (NRA) on a container of imported Margarine butter at the Quay.

They disclosed that, however, on the 1st February 2021 the NRA commenced the implementation of the Finance Act 2021 which imposes an additional 10% Excise duty on a container of imported Margarine.

According to them, because of this new development, they as importers, now have to pay about 65% of CIF value as tax to NRA contrary to the 50% which they used to pay thereby placing an additional 15%.

Based on what this medium learnt, this new increase in tax has definitely shoot up the price considerably as importers  have now factored the additional Excise tax in the prices which consumers have to contend with.

According to what was intimated, before May 2018 there was a 20% excise duty or custom duty levied on a container of imported Margarine butter, which was increased to 30% in May 2018.

Lamentably, based on the information provided by the importers, it has now been increased to 65% which is deemed as a big blow especially at this material point in time when most business entities have been seriously affected by the prevailing corona virus.

It could be recalled that margarine butter has been consumed in this country for quite a long period of time now by many people as bread and butter are considered to be the second staple food after rice.

However, from what was gathered with this astronomical rise in excise duty it is obvious that it is out of the reach of many because  the price of one packet of margarine butter has definitely gone up.

A Social Commentator has averred that during these difficult times when cost of living is going up every day Government should consider reducing tax on basic items like margarine butter.

Indeed it is understandable that the Government is in dire need of revenue which could have influenced the National Revenue Authority (NRA) to increase custom duties. However, it must be considered that majority of Sierra Leoneans are grappling to make ends meet and astronomically prices are definitely worsening the poverty level or rate.

It is against such a backdrop that it is prudent, on the part of Government, especially the Ministry of Finance and the NRA, to have a rethink and do the needful in revisiting the 2021 Finance Act in order to see what amendment(s) could be made to reduce the suffering on the ordinary man.

If the Government, headed by President Bio, is keen on wooing investors and beefing the private sector then it is high time that the right enabling environment is created for that sector to achieve a win-win situation so that improved standard of living could be enhanced.

It must be underscored that where the cost of living is high then correspondingly the standard of living will definitely degenerate.

Govt. to Challenge the Jurisdiction of the ICC   -Minister of Justice Maintains

By Amin Kef Sesay

In a statement dated 16th February, 2021by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Anthony Y. Brewah, in response to the English High Court Ruling between Sierra Leone Mining and the Republic of Sierra Leone, he stated that the Government of Sierra Leone is involved in ongoing arbitration proceedings regarding the termination of SL Mining’s largescale Mining Licence in October 2019, which took place after the discovery of repeated and dishonest breaches of SL Mining’s contractual and legal obligations under Sierra Leone law.

He continued that the Government had also applied to the English High Court to challenge the jurisdiction of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitral tribunal to hear SL Mining’s claims, on the specific and narrow basis of SL Mining’s failure to observe the 3-month waiting period set out in its Mining Licence Agreement (MLA) under the arbitration clause prior to the expiry of that term.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice furthered that had the Government’s application been successful, it would have brought the arbitration to an end immediately.

“It is that limited application which was dismissed by the English High Court in its judgment of 15 February 2021 (the “Judgment”) which has been misleadingly circulated as a ‘FINAL JUDGMENT’, the effect of which is simply that the arbitration will now proceed to a full hearing in March, 2021,” he stated.

He said as is entirely appropriate and commonplace in decisions on jurisdiction, the Judgment cannot and does not address the merits of the dispute between the parties in the arbitration, because the English Court was not and could not have been asked to resolve those issues.

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice maintained that the Government remains of the view that it has strong arguments and evidence of breaches that were committed and also a very strong case supported by evidence of CORRUPTION AND BRIBERY (as stated in the judgment supra) to support its case in the ongoing ICC arbitration that SL Mining’s licence was properly and validly terminated.

He concluded that it is, however, not appropriate for the Government to comment further on the details of the ongoing arbitration proceedings at this time because of confidentiality.

NP-SL Ltd Castrol GTX Promo Takes Full Gear

By Amin Kef Sesay

The Castrol GTX Loyalty Lucky Dip Promotion, which is brought by the National Petroleum –Sierra Leone Limited (NP-SL Ltd) to its esteemed customers countrywide, has now taken full gear since it started on the 15th February 2021 and will run through up to the 14th March 2021.

From what this medium has so far gathered since the promotion commenced, many customers are finding it very entertaining in participating in it and every day the number of participants keep increasing.

What has been keenly observed is that most customers are going in for Castrol GTX as opposed to other sub-standard engine oil simply because it has been established that it is very effective and less costly.

When it is said Castrol GTX is  less costly it does not concern the actual price at which the various specifications are sold but rather it means Castrol is one lubricant that can last longer as opposed to other lubricants of inferior quality connoting that when one takes into consideration the amount of money spent on replenishing engine oil of inferior quality to that of Castrol GTX, then one realizes that in comparison the latter is cheaper simply because it lasts longer.

Besides the comparative cost,  Castrol GTX  lubricant also has other big advantages that will benefit customers one of which includes enhancement of the efficiency of motor engines, the other is that it has the quality of longevity as it lasts longer, minimizes hazardous emission and helps to clean motor engines or machines.

The promotion will last for four weeks and it is part of NP-SL Ltd annual activities which is deemed as a way of giving back to the company’s esteemed customers in order for them to identify with the brand.

Based again from what this news outlet gathered this is how the promotion is currently going; whenever a customer buys any Castrol GTX he or she automatically becomes eligible to be part of the promo.

When the customer buys 5L Castrol GTX (20w50 or GTX Diesel) he or she will have the chance to have one dip and for GTX Ultraclean he or she has 3 dips.

There are two things to be discovered on the slip one of which is WINNER or Sorry! Buy More GTX.

The winner leaves his or her name and telephone number with the Station Manager of the Filling Station where the Castrol lubricant was bought and he or she is later contacted by the Sales Supervisor.

As far as the promotion is tailored no customer goes empty handed as even losers will have some form of compensation at the end of the day.

Already there are flyers at strategic locations to inform the public and certain sales points shops have been activated in order to give the Promo wider coverage.

It must be noted that the Ultraclean 10w40 Castrol Oil is a multi-grade oil that can be used in hotter countries. GTX 20w50, though good for petrol engines, is also a multi-purpose oil.

NP-SL Ltd from time to time conducts trainings for automobile mechanics and their pump attendants in order for them to know the various specifications which help them to guide customers on the actual type of Castrol GTX that will suit them.

From what was understood the Castrol oil in the white rubber is the one that is most often used as it maintains temperature and can be used on petrol engines.

It was also learnt that the Ultra-clean Castrol oil is going for Le250, 000 and the others for Le200, 000.

Indeed, NP-SL Ltd has once more proven that it is a company that optimizes customer care which is why it is no surprise that the petroleum marketing entity has bagged the prestigious accolade of 1st for Customer Care and has won various Awards over the years for effective service delivery.

The Castrol GTX Loyalty Lucky Dip Promotion is now in full gear for all NP-SL Ltd customers to embrace and stand a chance of winning attractive prizes.

MRYN & ECOWAS Youth Council Conclude Youth Cross Border Summit 

By Foday Moriba Conteh

As part of their goal to enhance access and improve on connections and actions to support Youth Actions across the Region and promoting cross border and intergenerational partnership in the MRU States, Mano River Youth Network in collaboration with ECOWAS Youth Council, with Support From Defence For Children International Sierra Leone and the Fund For Global Human Right, on Sunday 14th February 2021, concluded a three-day Youth Cross Border Summit, which was held in Makeni City, Northern Sierra Leone.

Mano River Youth Network Sierra Leone in partnership with Guinea and Liberia and the ECOWAS Youth Council hosted a three days long SUMMIT geared towards solidifying and amplifying Youth Voices and the benevolent work done by Youths in contributing to national and Global Development.

In spite of the global call for adoption of an attitude of Youth inclusion and Participation in the development and governance structure, Youths underpowered and unemployment, especially the female sex, continue to be accepted as a way of life in the name of standing cultures and unavailable resources, particularly in the low income earning settings.

The Summit brought youth from not only the Mano River Youth Network and the ECOWAS Youth Council in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia but Youths across the MRU Region to assess the potential actions that can be taken by Youths in solving issues affecting them and their nation.

As young people, they know the problems they faced more than anyone, and they have the creative ideas, skills and knowledge and energy to identifying and solving issues of affecting us in the MRU Region.

The cross border youth summit did not only promote youth action, but as well as improving and amplifying youth voices in the MRU Regions and promote effective cooperation and coordination between youths, adults and state officials and MRU Secretariat and ECOWAS in the Mano River Union Region.

Moreover, consultative and constructive engagements with Youths, Policy Makers, Government, tribal and societal heads, heads of institutions of social services and development agencies have the potential to eliminate Youth abuse and violence completely. Therefore, the full implementation of this project, with effective utilization of the available social structures, would significantly improve the rate of Youth Actions in the MRU region.

SLCB Celebrates 48th Anniversary

By Amin Kef Sesay

The Sierra Leone Commercial Bank celebrated its 48th anniversary, though in low key due to the COVID-19 pandemic that emphasizes on social distancing, among other preventive measures.

The Managing Director of Sierra Leone Commercial Bank otherwise dubbed the ‘People’s Bank’, welcomed staff and visitors at the bank’s headquarters, Siaka Stevens Street on Monday 15th February, 2021.

SLCB Managing Director, Abdulai Fidelis Turay, congratulated staff of the various departments for the tremendous work done over the years in positioning the bank as the nation’s leading commercial bank.

Looking forward to a brighter future, he exhorted staff to keep up the good work and to remain focused.

Sierra Leone Commercial Bank holds the pride of place in the country’s banking sector.

Since 2016, SLCB has experienced phenomenal financial growth in the face of stiff competition and a fluid economic situation in the country and globally.

SLCB has seen a big jump in its customer base to over 250,000, with huge unrivalled growth in its assets, liabilities and turnover.

This is due to the introduction of a new state-of-the-art digital banking technology that has brought the bank to the doors of the previously unbanked in their communities.

No doubt, SLCB owes this incredible progress, to a well-trained and highly motivated human resource with the zest and ability to drive the bank forward, MD Abdulai Fidelis Turay, informed his audience.

President Bio Settles Border Impasse

By Foday Moriba Conteh

During President Julius Maada Bio’s 2-day working visit to Conakry, Republic of Guinea, which ended on Tuesday 16 February 2021, both leaders signed a communique agreeing to reopen the border on Thursday 18 February, 2021.

The communique stated among other things that based on mutual reassurances and enhanced mutual confidence…the President of the Republic of Guinea, Professor Alpha Conde, has reviewed the security situation in his country and has agreed to reopen its borders with the Republic of Sierra Leone, effective from Thursday 18 February 2021 at 8:00 hours GMT.

The two leaders also agreed to reactivate the Joint Technical Committee on Yenga, which shall commence sittings in Nongowa, on 3 March 2021. They also agreed to implement the agreement of Joint Border Patrols along the common border areas from 5 March 2021,” the document reads, adding that the two foreign ministers would immediately restart the holding of the Joint Commission of Cooperation meetings between the two countries.

The communique also contained a raft of bilateral agreements to cooperate with each other on security, defence, public health, ICT, mining, justice, transport, private investments, and cultural exchanges.

The Heads of State further pledged to use their good offices to provide the necessary capacity to address the current and emerging public health emergency such as COVID-19 and EBOLA in the two countries.

President Bio’s delegation included the deputy leader of the main opposition, All People’s Congress in Parliament, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo and former APC Minister of Public Affairs, Information and later Mines, Alhaji Alpha Sahid Bakar Kanu.

In The Fight Against Corruption… Chernoh Bah Should Be Seen As A Hero, Not A Villain

Chernoh Bah

By Amin Kef Sesay

If we start to describe people and institutions like the whistle blower Chernoh Bah and the Africanist Press as annoyances and detractors, and fight tooth and nail to silence them because those of us in government have been accused by them, we are at risk of losing the fight as a nation against corruption which the President said we must fight and must win.

There is local, regional, continental and global recognition that something must be done about corruption—but far less agreement about how to correct the situation most effectively.

Let us start on the assumption that the emphasis must first and foremost be placed on establishing effective media strategies and taking proactive measures to get the anti-corruption message to the public, such as Chernoh Bah and Africanist Press have been doing lately that has raised public awareness about corruption in the Bio administration.

Corruption, like Chernoh Bah said, is a living organism. Investigating the past administration does not mean there is no corruption in the current one. As such, fighting corruption is like running a marathon race, not a sprint.

Former President Koroma who gave teeth and muscle to the country’s ACC to enable it fight corruption effectively, knows that fighting corruption is not easy. Unlike many criminals, dishonest public officials often continue to have power and influence.

Political interference, even in cases involving low-level officials, frequently derails prosecution.

However, no one in public governance, administration and management needs to be lectured on the importance of controlling corruption and countering the devastating impact that it has had for decades in this country on individuals, communities and the nation’s growth and development.

What Chernoh Bah and Africanist Press are saying is that, because of the United Nations Convention against Corruption, everyone in the global community has an opportunity to change the reality of corruption.

Sadly however, it is the anti-corruption professionals that frequently are little appreciated and too often demeaned that can have real impact in the fight against corruption by keeping it on the front burner. It is their efforts that will win or lose the battle. The Calabash unreservedly commends and celebrates all those that put their ease, lives and comfort on the line in the fight against corruption; knowing that corruption is always ready to fight back with all the weapons in its arsenal; including outright lies against whistle blowers.

If Sierra Leone, as a government and a people in search of rapid socio-economic development, wants to win the war against corruption, we need to find more and better ways to support those people who work in the field of anti-corruption.

For the commitment, integrity, and perseverance of people in the anti-corruption field, all of us should be grateful. To help them, we must spend more time developing tools to make their very difficult jobs a bit easier, as the work of these professionals often can endanger their careers and their lives.

Given the devastating effect corruption has had in this country, including it being a leading cause of the eleven years civil war, corruption should be viewed by one and all as a detrimental enemy on the development agenda.

Consequently, a heightened sense of accountability among politicians, public bodies and institutions must be inculcated by government and the public.

Most importantly, when the media supports the anti-corruption agency’s work, it is possible to turn the culture of an entire country toward openness and accountability.

To their immense cost, many agencies underestimate the critical challenges and negative effects of weak and inadequate communication. This failure is one of the reasons why we are losing the fight against corruption.

Communication determines where the media stands in this struggle. The anti-corruption agencies including Audit-SL, Parliament, and The Judiciary must be in constant communication with the people on the evils of corruption in the society.

When a media storm occurs, the absence of an agency’s response to the alleged corruption under investigation can facilitate an adverse perception in the public mind. Unchecked, such a perception may develop into assumptions about an agency’s legitimacy.

In those circumstances, an agency can promote public trust in its operations by acting on an agreed media strategy.

Providing basic information about an issue or matter in question does not have to incorporate an acceptance or denial of the allegations. Instead, the public appetite can be satisfied with basic background information on why the allegation arose, what measures are in place, and what steps are to be taken.

Over Africanist Press Brouhaha… Office of Chief Minister Denies Corruption Scandal

By Amin Kef Sesay

In what could be described as a denial of a report published by Africanist Press that the Chief Minister spent over Le34 billion in less than three years, a press statement dated 16th February, 2021 from the Office of the Chief Minister states: “The baseless allegation by Chernoh Bah and his so-called Africanist Press alleging that over Le 34.2 billion (more than US$3.4 million) has been spent on media consultancies and travel per diem in less than three years,” is not true.

The release adds that “All funds allocated have gone through the Ministry of Finance’s normal budgetary processes, ratified by Parliament and allocated to all the respective Agencies, Commissions and Units within the Office of the Chief Minister, which are verifiably and credibly accounted for through the normal internal and external audit processes and mechanisms. It is therefore important to clarify that the OCM is not a single unit as claimed by Chernoh Bah and his ill-informed Africanist Press.”

According to the release: “Additionally, all procurements undertaken by the Officer of the Chief Minister were done in accordance with the Procurement Act of 2016. This has been confirmed by the NPPA,” adding that, “the claim by Chernoh Bah and his Africanist Press that the OCM breached procurement procedures is false and calculated to tarnish the good image of the New Direction Government.”

The press release was signed by the Permanent Secretary in the Office of the Chief Minister.

However, in the Africanist Press report authored by Chernoh Alpha M. Bah, Matthew Anderson, and Mark Feldman, they stated among other things that: “Financial records obtained by the Africanist Press show how the Office of the Chief Minister of Sierra Leone spent over Le34.2 billion Leones (more than US$3.4 million) in less than three years despite the fact that President Bio was elected into office under the guise of ending the corrupt practices of his predecessor,. This money was spent on travel per diems (expenses listed do not include airfares) and for procurement of goods and services that did not undergo an official competitive bidding process with open requests.

The Chief Minister’s Office’s financial records indicate that several wire transfers of hundreds of millions of Leones were sent to foreign media agencies and technology companies in Europe, China, and the United States. These transfers were purportedly for consultancy services, public relations operations, and information technology products. None of these services or products were ever advertised or put on an open bid. Records of these large monetary transactions and wire transfer payments reveal that these transactions were non-compliant with Sierra Leone’s public finance laws and the public procurement regulations.

It adds that: “Evidence obtained by the Africanist Press shows that procurements for goods and services were mostly undertaken on an ad hoc basis and in ways that openly violated public procurement regulations. These procurements included, for example, a total of Le1,876,061,250 (about US$185,000) that was paid directly during the last quarter of 2018 to Salman Motors in Freetown.

These funds included the alleged purchase of three Toyota Land Cruiser Prado vehicles for the newly established Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI). We found no evidence in the records of the Office of the Chief Minister to indicate that Salman Motors was awarded the said procurement contract from an open bidding process. In fact, the evidence we reviewed shows that an unusually high advance payment (transaction ID FT1833061004) of Le 1,200,000,000 (about US$120,000) – more than 70% of the contract value – was made to Salman Motors on November 26, 2018, ahead of the supply of the three vehicles that were supposedly purchased for DSTI staff. Apart from the lack of evidence of a bidding and tender process, there is also no evidence that an advertisement notice inviting other suppliers to compete for this contract was ever made by the Chief Minister’s Office.

Evidence shows that the remaining balance of Le223,878,750 (about US$22,000) (FT1833849422) was paid on December 4, 2018, to Salman Motors to complete the payment of more than Le1.4 billion spent on the purchase of the DSTI Prado vehicles. We have found no evidence that the vendor actually delivered all of the three vehicles that were paid for. Moreover, the 1.2 billion Leones in payments to Salman Motors do not include two earlier payments (FT1829170875 and FT1829709495) of Le200,000,000 (about US$20,000) and Le252,182,500 (about US$25,000) made on October 18, 2018, and October 24, 2018, respectively, for unstated purposes. In fact, there is no records to indicate the purposes of the other earlier combined payments totalling Le452,182,500 ($44,288) made to Salman Motors by the Chief Minister’s Office.

“We report that, for the most part, a split invoicing process indicates a deliberate pattern of payments used to avoid the required thresholds of Le60,000,000 and to justify the lack of competitive bidding. For example, we found evidence of transactions conducted on December 27, 2018, where multiple wire transfers of smaller payments ranging between Le15,120,000 (about US$1500) and Le49,896,000 (about US$4000), all totalling Le137,035,000 (about US$13,700) were made on a single business day to a company listed as Index Enterprises.

Our investigation reveals that Index Enterprises is a US-based real estate company located in California. There are no clearly specified purposes for which these payments were made to Index Enterprises. There was also no clear indication whether the listed Index Enterprises, we tracked, was the actual company that was repeatedly receiving these wired transferred amounts.

“We found a similar pattern of SWIFT wire transactions to a Washington-based technology company, IMO Tech Solutions LLC, for consultancy services. An outgoing SWIFT payment (FT1835466631) on December 20, 2018, of Le171,538,184.42 (about US$1700) and on December 21, 2018 (FTT1835550645), of Le65,142,803.60 (about US$6300) were sent to IMO Tech Solutions LLC without any evidence of an open bid or tender.

“Documents we reviewed also show that a total of Le3,330,412,548.33 (about US$326,000) was spent on travel per diems (amounts listed do not include airfare) between August and December 2018 alone, in the first four months after the appointment of David Francis as the Chief Minister. These travel per diems included Le47,011,133.04 (US$5662) paid to David Sengeh as per diem allowance to attend the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting on September 21, 2018; another Le72,455,595.25 (US$8,675) (TT1828440049) also paid on October 11, 2018, to David Sengeh and Donald Kopoi for an official travel to the USA to the World Frontier Forum; a Le18,992,162.00 (US$2250) paid to Dr. John Tambi as per diem for participation at the African Infrastructural Conference, a further payment of Le30,089,880 (US$3552) again to David Sengeh, and another payment of Le 44,253,810 (US$5224) (TT1832009428) made on November 16, 2018, to Joe Lahai Somana as travel per diem on official visit to the Hunan Gold and International Investment Limited Company in China.

The report added, “Thus, we conclude that well-documented evidence on the financial operations of the Chief Minister’s Office obtained by the Africanist Press shows that the total expenditure of Le34,290,264,178.23 (about US$3.4 million) in the two-and-a-half years of the Bio administration were used primarily on travel and media and IT consultancy services, mostly paid to media and data processing firms in Europe and the USA.”

Meanwhile, the Africanist Press claims to have published on its website documentary evidence showing the expenditure details of the Office of the Chief Minister. For more information see, https://africanistpress.com/2021/02/14/sierra-leone-chief-ministers-office-spent-over-le34-billion-on-media-consultancies-and-travel-per-diem-in-less-than-three-years/

Magbass Gets Julius Maada Bio Senior School of Excellence 

By Theresa Kef Sesay

President Julius Maada Bio in Magbass, Northern Province, on Friday 12 February 2021 commissioned the first senior secondary school at Magbass, named after the President in the Mamuntha and Mayossoh Sections in Kholifa Rowalla Chiefdom, northern Sierra Leone.

The school was constructed by the country’s Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohammed Orman Bangura, who is a native of the area in the Tonkolili District.

Welcoming President Bio and entourage to the town, the Regent Chief, Delvin Sankoh, expressed gratitude for the visit, adding that that was the first time a sitting President was visiting the township because of the terrible conditions of the road leading to the area.

Acting Principal for the school, Mohamed Conteh, who also spoke on behalf of parents, described the day as remarkable, adding that they were happy for the development, because before then their children walked miles from the township to Magburaka to attend a senior secondary school.

In his statement to the gathering, President Bio recalled that he was actually visiting the town for the second time after he first went there to engage the people during the Ebola outbreak, and had even gone to the sugar factory they had there at the time.

He expressed delight in commissioning the school, saying that education was the main focus of his government’s manifesto and encouraged them to make use of the opportunity.

The President also encouraged parents to send their kids to school, especially the girl child, adding that when girls were educated, they would help bring more development to the township. He thanked the minister of youth affairs for such a huge step and thanked the people for the warm welcome they gave him and his entourage.

New UNDP Rep. Pays Courtesy Call on Minister Kai-Kai

By Foday Moriba Conteh

On Wednesday 15th February, 2021, the new Resident Representative (RR) for the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Sierra Leone, Dr. Pa Lamin Beyai, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Dr. Francis Kai-Kai, at the Minister’s Office in Freetown.

The Minister expressed his pleasure in welcoming the new RR, reaffirming government’s commitment to work together with the UNDP Country Office. He further thanked the UNDP for their support to the development and roll-out of the Medium-Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) 2019-2023, and for their support to Sierra Leone’s work in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030.

Dr. Kai-Kai urged the UNDP to continue to support President Bio’s development priority areas as enshrined in the MTNDP (2019-2023). The Minister said that he was looking forward to working with the RR and Team, discussing various areas of mutual interest aimed at strengthening and improving cooperation between UNDP and the Ministry, in order to deliver on their shared objectives.

In his response, Dr. Beyai stated his delight to be welcomed at the Ministry, where he referred to as the “home of the UNDP”, noting that during his time, he would further reinforce the relation with the Ministry, since the Ministry has been at the centre of the UNDP’s work.

Dr. Beyai pledged the UNDP’s continued support to government in implementing the MTNDP (2019-2023). He also promised to work with the government towards achieving the desired difference in the development of the country.

Before his appointment to Sierra Leone in November last year, Dr. Beyei, a Gambia National, served as Resident Representative, UNDP Liberia. He was also UNDP Country Director in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

He has more than 27 years of technical experience in development management and leadership, and holds a Ph.D in Economics with a focus on Health Economics, including a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Economics from Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone.

 

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