Royal Highness Pays Courtesy Call On VP
Her Royal Highness the Countess of Wessex, Sophie Rhy-Jones during her visit to Sierra Leone on Wednesday , paid a courtesy call on Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh at his Tower Hill office, Freetown.
Her talk with the Vice President centered on women’s education, health and meaningful participation in politics, security and justice.
She spoke about the need to support survivors of sexual violence and to call for an end to sexual and gender-based violence whilst reaffirming the strong bilateral relationship between UK and Sierra Leone.
Responding VP Jalloh noted that more need to be done and informed that the government is going through trying times, as a post war country
He assured the royal that a lot has been done by the government during the post-conflict reconstruction period, with massive support from the development partners, to change the narrative of women in the country through institutions such as the Human Rights Commission, National Commission for Democracy, and viable civil society organizations such as 50-50, Women’s Forum to advocate for women’s right.
He revealed that in the 2018 elections was an increase in female representation at the local level stating that women’s representation in the southern district like Pujehun is almost nil.
CHEERS UP FOR ACC.
Sierra Leone has progressed ten (10) places upwards in Transparency International’s Global Corruption Ranking, moving from 129 in 2018, to 119 out of 180 countries surveyed in the 2019 Transparency International Corruption Perception Index (TI-CPI).
The country also increased its score from a stagnant thirty (30) points in 2016, 2017, and 2018, to thirty-three (33) in 2019, making a three (3) points gain, scoring above the sub-Saharan average of 32.
The CPI, released on Thursday 23rd January 2020, reveals that for the first time, in more than five years, Sierra Leone is ranked under 120, and the thirty three (33) points scored is the highest the country has ever achieved since its inclusion in the TI index.
Sierra Leone now leads sixty one (61) countries in the global campaign against corruption, and more than 28 African countries, including Guinea, Liberia, Mali, Nigeria, Togo, Kenya, among others.
This year’s report reveals that “Sub-Saharan’s performance paints a bleak picture of inaction against corruption,” revealing that “a staggering number of countries are showing little to no improvement in tackling corruption.” The report also suggests that “more than two-thirds of countries – along with many of the world’s most advanced economies – are stagnating or showing signs of backsliding in their anti-corruption efforts. Nonetheless, SIERRA LEONE PERFORMED BETTER THAN THE AVERAGE SCORE IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA.
The CPI is an annual survey indicator used by TI, the global civil society organization leading the fight against corruption, to assess perceived levels of public sector corruption across the world.
Within the past two years, Sierra Leone has increased its score in the ‘Control of Corruption’ Indicator in the Millennium Challenge Corporation Scorecard, moving from forty-nine percent (49%) in 2017, to seventy-nine (79%) percent in 2019, making thirty percent (30%) upwards. By that report, Sierra Leone is among the top ten performers in our income category.
Similarly, Sierra Leone has also scored high in other global and regional anti-corruption rankings. In the *Global Corruption Barometer of 2018, the country is ranked 3rd out of thirty five (35) African Countries surveyed on “Government’s Effectiveness in the Fight against Corruption.” In the Afro-Barometer 2018, fifty four (54%) of Sierra
Leoneans agreed that the government is performing “very well” in the fight against corruption.
In light of the aforementioned, the Commission wishes to assure all Sierra Leoneans of its relentless determination to ensure the country continues to perform favorably in national, sub-regional, regional, and global anti-corruption governance indices.
Local Content
Finic Takes the Lead
FINIC is an indigenous small scale industry with a mission to design and manufacture machines for post harvest transformation of agricultural produce into valuable products and the conduct of skills training for interested persons in machine systems design.
As Sierra Leone is an import dependent nation, creative minds have to be expansive to encompass other areas that will not only showcase the ingenuity of Sierra Leoneans but equally reduce import dependency and save pride and the much needed foreign currency.
This led us to design jigs and fixtures for the manufacturing of hospital and delivery Beds. Today we can proudly manufacture hospital beds and other instrumentalities that perform similar function such as the bed used by mid wives in conducting child birth services for expectant mothers.
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Sales Man Faces High Court
BY FEIMA SESAY
A sales man Ibrahim Kargbo of 21 Hennessey Street Freetown standing trial at the Pademba Road Magistrate court No 4 was last Tuesday sent to high court for further trial by Magistrate Sahr Kekura for allegedly defrauding his employer Hassan Jaward of the sum of Le19, 500,000.
Before the committal of the matter, Defense lawyer Claudius Campbell Esq. applied for bail on behalf of the accused pursuant to section 120 of the Criminal Procedure Act of 1965
He said the accused is a Sierra Leonean resident in Freetown with reliable and credible sureties willing to enter recognizance on his behalf if granted bail.
He further told the court that, the accused is a student with a reputable character and had pending exams that will commence next week.
Police Prosecutor ASP Aminatu Daboh in reply said it is the discretion of the magistrate to grant or not to grant bail.
Magistrate Kekura in his ruling stated that, the prosecution in proven it case beyond reasonable doubt against the accused called five witnesses that connected the accused to the offence and that adding the evidence against the accused was not only sufficient but over whelming to warrant the committal of the accused to the high court to stand further trial
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Magistrate Kekura in responding to the application for bail made by the Defense counsel stated that the Defense during submission did not produce any document to substantiate that the accused is a student and have a pending exams and therefore stated that the application is baseless.
He therefore committed the accused to the high court for further trial and, his bail was refused and was remanded in prison until the matter comes up for hearing at the high court.
The accused has been on bail all this while before the matter was committed to the high court for further trial and has made 17 subsequent appearances before his committal.
Assistance Superintendent of Police Aminatu Daboh was prosecuting the matter on behalf of the Inspector General of Police.
It could be recalled that, the accused was dragged to court on one count charge of Larceny by servant contrary to section 17(1(a) of the Larceny Act 1916.
The particulars of offence stated that, the accused Ibrahim Kargbo on Saturday 21 September 2019, at Lumley Road Lumley Freetown being an employee employed by Hassan Jaward did stole the sum of Le19, 500,000.00 from the complainant.
Bike Rider Remanded
BY FEIMA SESAY
A comercial Motor Bike Rider Alie Fullah of New Jersey Goderich was past Tuesday sent to prison by magistrate Mark Ngegba of court No2 for maliciously cutting off one of the ears of the complainant Usifu Bangura also a bike rider.
The accused Alie Fullah, who made his first appearance in court, was arraigned on a three counts charge of Causing Grievous bodily harm, Wounding and Assault Occasioning Actual Bodily Harm all contrary to sections 18, 20 and 47 of the offences against the persons Act 1861.
According to the indictment, the police alleged that, the accused on Friday 10 January this year, at New Jersey Goderich Freetown with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, maliciously wounded and assaulted the complainant Usifu Bangura in a manner thereby occasioning him actual bodily harm.
When the charges were read and explained to the accused no plea was taken and no legal representation was made on his behalf.
Police Sergeant 11406 Musu Kpulun was prosecuting the matter on behalf of the I.G.
Magistrate Ngegba however remanded the accused in prison and the matter was adjourned for further hearing.
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Native Consortium Frowns on Fuel Price
Native Consortium and Research Center (NCRC) Responds to the recent marginal increment in Pump prices of petroleum products and the pass through effect on the transport fare Pole-to-Pole
The NCRC noted the proportionate increment in the pump prices of fuel from Le 8,500 to Le 9,000 per liter. Based on our calculation, it is proportionate and the hike did not go according to how some of the players within the cartel were pushing for it to hike to Le 10,000 or Le 12,000 per liter.
However we are a little disappointed in the marginal increment in the transport fare (pole to pole) for instance Le 1,500 to Le 1,600 in the town service and Provincial distances. Sierra Leoneans are no longer used to coins in Freetown, and we suspect that the unavailability of coins in the central Bank will create a huge embarrassment between Passengers and Drivers. Moreover we note that there is no pricing schedule for sea transport and boats and other short distances eg from Bo to Kenema, from Yargoi Jetty to Bonthe, from Kissy Ferry terminal to Lungi, Kabala/Kono to Makeni, and we presume Keke Riders and Motor Bike (Okada Riders) remains the same. This has the tendency for Drivers/Boat Owners, Keke, and Okada Riders to exploit Passengers.
In as much as this new price schedule will restore sanity in the transport fare and deter hoarding, we are of the firm conviction that the transport ministry would have used much more tactful bargaining chip like strong commitment to put an end to the Police harassment on drivers taking bribes according to the Drivers from our engagement.
Going forward we want to remind the Government that our primary advocacy focus is not the fuel product but the pass through effect it has on transport fare and the corresponding effect it has on rise in price of basic commodities that affects the common man. In twenty (20) Months there has been 4 major changes in price simply because the Trade Ministry and the Petroleum Regulatory Unit (PRA) have failed to think out of the box but rather use a cosmetic solutions, which will not deter the calculated ploy by the Oil marketers to take the nation hostage with a continuous cocktail of artificial scarcity scheme. We foresee more scarcity if the Government fail to act.
We want to urge all our focal persons in Bo, Makeni, Freetown and Kenema to tentatively discontinue our plan protest nationwide.
Having said that, we want to register our dissatisfaction over the position taken by the Motor Drivers Union over the increment of fares for commuters traversing the provinces.
Immediately after the announcement of pump prices of fuel. As a Consortium, we engaged the leadership of Motor Drivers Union. We were assured that transport fares will remain as they were. To our dismay, this was not done and their stance during the negotiations and the issuance of the new price list left us a little disappointed.
However, we maintain our courage of conviction in our prescriptions to avoid untold hardship on the people which are as follows:
1. Liberalize the Oil sector by creating an additional 200,000 metric tons of centralize storage.
2. Bring back the Oil Refinery through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
3. Reactivate the Strategic stock which serve as a buffer in case of scarcity of fuel, but we call for an investigation 0n the misterious disappearance of our strategic stock.
4. The PRA through the Ministry of Trade should own Platt of both refinery products and freight cost.
5. We should take economic diversification as a silver bullet and remove the high taxes on petroleum product and we ultimately unbundle the moribund pricing formula.
6. The Drivers union should control their Drivers from exploiting Passengers with halfway route.
The Anti Corruption needs to come down heavily on the police for harassing drivers for bribing them.
We would not end this release without thanking the SLBC (Morning Coffee Team), AYV Media empire, Star TV and Culture Radio, SKYY Radio, FTN Radio outlets in Makeni, Concord Times Newspaper and a host of other media networks who helped in amplifying our position
May God richly bless you all as we contribute to push development.
VP Outlines Govt’s Priorities
The Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has highlighted government key social Priorities at a workshop on Cabinet and Public Service Systems on the theme: “Evidence Informed Decision-Making for Development” invigorated enthusiasm to achieving key policies in the New Direction manifesto.
Dr Jalloh disclosed that President Bio has inspired government’s policy impetus by describing the year 2020- which the VP called the government’s mid-term transitional year – the year of delivery on the critical government priorities drawn from the President manifesto.
Speaking at the Miatta Conference Centre , VP Juldeh Jalloh implored the participants to provide valuable insights into the deliberations stating that the issues and inputs will form an agenda in a forthcoming government’s retreat.
VP Jalloh also re-echoed President Bio’s campaign messages placing premium on social sector policy deliverables.
The launch of the Free Quality Education, VP stated is an ambitious social program that the government has allocated 22% of the budget to and also outlined the successes of the FQE in the New Direction agenda, saying commendations have been heaped on government at home and abroad, with the President being invited at prestigious international sessions on human capital development.
The VP also catalogued the health sector as another key social priority area which has attracted increased government budgetary allocation from 6 to 8%, to a height of 11.4%.
In the continued strides to improve on the health sector, VP Jalloh said government is giving support including the construction and refurbishment of new hospitals, as well as reaching out to the far flung settlements.
These efforts, he said have improved indicators on maternal and child health outcomes including reduction in maternal and child deaths.
He added that the up scaling resources to recruit 4,000 nurses and improving capacity building through training of medical practitioners which he said provides a solid foundation.
Another key priority social sector the government is focused is on the water sector where he said that the water infrastructure they inherited has virtually collapsed. “To succeed with human development and in health, we have to boost the water sector” He said .
To effectively articulate these social sector deliverables, the New Direction government had mainstreamed the fight against corruption which remains commendable to both international and bilateral development partners.
Chief Minister on Govt Accomplishments
The Chief Minister, Professor David Francis has unequivocally said that the Government of President Bio firmly remains on track in the delivery of the manifesto commitment.
He noted that though there are challenges, yet much progress has been made in laying the foundations for a prosperous Sierra Leone. He reiterated that President Bio’s stance that 2020 is a year to consolidate on the achievements and successes of the New Direction Government. He revealed that the schedule cabinet retreat is to firm-up the collective commitments for the effective service delivery to the last mile.
He highlighted key achievements of the New Direction Government. They are as follows;
1. After 12 years of trial, the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a United States Foreign Aid agency in 2019 positively assessed Sierra Leone under the leadership of President Bio in the control of corruption, ruling justly and investing in people with pass marks in guaranteeing democratic rights, civil liberties, the rule of law, health and primary education expenditures.
2. The MCC also gave a pass mark to the government of President Bio in the area of economic freedom, trade policy, gender in the economy and business start-up.
3. Reviewed the Anti-Corruption Act to make it more robust in the fight against corruption.
4. The government of President Bio paid $1.2 billion domestic debt left by ex-president Koroma of the APC.
5. In 2019, President Bio launched Africa’s first block chain and decentralized digital platform under the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) in Sierra Leone.
6. Established and operationalised the Directorate of Science, Technology and Innovation (DSTI) under the Office of the President;
7. Translated commitment into action for the construction of the Lungi/Freetown Bridge. Arrangements for the construction of the bridge are far ahead;
8. Contributed to human capital development through Free Quality Education for Primary and Secondary education to over two million children in Sierra Leone,
9. Committed 21% of the country’s GDP to the FQE . The first government in West Africa to provide free quality education across primary and secondary schools;
10. Spent 30 billion in the supplying of 26 million text books and other school materials;
11. Provided school buses exclusively for school going children
12. Increased salaries of teacher by 30%
13. Controlled government deficit/borrowing;
14. Created a Ministry of Environment in response to the global environmental challenges;
15. Provided sustainable electricity supply to Sierra Leoneans especially in the Western Area
16. Recruited 300 female in the army, first ever in the history of Sierra Leone;
17. Commissioned 48 hospitals across the country;
18. Approved 106 schools across the country
19. Supplied 506 ambulances across the country to respond to emergency health issues;
20. Commissioned the construction of two universities: one in Bonthe and the other in Kono District;
21. Increased salaries of government workers by 15%;
22. Contributed Le18.3 billion to Freetown City Council to transform Freetown.
23. Renovated the Sierra Leone Parliament to a modern level
24. Paid for application forms for students who enrolled into universities?
25. Paid school subsidies for all pupils across the country
26. Offered scholarship to university students offering Mathematics, Geography, Agriculture, Biology and Engineering to students across the country.
27. Introduced and sustained national cleaning days on the first Saturday of every month.
28. Set up Commission of Inquiry to investigate the stewardship of past government officials
29. Approved solar lights to be install at Moyamba District;
30. Commissioned the Lumley market and Juba to Atlantic bridge;
31. Commissioned the Bo Mattru-Jong Road
32. Commissioned the Kenema/Tongo-Fields/Koidu Road
33. Commission the construction of 68 streets in Kenema
34. Commissioned the construction of the Kenema mini stadium
35. Commissioned the completion of the Tokeh Peninsula Road
36. Supported the rehabilitation of the Bo stadium
37. Supported the rehabilitation of Magburaka Boys School & commission the road and clock tower.
38. Commissioned the construction of the Magbereh Bridge Makeni high way.
39. First government to rule for 9 months without international budgetary support;
40. The first government to raise Le 8.7billion from corrupt politician in six months
41. Commissioned the Milton Margai College Library and Science Laboratory;
42. Commissioned a drone corridor in Njala, the first in the West African Sub-region
Le1Bn Boost to Free
Quality Education
President Dr Julius Maada Bio’s meeting with Antonio Rüdiger on the margins of the UK-Africa Investment Summit in London has yielded Le 1 Billion (USD 101,000) for Sierra Leone’s Free Quality Education initiative.
The German professional footballer, who plays as a centre back for Premier League club Chelsea, said he was donating the money as his modest contribution to the President’s flagship project, which aims to support over two million children in primary and secondary schools in Sierra Leone
. He commended President Bio for his commitment to human capital development, bedrock for every national development he added
Born to Sierra Leonean parents in Germany, Antonio’s parents fled Sierra Leone during the war and resettled in Germany. Rüdiger assured the President that he was committed to supporting his government’s effort at rebranding the natural resource-rich country with huge potentials for investments.
“Sierra Leone is my home. I’m not the talking type of a person, I am about action. You can count on us and do not hesitate. We are here to support your vision and agenda, especially on education. I am ready to take on my responsibility to change the narrative and image of Sierra Leone,” he said.
Sierra Leone’s Minister of Education, Dr Moinina David Sengeh thanked Rüdiger and his team for the confidence reposed in the government and the support to the free quality education. He explained that every fund was directed to meet strategic plans of the ministry, adding that every decision made for the allocation of funds was also informed by data to enhance delivery and achieve results.
First Lady, Fatima Maada Bio, projecting the office of The First Lady, Republic Of Sierra Leone, explained the need for every girl to be educated, citing major strides that the government was making to increase school enrolment and retention for girls.
The ‘Hands Of Our Girls’ campaign, she said, was designed to provide support and protect the girl child to stay in school. She expressed her gratitude, on behalf of girls in Sierra Leone, for Rüdiger’s support to the Free Quality Education.
She also asked him to not only be a brand ambassador for Sierra Leone, but to also lend a voice to the campaign.
On his part, President Bio said: “The narrative about Sierra Leone must change and it is the duty of every Sierra Leonean out in the Diaspora to come on board the rebranding process”.
He also expressed appreciation for the donation to support free quality education and assured Rüdiger that the funds would be transparently utilized for the intended purpose
, He said they wll also welcomed him and his team to audit the proper use of the funds at any time.
President Bio honored Rüdiger as one of Sierra Leone’s brand ambassadors, reiterating the fact that Sierra Leoneans around the world were coming back home, keen on being part of the rebranding process. He assured the benefactors that their support would further strengthen the achievement of a developed human capital of Sierra Leoneans and capacitate them for the fourth industrial revolution.
VP Inspects Biogas electricity plant
Vice President Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has made a surprise visit to inspect the newly installed biogas electricity plant at the Well Woman Clinic in Aberdeen.
This plant which is using waste to generate electricity will supply 4 kilowatts of gas electricity and 6 kilowatts of thermal to the clinic.
Being a premier cutting edge technology in the country, the generating plant transforms waste into electricity. The installed facility is a test run and the providers, the MASADA WASTE TRANSFORMER are looking forward to expanding this facility in the country on a public private partnership model.
Project manager Ms Aminata Dumbuya told the VP that the plant is capable of producing more kilowatts power depending on the size and availability of waste.
The VP expressed satisfaction with the installation highlighting the comparative advantages of such facility given its flexible and adaptable model that suits communities and certain social infrastructure in the country.
VP Juldeh Jalloh was accompanied by the MP of the Aberdeen constituency, Hon. Mohamed Sheriff Rahman-Coker, Councilor Ahmed Karim Bangura and a host of major stakeholders in the community.
S/leanean
Honors in U.S.A
Born to late Alhaji Sheikh Fouard Kanu, one of the most renowned imams in Tonkolili district and the country as a whole,
Dr. Alhassan Fouard Kanu son of the late Alhaji sheikh Fouard Kanu a renowned Imam in Tonkolili district has been conferred with Doctorate of Public Health to become the first home-based Sierra Leonean to earn this professional degree.
Dr. Kanu started humbly as a Community Health Officer (CHO). With his ambition to hit the pinnacle of academic success
He travelled to the United Kingdom for further studies.
Where he attained triple masters in Master Public Health, MSc in International Public Health Nutrition, and MBA in Public Health Management from Staffordsire, Westminster and Cumbria universities respectively.
Dr. Kanu has rich experience working with NGOs and MOHS as Public Health Specialist.
He is also a member of several professional bodies including: Fellow of the Royal Society for Public Health, UK; International Practitioner member in the Faculty of public health; UK, and Member of the American Public Health Association
. Dr Kanu is also a member of the U.S. National Society fo
Sierra Leonean Judge For ICC
The Judicial and Legal Service Commission has recommended to the President that Hon. Justice Miata Maria Samba Justice of the Court of Appeal, be nominated for election to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as a Judge for the period 2021-2030.
On the 10th of January 2020 the recommendation for Justice Maitta Samba to be nominated for ICC election as a judge received the approval of President
. This makes her Sierra Leone’s official candidate for nomination at the ICC Election of Judges to the International Criminal Court scheduled for the 7th to 17th December 2020 in New York.
Hon. Justice Miatta Maria Samba holds double Master of Laws degree LLM and possesses the required qualifications and experience as evinced by her established competence in Criminal Law and Procedure; relevant experience as a judge, established competence in International Human Rights Law and International Humanitarian Law and extensive experience in a professional legal capacity which is relevant to the work of the International Criminal Court (ICC). She was Field Operations Officer ICC, Office of the Prosecutor, Uganda from October 2006 to October 2010 for the ICC, Associate Trial Attorney Special Court of Sierra Leone 2002 to 2006, Witness Management Coordinator and Investigator of Special Court of Sierra Leone.
Paramount Chief Faces Gender Based Attack
President Bio’s fight against gender-based violence has taken a big knock, following reports of the paramount chief of Bonthe – Madam Melrose Foster Gberie, subjected to horrific gender based violence at her home in Bonthe which is the homeland of President Bio,.
According to media reports, the Chief was attacked a week a go and the Sierra Leone Police are investigating whilst also providing security at her property.
The Paramount Chief’s sister complained of being gang-raped during the 7-hours long siege and then abducted
She was later discovered ‘half-dead’ in another remote village and has been hospitalized at the Government Hospital in Bonthe District headquarters of Mattru Jong.
Doctors say she can now slowly speak of her ordeal but will need continuous medical and surgical attentions for some time.
According to media report, no one from the Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children Affairs has not visited the female Chief her children and women currently traumatized by the attack which happened recently.
Up to the time of going to press no counseling has been offered to the affected women and children.
The Office of the President is also being accused of paying no interest in this matter, despite the president’s public campaign about protecting Women and girls in the country.
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“The Office of the First Lady has also not lifted a finger to even phone up the female Paramount Chief and empathized with the victim for such an awful torture on a Women of Substance like P.C. Madam Melrose Foster Gberie
. President Bio’s efforts to protect Women, advance Women and prevent Sexual & Gender Based Violence (SGBV) are laudable on paper but clearly, his home district has now wrought a disaster on his regime’s credentials in this area,” said Dr Sylvia Blyden in Freetown.
“Furthermore, the lack of concern and complete silence of critical voices in this country over this egregious abomination against a female Paramount Chief, speaks volumes of what obtains inside Sierra Leone currently.
“Are the various Women’s Groups (Women’s Forum, 50/50, SPRoWNet etc. etc.) afraid to issue out statements of condemnation of this defilement? If so, why? For what reasons are they hesitating? Who are they afraid of?
“Last week, some recognized Sierra Leone Civil Society groups quickly issued joint condemnation when an American citizen, Henry Costa was briefly detained by police. This is understandable as American Agencies like NED, NDI, etc. etc. do finance work of these Civil Society groups. So they rushed to please the Americans. However, these same groups are mute over such unbelievable horror which happened to a female leader of as high a rank as Paramount Chief?
“Why the lack of concern over this dangerous development that unfolded in Bonthe District on January 11th 2020? What’s happening to Sierra Leone? Where is our collective conscience? Fellow Citizens, how can we stay silent at something like this?” Dr Blyden asks.
FISH SCARCITY
By foday Jalloh
The Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources is expected to meet the Management of Sierra fishing Company to look into the current scarcity of fish in the markets.
One of the most affected the Krootown market, where the fish mongers complained about the Sierra fisheries Company marketing system
The fish mongers speaking to this medium during a snap visit to the market said they are not getting the quantity and quality of fish needed to meet market demands of the people.
They said the cooling system allocated to the market by the fishing company is not in a good working condition and
Claimed that the fish ended up perishing as the container in the market used as cooling system is not all that effective for preserving the fish.
The fish mongers called on through the ministry of Fisheries to assist them with provision of good cold room to replace the container in the market
They revealed that they are currently finding it difficult to get adequate fish in the market due large space occupied by the Sierra fishing company which can be used by other companies wishing to do fish business in their markets
The Krootown Market they said is serving a huge community in the west
The people noted that if proper mechanism is not put in place to savage the situation, the ordinary man will continue to be deprived of good fish within Kroo town road and it environs.
Speaking to the spokesman in the ministry of fisheries, on their take on the issue. the public relation officer two Abdul Rahaman Rogers, confirmed that the container was placed by the company’s tycoon Mohamed Bassim in several market areas with the aim, that fish mongers will directly buy from there at save the of cost of transportation to kissy Duck Yard .
He confirm that presently the cold room has big problem they are trying to amend to solve the fish problems in the markets especially at kroo town road.
APC SAGA CONTINUE TODAY
By Foday Jalloh
The Freetown high court presided by justice Komba Kamanda will continue sitting over the All People Congress matter, today January 24th 2020.
During the last sitting a motion was raised by the lead defense counsel
The NRM Runs Into Its Own Sword & Misses
By Mohamed Sankoh (One Drop)
I have always been a stickler for reforms within the All People’s Congress (APC) for the simple reason that for some people to become Landlords or Landladies, in life, their parents would have to die first (even if they died “intestate.” That is: without leaving a Will or what the Americans would call “Last Testament”). Equally so, for some pupils to become Senior Prefects or Head Boys in their schools; the holders of those Badges should have to move on first. Even the conservatives within the APC have reluctantly agreed that reforms are the only way forward for that party. And some reforms would have, surely, been instituted with the proposed adoption of a draft Constitution in the North-western city of Port Loko last weekend.
But the single thoughtless action taken by the National Reformation Movement (NRM) to secure the legal services of a well-known enemy of the APC, which ended up in an injunction being slammed on the party, has frozen the would-be reforms in the APC at present. Why would any so-called true-blooded APC member secure the services of lawyer Hindolo Moiwo Gevao who is not only one of the barristers for and of the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) but a representative of that party in Parliament for Constituency 003 in Kailahun District? It is foolhardy for someone who professes, or people who profess, to be more APC than either the late Siaka Stevens or the late Sorie Ibrahim (SI) Koroma to have given an axe to a staunch SLPP member and place the APC’s head on a chopping block.
That singular miscalculated misdemeanour by members of the NRM has given the party’s old guards political longevity by default! If anything, due to lack of experience and youthful exuberance, the NRM has accidentally played into the hands of the party’s old guards. And instead of elbowing them out with the draft Constitution, the NRM’s provoked court injunction has inadvertently strengthened the conservatives’ sway in the APC.
Members of the NRM pushed their luck too far, to a point where instead of gaining more sympathies from the party’s grassroots; they have now incurred their wrath. Some party adherents may not like most of the APC traditionalists at the party’s Brookfields headquarters. But to give Lucifer his due; the current National Executive of the APC did their best to accommodate and absorb the NRM into the party’s fold. They asked for the removal of the “Selection Clause” in the 1995 Constitution, which was the main reason for the clamour for reforms; it was granted in the draft Constitution. They asked for this and that amendments; the National Executive capitulated to most of what were demanded as seen in the draft Constitution! But the NRM kept on playing Oliver Twist by asking for more to the point where their requests became suspect. It became clear that their asking had more hidden agenda than the genuine desire for sweeping reforms within the APC.
Even as parents, at times, we often tolerate a little naughtiness from our children. But when their naughtiness reaches the point of irritation or embarrassment; we either spank them gently or politely ask them to go to bed. If sweeping reforms within the APC will bring about rancour, disrespect, and disunity within the party; then the party’s current moral guarantors, as encapsulated in the National Advisory Council (NAC), have the responsibility to take drastic actions that will bring about sanity.
That’s exactly what happened in Port Loko last Saturday. If, the court injunction provoked by the NRM through SLPP’s lawyer Gevao, stops the APC from adopting the draft Constitution it is logical that the party continues with what it has. The APC cannot be in limbo. It has to function as a political party. And if the NRM believes that the draft Constitution shouldn’t be adopted, then the APC has to make do with the 1995 Constitution until such a time when members of the NRM, and their sponsors and instigators, get cool and steady heads again.
We all know that the main contention with the 1995 Constitution is the “Selection Clause”. What if the APC National Advisory Council holds a meeting tomorrow and resolves that that Clause will not be evoked in subsequent intra-party elections? The NRM would definitely be out of currency just like the SLPP’s “we inherited a broken economy” mumbo-jumbo. Then the clamour for reforms within the APC would become distant echoes. And members of the NRM would then appear to be a bunch of fifth columnists doing the SLPP’s bidding.
But come to think of it, if just after the 2018 General Elections some members of the NRM held the view that those elections were stolen from the APC; then it is logical that it was not the1995 Constitution that was, and still is, the problem. After all, it was this same Constitution that was in play when the APC won both the 2007 and 2012 elections with all the supposedly imperfections herein! I think if some members of the NRM do not like certain members of the current National Executive, whose positions they have been eyeballing, they should be brave enough to say so publicly rather than make the APC’s 1995 Constitution the scapegoat.
Now that the APC has decided to put a stop to the pampering and naughtiness of the NRM; what will be their next move? Will they go back to their SLPP and C4C sponsors to re-strategize on how to destabilize the APC from another angle? Or will they put up the last kicks of dying horses? Members of the NRM might have got good intensions when they started their reform crusade. They won the hearts of many APCers who believe that the APC should reform some of its traditional ways. But along the line they allowed their Movement to be infiltrated and hijacked by people with ulterior motives. Now their good intensions have gone haywire and everything has boomeranged in their faces.
What has now happened to the NRM reminds me of one Member of the current British Parliament who, after the then Prime Minister Teresa May repeatedly failed to get Brexit done, said in the House of Commons that, “…the Prime Minister ran into her own sword and missed.” That could also be said of the NRM for now.
