ACC, NRA CLEARS ORANGE MOBILE
BY FEIMA SESAY
One of the mobile leading companies in Sierra Leone, the Orange Mobile Company Ltd has been exonerated by the Anti-Corruption Commission and the National Revenue Authority (NRA) on allegation of nonpayment of tax arrears to the tune of Le 4.2 billion as claimed in the Auditors general’s report.
According to the Public Relation Officer of the Anti-Corruption Commission, Margaret Murray in an exclusive interview with this medium she revealed that the Orange Mobile company does not owe (NRA) any arrears with regards tax, adding that the alleged Le 4.2 Billion tax arrears were paid to the NRA but not captured in the Auditors General’s 2019 Report.
She explained that, after re-echoing what was in the Audit report during their press conference on the 7th January 2020, Orange reached out to them with proof of payment indicating that they actually do not owe any tax to NRA.
She added that, the Commission on further investigation reached out to NRA for clarifications if indeed Orange Mobile Company owed or do not Owe the NRA any Tax arrears,
During the 2018 Auditors General’s Report when Orange was audited, she noted that they have already made payment in 2019 but was not captured in the audit report.
She further said, the press conference was not a witch hunt but just to update the public on the Auditor General’s Report.
She said in 2019 report Orange Mobile company was not captured in the report, adding that, the commission in their investigations reached out to both Orange and NRA and they reconciled all their documents that Orange do not owe NRA any money and have cleared all their arrears.
Deplorable Sewage
F.C.C. Acts Now.
Floating sewage at King Jimmy bridge
Deplorable pit around cotton tree
By Mohamed Juma Jalloh
It is with utmost repugnance seeing raw sewage oozing out from a public toilet pipe and empties into a drainage that leads to the historic and iconic Cotton Tree.
The construction of a public toilet by the Freetown City Council (FCC) in a reserved monumental location at the center of Freetown is not a bad idea.
Public Review cannot fathom how a precinct attached with much national mysticism can be turned into a sewage dumping ground. This is an area that houses indispensable state institutions such as the Sierra Leone Judiciary, Criminal investigations Department (CID), National Museum and the Salgus restaurant normally frequented by Lawyers and other functionaries from the Judiciary for breakfast and lunch.
If tourists were to visit the much talked about Cotton Tree where the first batch of freed slaves assembled for fellowship and prayers, they would be taken aback by the unbearable stench of raw sewage.
City Council workers manning the public toilet care less whether this is the route that is used by both President Bio and Vice President Juldeh Jalloh to access state house.
No sooner someone uses the lavatory and flushes the toilet in to the gutter, the stench compels every passers bye to walk fast with hands on their noses.
People using the Salgus restaurant axis to go to the Judiciary would continue inhaling contaminated oxygen because the source of the problem is predicated on poor building and construction work.
Freetown City Council, the largest in terms of revenue generation inflows and the most financially strong of all Local Councils is an embodiment of ineptness compounded with poor and shoddy work occasionally leading to public scorn.
In bewilderment to Public Review Newspaper, a public toilet was constructed without corresponding construction of an in-depth septic pit.
An underground pipe from the toilet that pours out sewage into the narrow drainage leading to the precious natural and national symbolic Cotton Tree.
Freetown City Council (FCC) founded in 1893 is 127 years old. It continues to beat the imagination of many Sierra Leoneans that a Council with such longevity of existence cannot effectively handle sewage disposal.
About 6 years ago when the King Jimmy Bridge collapsed, a new bridge was constructed by the Gento Group of Companies. One need not be an engineer to know that engineers must be as surgical as possible to avert the destruction of other utility infrastructure such as water and sanitation. In the event they are accidentally destroyed during work there must be restitution before the completion of work. To the chagrin of many, ever since the King Jimmy Bridge was constructed there has been a convergence of sewage on the middle of the bridge. It appears as if all the sewage emanating from nearby offices is floating on top of a water hydrant at the center of the bridge. When cars inadvertently bump into the water hydrant, the sewage metastasizes prompting a foully smell engulfing the whole community.
People waiting for their national identity cards to be processed cannot put up with the smell; instead they prefer retiring into the overcrowded confines of the National Registration Commission.
Sorie Kamara,Deputy Director at the Sanitation and Environment Department at the FCC said the terrible situation is created by the poor engineering work by the contractor that constructed the bridge.
The million dollar question now is when the FCC will mobilise resources or even synergize with the central government to rectifying the situation?, is a farfetched reality.
Meanwhile Mayor of Freetown Yvonne Aki Sawyer seems paralyzed on tackling the issue head on. While she continues propagating her transform Freetown initiative around the globe.
The road she uses daily to accessing her office is overflowing with sewage. The well of sewage at the bridge poses enormous health risk to passersby and people dwelling in the area.
Few meters underneath the bridge is the King Jimmy market, a business rendezvous that attracts buyers and sellers across Freetown and beyond. Flies and rodents dwelling on the pool of sewage can easily settle on the displayed wares rendering the general populace susceptible to sanitation related diseases such as Cholera, Diahorea and Ebola. The Aberdeen and Lumley beach which is the public face of sea and sand tourism in Sierra Leone is also plagued with the same sewage problem
.There are about two public toilets in that elongated coastal distance and when no one is prying beach boys and girls cannot hesitate to defecate on the beach.
Mohamed Bundu, Manager of Medrie international Hotel cannot suppress his anger and frustration to Public Review Newspaper
“The wave of bad odour that hits my client wanting to relax on the sand is bad for our business.”Mr Bundu noted.
It degenerates from bad to worse when a whole house hold waste empties on the beach. Garden Villa, a building owned by the Civil engineering wing of the Chinese embassy is emptying sewage on the sand dunes of the beach totally violating the environmental and sanitation laws.
The Ministry of Tourism, Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and FCC is yet to take action on the issue probably because the Chinese are Sierra Leones biggest economic patron. With the exception of slums, many households in Freetown lack a lavatory. It is a common occurrence to see people openly defecating in streams and water ways. Houses that can boast of a lavatory are sometimes affected by a meanness of attitude at the detriment of the entire neighborhood.
Instead of using the proper means of sewage disposal sanctioned by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation where vehicles with septic tanks under take the arduous process of sucking the sewage. In many cases landlord extort money from tenants by employing the services of terminal drunkards who in turn performs substandard work. The exercise is done at the middle of the night normally during the rainy seasons.
In the event showers fail to fall from the heavens, smell engulfs the whole area setting neighbors in an acrimony leading to exchange of motherly invectives and violence that sometimes end in litigations in court. Politicians are also accustomed in using sewage as a tool of political intimidation against opponents during elections. Youths are contracted to do the defecation themselves on a container or locating a filled lavatory filling the container to the maximum. The timing of the act is very crucial because it is always perpetrated in the thick of darkness,only for political rivals to wake up in the morning overwhelmed by the odour of feces and undigested pepper seeds scattered all over the place. The obvious impulse of targeted individuals is deserting their homes, after contemplating the sheer trail of bad luck associated with feces they later resurface for the cleaning exercise.
Another thorny issue has to do with Dog toilet. There is hardly a street in Freetown that is not littered with dog feces. Considering the transmission rate of diseases from lower animals to human beings eradicating the street. Dogs feces are major ways of transforming the Capital City in to an attractive destination to visitors.
It is therefore unpardonable for the FCC as one of the oldest Councils in Africa to be challenged with effective sewage management.
As the second tier of governance structure effective collaboration with the central government in areas the FCC is perennially challenged must be a priority.
Sierra Leone Cyber Attacks
By Mustapha Dumbuya
The UK Government,Ministry Of Information and Communication with the National Cyber Risk Assessment (NCRA) has on Wednesday 15th January,2020 ended its stakeholders meeting at country Lodge Hill Station, Freetown on the recent cyber attacked.
The ICT manager NCRA Mariama Yormah in Presenting its finding and recommendations said this is the first time for the county to conduct cyber risk assessment and establishment base line measures.
Mariama also said the recent cyber-attack has resulted Sierra Leone to lost 15% of the country’s GDP and that Telecoms, Energy and the Banking sectors where most affected through the risk assessment.
She out lined a number of recommendations on cyber improvement as follows:that the ministry will continue to engage directly with all CII organizations to help them understand their cyber security risk
National Authority work with CII organizations to reduce the usual vulnerability
National Authority and CII organizations to investigate the dependencies between the various system
National Authority to work with government and energy sector to improve their access to, and use relevant threat intelligence
Check the ratings for each system and identify ways to reduce risk level
CII organizations to do more anylises to understand how each actor type is going to attack or attacking their CII system
Consider developing a national led programme of testing and beginning with the most critical system
Revisit the national picture on cyber skills, awareness and training
Mohamed Rado swarray, Information Minister thanked the United Kingdom Government for giving them clear picture as a testament to share great commitment in strengthening cyber security in Sierra Leone.
He added that President Bio’s commitment is to use the digital technology in core business both the private and the public sector to foster economic development.
He revel that the UK Government through the Ministry of Information and Communication has been working tireless with the National Cyber Risk Assessment (NCRA) to find solution on how to halt the national cyber-attack.
“This is the first time for Sierra Leone to conduct such a national assessment on cyber-attack and Sierra Leone should not use as a entering point but should be a backbone to fight cyber-attack”. He said.
The Information Minister noted that it is a collaborative fight in most sectors affected, including the energy, the Banking and the telecommunications always engaged in providing sensitive information on how to halt the cyber-attack in Sierra Leone.
Pres. Bio Reiterates Government Commitment
Pres. Bio at the conference
President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has reiterated commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals during an interview at the Future Sustainability Summit on the margins of the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week.
Speaking on two of the Sustainable Development Goals – education and peace and justice – the President spoke about progress his government had made so far in the area of education through the Free Quality Education Programme, providing access to education for more than two million children.
He spoke about the importance of investment in education and called for young people to take advantage of accessing quality education so that they could be meaningful to the development process.
The President also spoke about government’s efforts at consolidating peace and increasing access to justice for ordinary people. President Bio told the delegates about his government’s commitment to establishing an infrastructure for peace through a Commission for Peace and National Cohesion.
During the
interview, the President also spoke about investment opportunities in Sierra
Leone, especially in the energy sector. He also advised other African
governments to priorities the use of science, technology and innovation in
governance.
UNFPA Country Representative Calls on Stats SL
UNFPA Team/Stats SL
The UNFPA Country Representative to Sierra Leone, Dr Kim Eva Dickson and team including Dr Chris Oyeyipo and David Kanu have paid a courtesy call on Stats SL at its headquarters on AJ momoh Street in Freetown on Tuesday 14th January 2020.
In his statement to the UNFPA team, the Statistician General, Prof. Osman Sankoh said that Stats SL now has a strong governance structure to be proud of with a new Deputy Statiscian General and very qualified Directors that are performance driven. He intimated the team that when he took over, there was need to not only right-size the institution but to also gain credibility by employing qualified staff
He said, he recommended the creation of new divisions namely, Communications and Public Relations, Operations, National Statistical System and Internal Audit which he said is critical in ensuring internal controls and compliance to processes, procedures and policies
He told the UNFPA Country Rep that Stats SL is blessed to be keenly supported by government as he went further to disclose that government through the Ministry of Finance has paid all the allocated budget for 2019 which is an indication that the Government realises the importance of Stats SL
Prof. Sankoh informed the UNFPA team that as the Central Statistics Office charged by law to coordinate, collect, compile, analyse, accredit and disseminate high quality and objective official Statistics, one major challenge as is the case with almost all over the world, is the upsurge in the proliferation of open data especially when a plethora of institutions and research organisations produce data and then feel that they are as well competent which sometimes challenges the position of the Central Statistics Office.
Concerning the accreditation of all official Statistics Produced within Sierra Leone, he informed the UNFPA team that this will be discussed at the 51st session of the UN Statistical Commission in New York where Sierra Leone will start sitting as one of only 8 African countries, starting March 2020 , for the next four years .He also made it known that the parliamentary sub-committee on finance had also backed STATS SL to have a legislation that will coerce every research institution in the country to get accreditation from Stats SL for every research work done.He said that Stats SL is in the process of starting the legislative process
On using technology solutions in data collection, Prof Sankoh said that recent surveys like the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey, the Sierra Leone Integrated Household Survey and the recent Demographic and Health Survey were all done using Computer Assisted Personal Interview (CAPI), which is tablet based data collection. He furthered that the proposed Midterm Census to be undertaken in December 2020 will be with the use of tablets which will be a first in Sierra Leone
He concluded by assuring the country representative that Stats SL is a credible partner that will do all it takes to ensure that the institution delivers on its promise of Credible Data to the populace of Sierra Leone
In her response, the country representative of UNFPA, Dr Kim Eva Dickson, expressed delight for the warm reception accorded her and her team whilst commending the stats SL team for the incredible facelift that has been given to the Stats SL headquarters which she says was a far cry from when last visited. She expressed regret that that she is only coming to visit now since Professor Sankoh (Mallam O) took over as Secretary General but is more than happy to meet the new management team .She said she had no doubts when she first heard that Prof Sankoh was the new SG as she had heard commendations and trust for Prof Sankoh since her days as a house officer.
She said another purpose of the visit was to renew UNFPA’s implementing Partner (IP) agreement with Stats SL and present a few office items to management. She expressed UNFPA’s commitment to supporting the Midterm Census especially because it is of national interest and registered UNFPA’s continued desire to supporting Stats SL.
In few words, the Deputy Statistician General, Andrew Bob Johnny told the UNFPA Country Rep that he is particularly pleased with the unflinching support that UNFPA has provided over the years to Stats SL through reps come and gone. He said stats SL will love to see the support offered growing more than ever, for the production of official statistics
The session ended with the presentation of Office equipment from the UNFPA team to stats SL which included 3 Lenovo Laptops, 27 screens, 3 keyboards and mouse,3 dockstation,3 carrying Bags(Backpack), 3 MS office user license and 3 HP LaserJet Pro printers.
Danger!!!
Scientists warn
BY KRISTIN HOUSER, FUTURISM
After analyzing data from the 1950s through 2019, an international team of scientists determined that the average temperature of the world’s oceans in 2019 was 0.075 degrees Celsius (0.135 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the 1981–2010 average.
That might not seem like a significant amount of warming, but given the massive volume of the oceans, an increase even that small would require a staggering influx of heat – 228 sextillion Joules’ worth, according to the scientists’ study, which was published in the journal Advances in Atmospheric Sciences on Monday.
That’s a hard number to contextualize, so one of the scientists behind the study did the math to put it into an explosive frame of reference – by comparing it to the amount of energy released by the atomic bomb the United States military dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945.
“The Hiroshima atom-bomb exploded with an energy of about 63,000,000,000,000 Joules,” author Lijing Cheng from the Chinese Academy of Sciences said in a press release.
“The amount of heat we have put in the world’s oceans in the past 25 years equals to 3.6 billion Hiroshima atom-bomb explosions.”
That averages out to four Hiroshima bombs’ worth of energy entering the oceans every second for the past 25 years. But even more troubling, the rate isn’t holding steady at that alarming figure – it’s increasing.
In 2019, ocean warming was equivalent to “about five Hiroshima bombs of heat, every second, day and night, 365 days a year,” study author John Abraham, from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota, told Vice.
And in case atomic bombs are still too abstract of a comparative unit, the 2019 rate is equivalent to every person on Earth constantly pointing 100 hair dryers at the oceans, Abraham told Vice. .
Ice is melting faster, causing sea levels to rise. Dolphins and other marine life are dying because they can’t adapt quickly enough
. Even the increase in the amount of water evaporating into the atmosphere due to the heat is negatively impacting on our planet.
“It makes hurricanes and typhoons more powerful, and it makes rainfall more intense,” Abraham told Vice.
“It puts our weather on steroids.”
And remember, the rate is increasing – meaning that every moment we delay taking action to slow or reverse the warming, the situation is only going to get worse.
This article was originally published by Futurism.
Dancing On The Aisle of the Enemy
By Cornelius Oguntola Melvin Deveaux
Certainly, our party, the indomitable All Peoples Congress (APC) is dancing on the aisle of the enemy as factions glom on to opinions and positions at the detriment of the much anticipated hope of regaining power in 2023.
Don’t tell me I am the current National Publicity Secretary and a member of the current leadership (courtesy of the 1995 constitution); neither do I expect you to brand me otherwise as I lay bear the cacophony of the rhythms to which we continue to dance on the aisle of the enemy.
First of all, it is my honest and sincere opinion that the current leadership, likewise NRM, should equally be blamed for the disastrous setback and humiliation that struck the party over the weekend following the court injunction restricting the party from going on with the national delegates conference which was slated for January 10 -12, 2020, at the Great Bai Bureh Hall in Port Loko.
And you will agree with me that if ours was a civilized and functional democracy such as what obtains in the United States of America, the United Kingdom and many other advanced democracies where integrity and reputation alongside respect for the governed are sin qua non, the chairman and leader and secretary general of the party should have resigned. Certainly, this is what happens in such societies and I need not highlight examples of nations or organizations wherein leaders have either voluntarily or forced to resign because of failing to act correctly. I am sure our diaspora members are not oblivious of such examples.
Former President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma, who also doubles as chairman and leader of the party, Secretary General Ambassador Osman Foday Yansaneh and Deputy Chairman Minkailu Mansaray are, in my estimation, sufficiently experienced to have seen the writing on the wall and should have acted appropriately to avert the calamity that has befallen the party. It is again the fundamental right of every citizen to seek legal redress but the NRMs choice of a lawyer who thick and thin is a member of the ruling SLPP seem like aiding the dance on the aisle of the enemy. And for this reason, our grass root supporters were angered.
The NRM should also know that the Port Loko conference was not in itself the final arbiter for a new constitution which would have thereafter been published in the government gazette to invite queries from the public.
Considering that the party is now in opposition and bearing in mind that the current judiciary has been transformed into an appendage of the ruling SLPP, as has been demonstrated in the handling of petition cases and other trumped up politically motivated court cases, isn’t it obvious that we should as a party endeavour to go the extra mile in search of an amicable solution to matters that will perfect our dance on the aisle of the enemy?
Don’t tell me much has been given when that much which has been given has not been exhausted. We must not lose sight of the fact that the regime change conspiracy worked against us in 2018 because we were not united. Krio say “set yai bet fat foot” in the interest of peace, which the party needs now more than ever before if our dream of bouncing back to power in 2023 should be a reality.
To the NRM, they should know that their views cannot be adopted hook, line and sinker in its entirety. Dialogue requires give and take. And they are not the only ones who have issues with the current constitution. For others, the selection clause is not the only problematic area of the current constitution; while there are those who remain of the conviction that the 1995 constitution is a perfect document except that the selection clause has been overused and misused.
And while it is true that the NRM has been the foremost advocates for reforms, the decision to review the current constitution is just one of the many recommendations of the nine man committee. Principal among the many recommendations of the nine man committee was the need to promote reconciliation.
I am of the conviction that if we had pursued and promoted sincere and genuine reconciliation before going to Port Loko to adopt a new constitution we would not have ended in the mess the party has been plunged into.
My take therefore is for us to pursue a sincere and genuine reconciliation. Political indifference are best settled in-house and not in a court of law.
It is on this note that I am appealing to both the NRM and the current leadership to dialogue and discontinue the dance on the aisle of the enemy.
Casting aspersions, name calling and finger pointing will not take the party away from the dance on the aisle of the enemy. Consequently, the court injunction cannot be a blessing in disguise for the party but one that will further broaden the space if we decide to continue our dance on the aisle of the enemy.
In a recent piece, I stated that “Sierra Leone is in an economic mess sufficient to trigger public revulsion. If only the opposition All Peoples Congress can melt down the hypocrisy and sycophancy in its ranks and mould it into love and in the true spirit of comradeship, ours is the victory.”
The ruling SLPP knows fully-well that a united APC is the only obstacle to their quest for a second term tenure. And as such they will do anything and everything possible to continue the rhythms that will aid our dance on the aisle of the enemy.
It is therefore incumbent on the APC to consciously discontinue the dance on the aisle of the enemy.
So let us therefore endeavor to promote reconciliation and dialogue and not indulge in a prolonged legal battle that will be of no benefit to the party but only to some individuals.
It is disingenuous to continue to feed our membership with accusations and counter accusations that some of our membership, high and low, are winning and dinning with the SLPP as this will only widen the divide and further open a pandora’s box.
The need for dialogue, therefore, cannot be over emphasized.
But regrettably our party has been seriously polarized along individual interests that many have lost sight of the bigger picture beyond their clamour and support for individual interests.
Notwithstanding, there are many senior comrades who I believe can spearhead the much needed reconciliation. Such persons include Eddie Turay, Abdulai O Conteh, J. E. Leverse, Borbor Conteh (Big House, Brookfields) and Mayor Sunkaray (to name a few) who I believe are also sufficiently experienced to understand the ramifications and setback the current impasse and legal entanglement may be to the party at this crucial period of our party’s history.
In conclusion, thank you Chairman and Leader Dr Ernest Bai Koroma for pronouncing peace and anchoring on peace and dialogue as the only way forward for the party in your speech at the just concluded Port Loko press conference
This is purely the opinion of the writer not the Editorial staff of this Press
CAN Raises Concern Over Educational Deadlock
The attention of Citizens’ Advocacy Network (hereinafter referred to as CAN is drawn to the seeming deadlock in negotiation between your Ministry and the LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY of Creative Technology.
It could be recalled that a similar situation occurred last year, but your good offices did the most conscionable thing by looking at the future of our Sierra Leonean children above all else. Your engagement was impressive. It rekindled hope and gave great reassurances to our many Sierra Leonean students across the country that are benefitting from the quality, top-notch, contemporary and modern education suited for the 21st century delivered at this globalised University.
We appreciate the strides of this government to upstage the value of relevant education in transforming the destiny of our darling nation. We respect the decency with which agreements of the past government around the corridors of education are been managed. We fervently pray that good conscience prevails in dealing with the future of our Sierra Leonean citizens.
Granting scholarships to students to access the same quality education acquired by students in other European nations at their doorstep lives true to improving the human resource for quality output which is in line with President Bio’s vision in delivering transformative education.
CAN notes with grave concern the repetition of stiff negotiations that threaten to hang on the gallows the future of our young Sierra Leoneans at the LIMKOKWING UNIVERSITY of Creative Technology? Registration of students on scholarship has been stalled and it denies them their fundamental right to education enunciated by national, regional or international instruments. Let it be known that a good number of our Sierra Leonean students that gained scholarships are already on the verge of completion. The seeming protracted or unending negotiations stand fatal to their employment opportunities and create room for more disgruntlement and frustration adding to the already precarious economic condition of the nation.
We cannot afford to keep repeating the mistakes of the past which stand inimical to our progress. The students did not ask for this. They stand to suffer the brunt of groundstanding. This will generate bad blood and conscript more depressed or disgruntled youths who could be agents of unthinkable atrocities. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Report spoke wisdom to such situations.
CAN respectfully calls on your good offices and all parties involved to resolve this issue and give oxygen to the dreams of our Sierra Leoneans who are being choked or suffocated by this deadlock in negotiations.
We thank you in advance for your kind consideration.
Yours faithfully
Thomas Moore Conteh
Executive Director
Free and Quality Education
What next?
CHRDI CONDEMNS ARREST OF HENRY. COSTA
We want to express serious concern over the recent arrest of a Liberian political activist at the Lungi International Airport.
We want to unequivocally state that we regard the arrest of Mr Henry P. Costa, as an indication of Government’s attempt to take full control of the public space, and show blatant disregard for human rights guaranteeing freedoms to assembly, association, and free speech and free movement within the Manor River Union, ECOWAS treaties and international laws.
We therefore urge the authorities in Sierra Leone who have committed this despicable crime against Human Rights to immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Costa now.
Note: Campaign for Human Rights and Development International (CHRDI ) is a Rights based social-policy advocacy Organisation. We Draw attention to the responsibility of duty-bearers to uphold human rights, and seek to support rights-holders to claim their rights. CHRDI is in Special Consultative Status to the United Nations Economic and Social Council and accredited to many UN Agencies.
MPs at Climate Parliament Summit
The 10th Session of the IRENA General Assembly has ended in the Emirati capital city of Abu Dhabi following high-level discussions on achieving Sustainable Development Goal ) and increasing the use of renewables in the global energy mix, a critical element for meeting the climate change goals.
The delegations, from the public and private entities and civil society organizations the meetings in IRENA headquarters included Dr Kandeh Yumkella, Hon. Rebecca Kamara, Hon. Rosalyn Smith and Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh. –
Hon. Yumkella with a strong and consistent partnership with IRENA during his stint as UNIDO Director-General and UN Under-Secretary-General and CEO of Sustainable Energy for All and currently as MP. Widely credited for mobilizing global consensus for Sustainable Development Goals (SDG #7 & #9) and for bringing a renewed and vital focus to global energy issues in shaping and guiding the spirited global energy discussions.
Ahead of the IRENA extraordinary session, Hon. Yumkella took part in the Energy Futures: Green grids, electric cooking and the Global Energy Transition events on 8-9 January organized by the Climate Parliament and Wilton Park in association with UK Aid and Modern Energy Cooking Services.
“The low carbon energy transition in Africa must include accelerating access to electricity and clean cooking solutions in order to simultaneously save lives, protect the environment and create wealth,” he said when questioned about Africa’s future given that the event was held under the Chatham House rules.
The invitation only meeting focused on the potential for clean cooking with electricity from solar mimicries on the local level on the one hand, and the cross-border transmission corridors for trading renewable energy within different regions of Africa and Asia.
In November 2019, under his leadership, Hon. Yumkella recently coordinated the first ever High-Level Multi-Stakeholder Renewable Energy and Clean Cooking Conference for the Mano River Union in Freetown.
During the IRENA Assembly, Hon. Yumkella and colleagues took part in the Legislators Forum: Engaging Communities in the Energy Transformation: Adoption of National Policies.
Hon. Yumkella who moderated the session with legislators from around the world noted that the last decade was good for renewables, but it was not good enough. “We legislators have the power to create laws and legislation to accelerate renewable energy deployment and change the course of climate change. “he added
Hon. Rebecca Kamara, she learnt a lot about sustainable development and climate change mitigation and adaptation she hoped to share with her colleagues in the energy committee.”
The Legislative forum also provided an opportunity to take an in-depth look at successes so far achieved as well as challenges countries still face towards a sustainable energy future. Parliamentarians further discussed and identified action that can lead to accelerate the energy transformation by engaging their respective communities to promote a fair and just transition.
Asked about his thoughts on the exchange with other MPS, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh said he will re-double efforts to protect the forests in country and ensure sustainable livelihoods for the rural communities.”
Hon. Rosalyn Smith, said, it is critically important to achieve transformative change and the sustainable development goals in tandem with the national and determined commitments (NDC).”
Ditte Juul Jørgensen, Hon. Yumkella underscored the importance of international cooperation.
“The energy transformation depends on minerals that are not found everywhere in the world. Therefore, the road ahead will not be easy and new challenges in the energy transformation would arise, he said.” Noting that the youths have a major role to play, he expressed delight that the forum is represented by many nationalities working together and finding solutions that not only disrupts but forces countries to implement infrastructure that leapfrogs by IRENA.
Home Economy & Politics
Where Sanders, Warren, Buttigieg and the leading 2020 Democrats stand on climate change
By Rachel KoningBeals
Published: Jan 14, 2020 8:16 pm ET
From the Green New Deal and the Blue New Deal to abandoning drilling and pricing carbon
Several in the 2020 Democratic presidential field back a Green New Deal, although some are adding their own features to the pact rolled out by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other members of Congress last year.
The field of Democrats looking to beat President Donald Trump this year including the six on the debate stage Tuesday night — are aligned in their pledge to rejoin the Paris Climate agreement. Most candidates want to end new fossil-fuel leasing on public lands and several are critical of fracking. A few have latched onto a Green New Deal.
Widening the lens, however, the fields environmental proposals reveal key differences in the details, and not just when it comes to U.S. oil CL , where to extract it and how to sell it. The U.S., projected to drill at record-setting production levels over the next two years, nears toppling Saudi Arabia as the world’s leading oil exporter. But rather than get hung up on U.S. oil independence, the nation should be investing in alternative energy sources and hiring more Americans to work in these blooming industries, say candidates including Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, among others.
Read: As vague as it is, the Green New Deal could have a real impact on Corporate America. Here’s why
Tuesday marks the last time the leading Democratic presidential contenders will face a national audience on the debate stage before primary voting begins early next month. Climate could feature among the questions lobbed at Sanders of Vermont and Warren of Massachusetts, former Vice President Joe Biden, former mayor of South Bend, Ind., Pete Buttigieg, Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Tom Steyer, a billionaire executive and activist. A total of 12 Democrats are still in the race.
“One area where candidates overwhelmingly agree [on climate] is ending new leases for fossil-fuel development on federal lands. Investors should take note because this is something that a president can do unilaterally, without congressional approval,” said James Lucier, who leads the energy, environmental and tax practices at Capital Alpha, in a note last fall.
Read: Trump rally in Milwaukee serves as counterprogramming to final Democratic presidential debate before Iowa caucuses
Several in the 2020 field back a Green New Deal that has already been factoring into the election conversation, although some are adding their own features to the pact rolled out by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other members of Congress last year. Sanders, Warren and Klobuchar all eventually signed off on the Green New Deal legislation, which has not found traction in a divided Congress. Candidate Michael Bloomberg has called it a non-starter.
A few candidates promote an explicit carbon price — a cost applied to carbon pollution to encourage polluters to reduce the amount of greenhouse gases they emit into the atmosphere. A majority of candidates are at least open to debating a carbon price, noted Lucier. Most candidates are choosing emissions targets instead as a means of stopping ozone depletion.
Here’s a brief synopsis of the climate proposals from high-polling candidates or those in the race who consider climate among their leading platforms.
Biden: The Obama administration’s vice president has faced a chorus of concern from progressives that he won’t go far enough on thwarting man-made climate. Biden wants 100% clean energy and net-zero emissions by 2050, he says, and he’ll work with other major international carbon-emitting nations to create enforceable pacts. He’ll advance a $1.7 trillion federal investment and $5 trillion in proposed public-private spending on climate initiatives.
Biden has said he would funnel federal revenues from eliminating the Trump tax cuts passed in late 2017 and ending tax breaks for the fossil.
SEXUAL PENETRATION …..
27YRS OLD GET 10YRS JAIL
By Foday Jalloh
Following our last edition caption 27yrs pleaded guilty, the Freetown high court presided over by justice Ivan Sesay has pas verdict on the said accused, after sufficient evidence put before the court that on diverse date Joseph Kai been a painter forcefully had sex with a girl below the age of 18yrs to with a fourteen 14yrs old. This accused who was charged to court at that time in January 2017, has contravene the child right act of A twenty seven years old painter who pleaded guilty on one count charge of sexual penetration of a child 14yrs old has been sentence to 10yrs jail term, by justice Ivan Sesay.
Before the verdict was delivered by justice Ivan Sesay he noted that the accused did not waste the court time as he pleaded for mercy.
He a judge he does not play with such matters pertaining to children’s issues, and therefore he will taper justice with mercy for the accused not to repeat his action, because the accused , . The accused person Joseph Kai jail was represented by a lawyer Ceclia .Tucker from the legal aid board. The matter was prosecuted by the state lawyer Vivienne E A Kabia.
In another case preside by justice Ivan Sesay one 55 five yrs old Mohamed Wurie Barrie and one sixty two years old Frank Musa standing trial on the offence of sexual penetration on two childldern respectively below the ages of fourteen yrs and ten10yr, are currently remanded at the Freetown Correctional center till February 5th 2020.
RITCORP FACES APEAL COURT
By Foday Jalloh
RITCORP Insurance Company is expected to face the appeal court, in the matter between Danny saad and RITCORP that was decided ten years ago in the high court.
The appeal case has been under the carpet of the judiciary for years now, leaving the applicant Danny Saad in frustration, with no option but to fold up his business if justice is not done.
According to him, Danny Saad a business tycoon in Pharmaceuticals drugs for over thirty years now
Claimed to have supplied medicines to RITCORP, worth thirty thousand dollars, equivalent one hundred million Leones at that time
He said the drugs were supplied to RITCORP, but not paid for. The matter was sent to the high court, after a long waiting until the 12th March 2o14 when Justice Browne Mark dismissed the case and ordered him to bear the cost.
Danny Saad a whole seller and retailer pharmacist for over thirty years now has been greatly affected by the judgment given against him claiming that his business is about to collapse.
Samajana Pharmacy according to public views if given justice accordingly will rise again to help in the medical system in Sierra Leone. The people that spoke to this medium pleaded to the court to speed the appeal case, they personally called for presidential intervention to bring the matter to conclusion.
Sierra Leone Meet Senegal Tomorrow
After being out of all competitive international qualifiers since they were eliminated by
Nigeria on a 16-0 aggregate some six years back, the women’s game is back and this time, it is in Bo City Stadium on January 18, that the Under 20 ladies of Sierra Leone will lock horns with their Senegalese counterparts in the African Under-20 women’s World Cup preliminaries.
The Sierra Leone side started training in November last year and have played several local friendlies including the senior national women’s team and an international friendly with their Liberian counterparts, which the Sierra Leone ladies won 2-0.
Speaking after the final training this morning at the SLFA Academy grounds, head coach, Alhaji “Abedi” Foray said he is satisfied with the performance of his squad and very much optimistic of progressing to the next stage.
“The girls are in high spirit, well prepared and highly determined to give the desired result on Saturday. Motivation is also high and there is a huge sense of responsibility in the camp,” the head coach said.
Coach Abedi said, though he had little knowledge about the Senegalese team, he would be very mindful of their starting tactics as he had devised a strategy to contain them in the first 20 minutes.
“We are highly motivated and in high spirit to make Sierra Leone proud,” he concluded.
According to Miriam Heroe, Female Football Coordinator at the Sierra Leone Football
Association, preparations are in top gear and the players are highly motivated.
“We will be moving the team to Bo city on Wednesday morning so that the ladies can concentrate on the task ahead. We will also ensure that there will be no
distractions around the team camp so that all will be focused on Saturday,”
Miriam Heroe said.A 29-man delegation, which comprised of 22 players and seven officials has been announced for the Bo city trip this morning.
Meanwhile, the 28-man Senegalese delegation will arrive at Lungi International Airport on Wednesday evening and will be escorted directly to Bo city.
The winner between Sierra Leone and Senegal will progress to the next stage and will play the winner between Uganda and Tanzania in the next round.
LIST OF U-20 PLAYERS FOR THE FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS ON
SATURDAY THE 18
TH
JANUARY 2020 IN BO CITY
1. ZAINAB FATMATA CONTEH
2. EKUNDAYO MASSAQUOI
3. HANNAH JUANA
4. ISATA THOLLEY
5. ADAMA SAIDU SANKOH
6. MARIE BOCKARIE KONTEH
7. KUMBA ZAINAB BRIMA
8. MALTIDA KABBA
9. WUYAH MOHAI
10. HAWANATU MIATTA CONTEH
11. ISATU MANSARAY
12. RAMATU BLACKER TARAWALLIE
13. MABEL GBONGAY
14. ADAMA JALLOH
15. KADIATU ABDULAI KAMARA
16. ABIBATU BANGURA
17. MASSAH SAMUKA
18. ABIBATU BARNES
19. MARIAMA KALLA KAMARA
20. KAI SESAY
21. ADAMA KARGBO
22. MAMUSU PELE TAMU
TECHNICAL TEAM
1. MIRIAM HEROE – TEAM COORDINATOR
2. HAJA RAMATULAI KAMARA – TEAM MANAGER
3. ALHAJI FORAY – HEAD COACH
4. ALIMU KOROMA – ASSISTANT 1
5. REGINA MITTA HAMILTON – ASSISTANT COACH II
6. MARY THOMPSON – TEAM DOCTOR
7. MARTHA HANNAH CONTEH – WELFARE OFFICER
SLFA Media Department…
