Madam Cassandra Garber, President of the Krio Descendants Union (KDU), on Saturday November 28th, 2020 received, on behalf of KDU, a five-year strategic plan document from Agatha C. Johnson, an International Development Service Expert.
The five year strategic plan which spans from 2021-2025, was voluntarily developed by Agatha C. Johnson, an International Development Service Expert.
The plan which is yet to be adopted by the KDU members, came to the fore during a fundraising dinner and dance in 2019, where Madam Johnson was introduced as the expert.
According to Madam Johnson, the Strategic Plan was developed out of the various documents received from Madam Garber, adding that the strategic plan will serve as a road map to the organization.
She revealed how it is a 60 page document, which outlines the road map of the organization for the next five years.
Madam Johnson pointed out that the document has five pillars, amongst which are the preservation of Krio culture and historical background, fundraising and financial accountability, programme management, institutional governance and human resource management and dissemination of narrative.
She added that under the new structure, KDU Freetown will focus exclusively on Sierra Leone based programs and activities such as building the membership, adding that KDU Freetown will not be involved in international activities.
The document also established that KDU international will represent the Parent Body and will be responsible for the coordination of all the branches, with the vision of playing a leading role in the preservation of the identity and culture of the Krios.
Both the President and the Vice President of KDU, Madam Cassandra Garber and Haja Alari Cole, thanked the expert for what they described as a marvellous work done on behalf of the organization.
They referred to the document as a very good one and fit for purpose of the organization and ended up thanking the expert on behalf of the entire membership of KDU.
The strategic plan was handed over to the members of KDU for proper scrutiny, as well as making their necessary inputs in order to make the document more inclusive for the betterment of all Krios in and out of Sierra Leone.
Her Excellency, Haja Ishata Thomas, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the State of Kuwait
By Cyril Barnes
Her Excellency, Haja Ishata Thomas, Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the State of Kuwait, on 3rd December 2020, spoke on President Julius Maada Bio’s massive investment in the Human Capital Development Project in Sierra Leone.
Described as the Free Quality Education (FQE) for Sierra Leone, this audacious project is a sustained approach to increase economic growth and eradicate poverty by improving productivity.
In an exclusive interview with this medium, Her Excellency Haja Ishata Thomas disclosed that Sierra Leone’s Free Quality Education Project is a catalyst for developing the human capital, adding that education plays an integral role in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
“President Julius Maada Bio’s vision is to have a society that can rely on its human capital, which is a paradigm shift from the country’s old-school emphasis on mineral deposits. The Free Quality Education Project is essential to the development of Sierra Leone because it provides a level playing ground for every child to have equal access to education, regardless of tribe or religion,” Ambassador said.
Lauding the gains made in girls’ empowerment, she noted that the girl child education forms the bedrock of President Julius Maada Bio’s vision, adding that girls are now encouraged to learn and those who are in the sciences, are now offered scholarships for university studies.
“I am impressed with the current state of the girl child education in Sierra Leone. Before now, only boys were opportuned to go to school. Girls were discouraged from going to school, as they were told that their duty was tied to early marriage and home management. In the end, girls, whose hopes were let adrift, were substituted to housewives rather than taking part in the development activities of the country.”
Ambassador Thomas added: “We must applaud President Julius Maada Bio for taking this daring step to commit 21% of the country’s budget to develop human capital, despite the challenges faced. He has broken the glass ceiling, and like Singapore, who took upon themselves to develop the human capital, Sierra Leone has taken a leap to success.”
She concluded by calling on Kuwaiti Authorities to support the actualization of President Julius Maada Bio’s vision by investing in primary, secondary and post-secondary education in Sierra Leone.
Human capital development covers improving education and developing skills, improving health care, protecting the poor and vulnerable population groups.
Research revealed that, before the commencement of the Free Quality Education Programme, only 2 out every 5 adult Sierra Leonean could read or write English. Access to education was low and the quality was poor and only 13.7% of children between 3 and 5 years were enrolled in pre-primary level.
One Abu Bakar Koroma and his wife Adama Safiatu Koroma of No: 2 Solo Bee Drive at Goderich, are reported to be on the run for their alleged involvement in the riot at Constituency 110 in the Western Rural district between supporters of the ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party on Monday 30th November 2020.
Abu Bakarr who is the APC Organizing Secretary in Constituency 110 and also member of the Elections Committee for the December 12th 2020 bye-election was accused by members of the ruling SLPP government of being part of that riot.
A senior APC official, Mohamed D. Bangura said the day in question was marked for their party to go ahead with their campaign.
He said while the party was busy campaigning in the Goderich, Mambo, Adonkia and Lakka communities, some SLPP members led by their Parliamentary candidate Josephine Jackson also held another meeting in the same constituency contrary to the campaign dates prescribed by the National Electoral Commission (NEC).
He said a serious confrontation ensued between supporters of the two rival factions which led to the death of an eighteen years old Alimamy Sawaneh.
The SLPP candidate then reported the matter to the police at Goderich Village and five opposition members were arrested by the police for investigation in connection with that riot and death of Sawaneh.
He said police later declared Abu Bakarr wanted for his alleged involvement in the riot.
“We just want to see Abu Bakarr for questioning in relation to that incident,” the Crime Officer, Inspector Alfred Conteh told this medium.
Inspector Conteh said several attempts have been made to get him to respond to police invitation proved futile.
A family member Soreiba Koroma said since this ugly incident happened the whereabout of Abu Bakarr Koroma and his wife remains unknown and family members have expressed serious concern about their safety.
The Skills Development Fund Secretariat with support from World Bank has on Monday 30th November, 2020 trained beneficiaries of the Skills Development Fund Grant during an event held at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown.
Assignment Manger, Skills Development Fund Secretariat, Peter M. Kaindaneh, said that the Skills Development Fund Secretariat was established by the Government of Sierra Leone to look into the disbursement of funds in relation to skills development projects.
He noted that they had initially called for concept notes and the evaluation of proposals and recommended the successful applicants to the Grant Committee, adding that they had 63 successful candidates of which mostly were Government Technical Institute together with the private sector, made up of small micro enterprises.
Peter M. Kaindaneh further disclosed that the whole project cost 22 Million Dollars but that the grant cost 16 Million Dollars
He said that as an institution they are expecting the successful candidates to be able to train youths on demand led skills disclosing how the project is funded by the Government of Sierra Leone and World Bank.
In her presentation, Grievance Redress Mechanism Specialist, Mariama Khai Fornah stated that the purpose of the GRM is to provide guidelines to address grievances, complaints, concerns, questions emanating from the implementation of the SDF under the SLSDP, adding that it also provides a step-by-step guide on how to receive, address, categorize follow-up, and document grievances.
She added that the goal of this GRM is to create opportunity for formal redress to grievances, complaints and concerns of project stakeholders at all levels, collaborative problems solving and alternative dispute resolution to ensure that the project is successfully implemented.
Underscoring its objectives, Mariama Khai Fornah said that it will ensure that the requirement of the project that has to do with conflict and grievances handling are adhered to, furthering that it will also put in place mechanisms for the monitoring and oversight over the implementation and management of grievance redress including establishing the appropriate reporting mechanisms.
District Monitor Western Area Urban Anti-Corruption Commission, Elizabeth Charles said their mandate is to ensure that the intended project beneficiaries, transparency, accountability and Anti-corruption measures are institutionalized throughout the project.
Independent monitoring ensure adherence to the program rules and procedures, carry out information campaigns on corruption prevention and the grievance redress measures, in-depth community and chiefdom level trainings to promote social accountability, development of a system where complains can be lodged, managed and resolved etc.
President Julius Maada Bio on the 28th November 2020 has recognized support from the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID), African Development Bank, (AfDB) and other development partners for committing to the country’s energy expansion project.
“Last year, I urged partners to support our building of a robust energy infrastructure. I also called for support with capacity building, training and knowledge transfer, and support for new energy project development across the country. Allow me to single out DfID and the ADB for their great contribution and their support in realizing this project.
“37,000 more households, in addition to the 17,500 households already connected, located in Bo, Kenema, Yamandu, Baoma, Jembeh, Gerihun, and Tikonko will be supplied with reliable electricity when they install pre-paid meters. The following are key deliverables for this project: provide a new transmission line between the two cities; rehabilitate distribution networks in both cities; and construct two new primary substations – one at Bandajuma in Bo District and another at Bandama in Kenema District.
The President said with those improvements, the transmission and distribution system for the cities and the towns would be more reliable and robust, adding that as a consequence, there would be reduced losses during the power evacuation and distribution process and frequency of power outages would be much reduced.
Head of DfID in Sierra Leone, Kobi Bentley, said she was privileged to be a part of the implementation of the expansion project, adding that her Government supported Sierra Leone with over £30 million to improve the lives of the people of Bo and Kenema with reliable power supply.
She also assured that the UK was committed to supporting the country in the areas of good governance, upholding the rule of law and access to energy, adding that poor electricity supply over the years had greatly affected the livelihood of the people but expressed hope that the project would provide that platform for quality supply of power to households and businesses.
The Country Program Officer for African Development Bank, Felicitas Atanga, expressed appreciation to President Julius Bio for providing the political will to implement a project that was supposed to have been implemented in 2017.
Ms Atanga noted that the Bank and the UK Government had provided $48.5 million for the project and assured that they would closely monitor its implementation.
Minister of Energy, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, said that it was an honour to witness the official launch of the project, noting that the growth in the population of Bo and Kenema cities was a testament to the need for the expansion to the electrification of the two towns.
He also maintained that the current electrification project was reliable, sustainable, affordable and would increase access to electricity supply, adding that the implementation of such a wonderful project was in line with his party’s manifesto of providing sufficient energy supply for the citizens of the country.
Executive President the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ), Millicent Kargbo
By Foday Moriba Conteh
In a bid to advance the campaign against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV) which has spiked in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ) has joined other countries to commemorate 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence which is an international campaign to challenge violence against women and girls which runs every year from the 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, to the 10 December, which is Human Rights Day.
Speaking to the Media, the Executive President the Sierra Leone Association of Women in Journalism (SLAWIJ), Millicent Kargbo, disclosed that SLAWIJ is a group of female journalists established in March 2020 as a body corporate with the chief aim of advancing and promoting female journalists in the country which, according to her, they have been doing through their advocacy programs in the media, adding that they have been building their capacities to ensure that they support issues relating to women and girls in the country.
She maintained that since their inception they have engaged in several development issues geared towards promoting issues of women and girls in the country, adding that in the bid to complement the effort of the Government to reach out to communities with preventive messages against the coronavirus, the Sierra Leone Association of Women In Journalism (SLAWIJ), headed by its Executive President, Millicent Kargbo and other members of the Association, embarked on a community awareness raising campaign at Oku Town in Wellington and other part of the country.
Millicent Kargbo also revealed that in August this year they also signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Rainbo Initiative which is focused on the use of the media in the campaign against SGBV through awareness-raising of the relevant laws; ensuring victims have justice and the support they need to move on and rebuild their lives as well as exposing SGBV cases with a view to ensure that those responsible for perpetrating such acts are held accountable.
She revealed further that as a responsible organization that has been advocating for women and girl related issues in the country thought it fit to join the world to commemorate the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based..
Millicent Kargbo noted that since the commencement of this 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence they have been engaging the media as well as communities through awareness rising on Gender-Based Violence prevention across the country.
She said as an organization they are categorically saying no to Gender-Based Violence against Women and in that regard called on, especially men to support the development of women and urged all to say no to sexual penetration against the girl child, adding that they do not have a place for such in society and that they will not sit as women and condone such because the future of the country will be risky if such issues continue to occur.
The devastating effect of the Coronavirus pandemic in the world is still unfolding of which Sierra Leone is not an exception.
Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio in his New Direction Manifesto chose tourism as one of the growth sectors for the diversification of Sierra Leone’s economy due to the pandemic. The tourism and hospitality sector has become the hardest hit with the grounding of flights, closure of hotels and tourism facilities among others.
In a joint statement by ILO, FAO, IFAD and WHO on the 13 October, 2020 (www.who.int/news/item/13-10-2020) on the impact of Covid-19 on people’s livelihoods, their health and food systems indicated that the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a dramatic loss of human life worldwide and presents an unprecedented challenge to public health, food systems and the world of work. The statement indicated that the economic and social disruption caused by the pandemic is devastating: tens of millions of people are at risk of falling into extreme poverty, while the number of undernourished people, currently estimated at nearly 690 million, could increase by up to 132 million by the end of the year.
Millions of enterprises face an existential threat. Nearly half of the world’s 3.3 billion global workforce are at risk of losing their livelihoods. Informal economy workers are particularly vulnerable because the majority lack social protection and access to quality health care and have lost access to productive assets. Without the means to earn an income during lockdowns, many are unable to feed themselves and their families. For most, no income means no food, or, at best, less food and less nutritious food.
In Freetown, the only 5 Star Hotel that opened its doors to the public throughout this pandemic is the Atlantic Lumley Hotel a luxury seafront hotel nested in the lovely Lumley Beach.
The hotel’s Human Resource Manager, Lonnel Saied Kargbo said when Sierra Leone recorded its first case on March 31st, it took them back to the drawing board to know what will be the next action, plan and future for the hotel at that time.
They started by collecting names of staff by department through the department managers and they began to sort them out.
He said few were sent home for them to start two weeks on and off alternatively.
Atlantic Lumley Hotel was among the first that introduced the weekly working alternative duty in Sierra Leone as a means of maintaining social human distance.
He spoke about their meeting with the Ministry of Labor who also was trying to get the hotel consent not to terminate staff as it happened during Ebola because of the crisis as that will affect them serious. “We signed a communiqué with them. Some were sent on temporary day off and they were receiving Le 250,000 monthly that was the procedure the hotel used which made us to operate till date.”
According to the HR, those who were due leave were allowed to go on leave and a letter was given to them.
The hotel team was working round the clock to come with ideas of keeping the hotel running.
Another idea the hotel brought was the cutting down of accommodation fee from $150 to $78 because flights were grounded. “When we noticed that the hotel was getting dry, we began to cater for the locals by cutting down prices of accommodation and through that people were coming for weekends”.
Atlantic Lumley Hotel also cut down on the prices of food to about 70% and that too attracted lots of customers who described it as cost recovery hotel.
Lonnel Saied Kargbo described the situation as one that was not easy for them considering the cost involved in running hotel like this.
“Even if you have one guest, you have to serve that person with all the requirement of the hotel with the standard facility and hospitality. But through our professionalism and our hospitality expertise we able to cope up till date.”
Lonnel Saied Kargbo commended their professional staff, leaders and team that brought ideas for them to stand the test of time this he said has made them to cope in any normal or abnormal situation.
Sierra Leone President Bio some months ago gave three months bailout to over 500 businesses in the hospitality sector with his Social Safety Net programme to get through these extremely tough times.
In a bid of introducing its brand to kids, the country’s oldest and dependable Satellite Service provider, DStv Sierra Leone has launched its 2020 Festive Season by hosting a Festive Kids Party.
The Festive Kids Party took place at the Freetown Amusement Park on Saturday 28th November, 2020.
This amazing experience which saw the launch of DStv 2020 festive season was graced by kids from all walks of life.
In her statement, DStv Sierra Leone Head of Operations and Marketing, Melissa Smith disclosed how the DStv Sierra Leone Festive Campaign is a means of selling out their contents to kids.
She said most parents are not aware of the importance of Kids channels to their kids some parents concentrating on their own movies and at times involve their kinds in news which though good could better be for the kids to know what is in stock for them in the DStv package.
The occasion was used to sell out kids’ contents as kids know about cartons and their characters.
“We have resolved that the kids know more about what DStv gives out in terms of content,” it was stated by Melissa Smith furthering that the channels will make the kids upgrade their knowledge in the English Language as the educative channels in the package have a lot to offer in that direction.
Mrs. Smith disclosed that DStv has over 10 channels for kids depending on the packages the parents purchase. She said if parents want the full package they have to go for the Premium package.
She emphasized that the least package has over three channels for kids further disclosing how DStv has educative channels that teach the kids different subjects.
Those channels, she added, have question and answer sessions which the parent can set for the kids when they deem it fit for the kids to practice. “We want the kids to know while they are at home that they can be entertained with DStvkids channels.”
Some of the kids described the day as a joyous one for them. “DStv made my day. We are grateful for the gesture given to us,” said Pat one of the kids who graced the occasion.
The kids were very glad to immerse in different past times and games that were available..
On the 26th November 2020, the Steering Committee of the Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Project (WASHAERP) approved its work plan and budget for 2021.
The arrival at that decision was taken during the 2nd meeting of Steering Committee held at the conference room of the Ministry of Finance.
Cephas Oguah, the Project Manager, pointed out that the approval of the Project work plan and budget means the main executing agency – Guma now has the authorization to carry out the activities in the work plan and within the annual budget.
He added that the approved work plan and budget will now be submitted to the African Development Bank for final approval; “any activity which has not been captured in the work plan cannot be carried out in the year because there will be no budget for it”.
The WASHAERP was born in 2018 with support from the African Development Bank and 8 other International Development Partners (Kuwait Fund, Islamic Development Bank, Adaption Fund, Green Climate Fund, Netherlands Enterprise Agency, Saudi Fund, OPEC Fund for International Development, ECOWAS Bank) to develop 10 new smaller water sources at Kaningo, Angola Town, Baoma, Mongeba, Hamilton, Waterloo and other communities around the Western Area Peninsular to augment water supply from the Mile 13 Dam.
The project overall objective is to improve the water supply by 15% and sanitation services by 7% while ensuring the sustainability of the vital aquatic ecosystem in the Western Area by laying about 250km of distribution pipe works, build new storage facilities, rehabilitate about 10 existing reservoirs, Weirs and Booster stations.
The project will also seek to improve solid and liquid waste collection, treatment and disposal services; provide infrastructure and enhance capacity for the effective protection of the Western Area Protected Forest/Water-shed and promote good sanitation, hygiene and child nutrition practices of the primary beneficiaries (women and girls) while facilitating their gainful participation in the improvement of WASH services.
The Project Steering Committee is chaired by the Minister of Water Resources to provide strategic direction and oversight guidance, and Guma will implement the project together with other relevant agencies by virtue of their statutory responsibilities; and these include Ministries of Finance, Local Government and Rural Development, Agriculture and Forestry, Planning and Economic Development, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Freetown City Council, Western Area District Council, National Water Resources Management Agency, Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission, National Protected Area Authority and WASHNET.
It could be recalled that the rapid urban expansion in Freetown over the last few decades has resulted in haphazard growth of communities and the expansion of drinking water reticulation system which have not matched the growth of new settlements. As a result, water supply connections to new households are mainly from one major distribution mains. The result is the widespread incidence of manifold supplies connections called spaghetti connections.
Old corroded mains and spaghetti connections are some of the reasons for the exceptionally high losses of water that is supplied. Because of high losses in the transmission lines, distribution systems as well as willful cutting and damaging of pipes, only 55 – 60 percent of the supply fed into the system is actually available for consumption.
Addressing staff of the Company early this year, the Managing Director Maada Kpenge said the main focus of GUMA in 2020 is going to be about reducing the high percentages of water leakages in the communities. ”The year 2020 will be about increasing the number of people with access to safe clean water supply and reducing leakages through extension of the pipe networks throughout Freetown”, he said.
And in line with that committment, already sub mains extensions have been completed in the following areas; Atlantic Beach Road, Assine Road – Juba Hill, Minah Drive – Juba Hill, Babadorie Lumley, Lucy Drive – Hill Station, Water Street – Congo Town, Sawi Drive Off King Harman Road, Bismarck Johnson Street, Cantonment Road, Wilberforce by Total Filling Station, Sugar Land – Goderich, Lower Scan Drive – Wilberforce, Thompson Bay – Off Wilkinson Road, Green Street – Off Kissy Road, Lower Dan Street, Queen Elizabeth Road, Africanus Road, Kissy Road by East End Police, Lumley Road –Wilberforce, Wilberforce Military Barracks and at Main Motor Road – Congo Town.
Also new pipe lines are going to be laid from Lumley to Malama, Spur Road to Malama, Spur Road – Sesay Drive to Smart Farm and at Goderich; all geared towards the efforts to address the leakages and increase access to water supply across the city, the Guma MD asserted.
Also recently, replacement of corroded submains to Wilberforce Village has been completed, resulting in improved water supply to the community for the 1st time in over a decade.
Similar water supply improvement works has also been completed at Pottor – Juba and all spaghetti connections eliminated.
Currently, work is ongoing between Angola Town and Adonkia and also at Alcock Street in the central part of the city to improve water supply to these communities.
The Judiciary of Sierra Leone in a rent Press Statement courteously and categorically implored members of the public to provide or make available any information that will lead to the whereabouts and possible arrest of the following ACCUSED PERSONS and their SURETIES.
The undermentioned accused persons are charged with Sexual Penetration and Sexual Related Offences contrary to the Sexual Offences Act of 2012, but have jumped bail making completion of the cases against them for such offences impossible unless they be arrested.
The Accused persons and names of sureties are: Amsu Vawah: Name of Surety is Alimu Kargbo, Ibrahim Bangura: Names of sureties are Idrissa Conteh and Ramatu Kamara, Bernard King and Bunton Hagen name of Surety is Bunton Hagen, Emmanuel Kandeh with Johnny Kandeh as Surety, Felix Kekurah Marrah with Mohamed Marrah as surety, Mohemed Bendu Alias Pupa with Hashim Newland as Surety, Mohamed Turay with Moses Momodu Johnson, Mohamed Kakay as Sureties, Abdulai Lansana with Lansana Sorie Maligia Robert and Gibrilla Conteh as Sureties, Abu Bakarr Jalloh with Aminata Jalloh and Abdulai M. Jalloh as Sureties, Mohamed Bangura with Fatmata Bangura, Sahr John Quee as Sureties, Ibrahim Banja Turay is with Francis Banya as Surety, Morray Sesay with Sidique Kamara and Alex Lewis as Sureties, William Smith with Kadiatu Smith as Surety, Ibrahim Koroma with Mabinty Sankoh as Surety, Oliver Moses Bangura with Samuel Wilson as Surety, Jonathan Mathia with Mahawa Fofanah as Surety, David Aruna with Saidu Aruna as Surety, Mohamed Wurie Bah with Mohamed Kamara and Mohamed Lamin Turay as Sureties, Abdulai Kargbo with Aminata Sesay as Surety, Juma Jalloh with Isata Barrie and Gibu Jalloh as Sureties, Amara Kamara and Joseph Nabieu as Surety, Abu Nabie and Adama Kanu, Maligi Kamara as Sureties, Mohamed Fullah with Alpha Timbo and Julius John Bassie as Sureties.
The Judiciary further stated that if anybody knows about the whereabouts of the aforementioned names, they are asked to make a report to the nearest Police Station or the Master and Registrar’s office, Judiciary of Sierra Leone, Law Courts building, Freetown, who will ensure they are arrested and brought to Court.
For more enquiries contact the Head of Communications on the aforesaid +23234617548.
