In my capacity as a member of the MMC Leadership Board, C40 Cities Vice Chairperson, founding member of the C40-MMC Global Mayors Task Force on Climate and Migration and co-lead of the Africa-Europe Mayor’s Dialogue, I am in New York participating in the  IMRF. Yesterday morning I started the day meeting with the MMC team to engage on the priorities of the organization and expectations for the deliberations over the next three days. One of our most significant successes to date is the establishment of the Global Cities Fund, a grant making body that provides funding for city interventions. We are proud that Freetown was among the first grantees in December 2020; this funding enabled us to provide business training, 40 waste management tricycles and related equipment to 240 young people in our city!! This job creation intervention targets rural migrants and increases waste collection capacity. It is truly a lives changing #TransformFreetown intervention! I also had the privilege yesterday of meeting with Madame Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations. I briefed her about increasing rural-urban migration into Freetown and how the absence of development controls (land use planning and building controls) has exasperated the challenges of migration into the city. I then joined partners, some of whom have already supported our city’s #TransformFreetown agenda, for a reception and private conversation. The reception was an opportunity to share the #TransformFreetown journey, focusing on the successes and areas where more support is needed. Guests at the reception included the German Ambassador to the United Nations, representatives from ODI, Avenue Capital and the Atlantic Council. I am pleased to continue to transparently promote Freetown internationally and to identify opportunities to finance more #TransformFreetown investment interventions in our city VP Juldeh Jalloh addresses high level international education meeting The Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, in his keynote address today Thursday 18th May, 2022 welcomed distinguished guests from various countries highlighted the progress the country has made to support girls education through Transformative policies to ensure Gender Equality in and Through Education. Standing in for His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, who he referred to as the ‘Champion of Girls’ Education,’ the Vice President said it was great pride and honour that the Government and people of Sierra Leone were hosting the event which, he said, was close to our hearts. According to VP Juldeh Jalloh, education must be the centrepiece of any Government’s investment in its people in addressing barriers to equality, adding that no society can grow where the population is plagued by gender barriers. It is against this backdrop that the Vice President emphasized that the Government has a deep-seated conviction to promote and enhance female empowerment to achieve equality. This conviction, the erudite Vice President said, is driven by policies, such as the setting up of a separate Ministry of Basic and Senior School Education (MBSSE) with the focus and emphasis on girls’ education, employment of 8000 more female teachers, more girls in basic education than boys, 22 percent of the budget going to education. The indefatigable Vice President concluded by thanking the participants and co-organizers as well as  development partners. The VP wrapped up his statement in immaculate French as a large number of the participants are Francophones. Merci Bien. Njala University Discovers Anthrax Outbreak in Port Loko Professor Roland Suluku, Animal Science Professor at Njala University has attributed the discovery of the recent anthrax outbreak in the country to the Department of Animal Science, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Njala University. He disclosed that a few weeks back his team responded to calls from cattle rearers/farmers in Port Loko that animals are dying. This according to him necessitated the dispatch of a team from the school to the field. The team arrived and took samples of the dead and living animals. These samples were later tested at the Level 3 Chinese Public Health Laboratory at Wilberforce, Freetown, and later diagnosed with anthrax, a zoonotic disease that affects both animals and humans. The leadership of the University, led by the Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Bashiru Mohamed Koroma, and the management of the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences led by the Dean and School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, Professor Mohamed Alieu Bah held a series of meetings with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry leading to the nationwide announcement of the Outbreak in the last forty-eight (48) hours. The Ministries of Health and Sanitation and Agriculture have also conducted similar tests and confirmed the outbreak. Professor Roland Suluku, the Principal Lead investigator of the One-Health Serology and Molecular Laboratory at Njala University and Head of the Animal Science Department, School of Agriculture and Food Sciences says he is leading a team to the epicentre of the disease to trace the epidemiology of the outbreak.

By Ishmael Kindama Dumbuya In what could be referred to as a vibrant step towards the protection of the natural resources of the country, the Environmental Protection Agency of Sierra Leone (EPASL) in collaboration with the republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF) and the National Protected Area Authority (NPAA) had joined forces in ensuring that all illegal activities especially illicit gold mining being carried out within the Otamba Kilimi National Park (OKNP) are stopped and controlled. The operation code named by the RSLAF as “Operation Python” was mainly carried at night targeting the host communities and their mining sites within the park. At exactly 11:30pm on Wednesday 18th May 2022, the team burnt down the dredges at the Kalmata sites using paddle boats to cross over to their locations within the Little Scarecies river. The foreigners could not be nabbed either because they got intelligence from villagers and whispered to take the back or they were not on site during the time of operations. Community people confirmed the presence of Ghanaians but told the team that they had long left to unknown locations. The delegation took days to reach out and undertook searches in strategic locations ranging from Kalmata, Yembereh, Simbaria to Gbereya among many locations within and around the OKNP with successful burning down of an impressive number of dredges owned and carrying out activities believed to be directed by foreigners and hosted by locals in these locations. During this special operation, a number of identify cards from the National Health Insurance Scheme of the Republic of Ghana were discovered in the villages with names such as Ayerh Ebenezer Nll  inscribed on one of them. In order to get access to finances, these Ghanaians also opened bank accounts in the commercial banks of Sierra Leone. These bank identity cards were discovered during the operations. Since the President of Sierra Leone issued a warning and instructed for a committee to be setup in June of 2021 to undertake regular monitoring and raids on the river beds and water ways across the country, this is part of that effort by the EPASL towards the protection of these river beds and banks from gold mining which are presently facing intense pressure from these illegal activities. “With the support of the President, the Board of Directors management and the Executive Chairman of the Environmental Protection Agency is ever ready and stand firm to ensure that all illegal gold mining activities are curtailed within the river beds” said Lamin Opie Tarawallie, Deputy Director, Field Operations and Extension at the Environment Protection Agency of Sierra Leone. The EPASL does not give any mining license or encourage any company or illicit gold mining activities to be undertake to any of the rivers across the country Lamin added. Recently within the Pampana River, the EPASL had undertaken many operations and raids of illicit mining activities and had succeeded in burning down more than fifty dredges and arrested many people operating excavators and destroying the waterways. Guma Hands Over Angola Town Project Site to CHICO The Guma valley Water Company in collaboration with the Office of the Chief Minister and Ministry of Water Resources has on Thursday 19th May, 2022 handed over the project site for the construction of the Angola Town Water Supply System to China Henan International Corporation Group (CHICO) at a ceremony held at Angola Town witnessed by stakeholders. Ing. Francis Lahai, Deputy Managing Director of Guma Valley Water Company who chaired the ceremony said the construction of a water supply system in Angola Town “is welcome news” and hoped that the contractor will complete the works on the stipulated date stated for the contract implementation. The Deputy Managing Director said the project will construct a Treatment Plant with a capacity of 2500 cubic meters and a 25-kilometer distribution network which on completion will improve on access to water supply in Angola Town, Adonkia, Ogoo Farm, and Lakka Communities. He strongly encouraged the contractor to employ local labor during the implementation of the project to create a sense of ownership. The Managing Director of Guma Valley Water Company, Ing. Maada Kpenge in his statement informed the gathering that water supply is central to the human capital development agenda of the Government; and that Guma have been task with the responsibility of ensuring that 75% of residents of the Western Area have access to water supply by 2023 and universal access by 2028. Ing. Kpenge commended the Kuwaiti Development Fund for providing US$10 million for the implementation of the project under the Freetown WASH and Aquatic Environment Revamping Project which aims at contributing 15% increase in access to safe water supply and 7% increase in improved sanitation in the Western Area. He called on community members and stakeholders to ensure that the project is successfully implemented for the benefit of the greater good. Ing. Augustine Tucker, Director of Water at the Ministry of Water Resources and Ing. Monica Morrison-Kamara of the Office of the Chief Minister reiterated Government’s commitment to the provision of adequate potable water supply for the people of Sierra Leone. They called on the people of Angola Town and the surrounding communities to cooperate for the successful implementation of the project. In his statement, the Local Unit Commander at the Adonkia Police Station, Commissioner Abu Bakarr Kallon assured the project of the Sierra Leone Police fullest support and encouraged residents of Angola Town to be law abiding. He advised them to channel all grievances through lawful and appropriate mechanisms for peaceful resolution. Jeffrey L. Kabia (Head Man Adonkia), Foday Tucker (Head Man Lakka), Ashmie Cole (Dep. Head Man Ogoo Farm), Chief Dumbuya (Angola Town), George Sesay (Dep. Head Man Hamilton), Councillor Bai D. Kabia of Ward 389 and other stakeholders pledged their support to the success of the project. The Managing Director for the China Henan International Corporation Group (CHICO) Kong Weikong said his company is a world renowned specialized company that works on water supply, roads, bridges, hydro dams and

By: Mustapha Dumbuya The confederation of Ex-Pupils association of all secondary schools has been launched on Thursday 19th May 2022 at the Freetown City Hall, Wallace Johnson Street.  Amara Sowa the national coordinator for the free quality education program from the Ministry of basic and senior secondary school (MBSS) expressed his gratitude and appreciation to all the members that had put this idea together for the benefits of the children in Sierra Leone. He continued that the ministry want to use this platform to help improve the quality of education in all the schools as well restoring integrity. He continued that the ministry of education had extended the school feeding program as far as Guinea and between now to July the ministry will extend the school feeding program to all the sixteen districts in Sierra Leone. He said even though they are facing huge challenges in the area of quality and as a government they have been doing all what they can by providing resources and supplying school materials. He called on CEPASS to help them restore dignity because we in Sierra Leone education have adopted UN ethical practices. He concluded that the government must stamp out examination malpractice, corruption, exhortation and so on for Sierra Leone to restore it name again as the Athens of West Africa. Mrs Emerica king president of the Confederation of Ex-Pupils Association for secondary schools explained that they were  three in numbers that created this initiative sometimes back in 2021. The president continued that they had their first meeting on the 7th May, 2021 at the Collegiate School with the Wakuba Boys who hosted them and it was the time they set up an interim committee to run the affairs of the association. She maintained that on the same day they set up three committees with support from the interim committee which are the constitution committee, welfare committee and the school engagement committee. Mrs Emerica said all those groups had always been there to work hard and get their constitution and become formally registered under the said names which make them to freely do their work. She said today we will be launching our logo, motto and the constitution adding that some of their aims are to contribute towards the improvement of the academic excellence of the members of aluminium schools and their programs. She said another aim is to raise financial and material resources for effective and efficient teaching and learning for members of the alumni and to develop and help maintain active alumni, group interaction to lobby and network to government and achieve their goals. She ended that after the face they will start to open branches in to the provinces and with all this they will fight hard to make sure that they achieve all there aims and objectives. Mr Sylvester John Meheux president of the Association of retired principles advise the confirmation to work with all the heads of school to prepare the Scheme or record of work weekly adding that the Sierra Leone government is very luck and hoping that the government gives the necessary support. He continued that they had confidence over the people that form the association and he is very sure through this initiative Sierra Leone will regain it name again as the Athens of West Africa. He noted that over the years he had noticed several malpractices around some school but by this initiative hoping that all such of games has to be stopped. He advised members of the association to keep working and liberate the educational systems in Sierra Leone. massive livestock vaccination campaign…  FAO provides 800,000 doses of PPR vaccines to Government The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) provided 800 000 doses of peptides petits ruminants (PPR) vaccines to the  Government of Sierra  Leone and launched a nationwide vaccination campaign of sheep and goats against this endemic animal disease. PPR is a highly contagious animal disease affecting domestic and wild small ruminants, caused by a virus that can infect up to 90 percent of an animal herds, and kills up to 70 percent of the infected animals. The PPR virus does not infect humans, but puts families at risk of losing their livelihoods, food security, and employment opportunities. In addition, PPR considerably affects export earnings and creates supply shortages. Sierra Leone continues to experience rampant outbreaks of PPR, which is now endemic in the country and affects almost all districts.  In this regard, and to contribute for its global eradication by 2030, the FAO Global PPR Secretariat with funding from the “Peste des Petits Ruminants Global Eradication Programme”, funded by the French Government, donated 800 000 doses of PPR vaccines to support mass vaccination of sheep and goats against this fatal animal disease in the country. In addition FAO Sierra Leone is implementing a Technical Cooperation Programme TCP/SIL/3806 on “Support to Sierra Leone for Review of Cattle Settlement Policy, Protection of Livelihood Assets through Livestock Vaccination and improving Food Security during COVID-19 Pandemic’’. Part of the funding under this TCP will be used to support the country to conduct mass vaccination against PPR and to conduct pre-vaccination sero-monitoring in all the 16 districts. During the handover ceremony, Mr. Harding Wuyango, Assistant FAO Representative for Programmes and Officer in Charge, noted that Sierra Leone continues to experience widespread outbreaks PPR, Newcastle disease and rabies. He added that FAO providing vaccines and support to conduct mass vaccination campaigns as well as strengthening the capacity of animal health sector to prevent detect and respond to peste des petits ruminants’ outbreaks.” The Deputy Minister for Agriculture, Dr. Theresa Tenneh Dick, while receiving the vaccines, said that PPR vaccines from FAO were a very timely move. “On behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, I extend my sincere appreciation to FAO for this donation of 800 000 doses of PPR vaccines. She noted. The representative of the University of Makeni (UNIMAK), Dr. Saidu Kanu, registered gratitude for the donation and the launch of the mass vaccination campaign. “PPR

The Emmanuel Pius Richards Foundation (EPRF) has commissioned a multi-purpose hall which comprises of an office, dressing room, library on Friday 20th May, 2022 at Serabu, Bumpeh Ngao chiefdom. During the commissioning, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Foundation, Emmanuel Pious Richard said that the foundation is formed to complement the government effort in the area of education which is the government`s flagship programme, agriculture, infrastructure and health. Mr Pius Richard explained that even though he is not an indigene of Serabu but was groomed at Serabu and he knows the challenges people’s face.  He said instead of waiting for government to come and implement all the plans they have.  Mr Richard stated that having attained the financial capacity which is a little fund as well as his saving from his salary earned over time, so he decided to form the EPRF foundation. The CEO maintained that the project has commenced from two months ago after doing the feasibility studies.  After commencing the needs and the capacity assessment from the community and noticed that kids in Serabu took their external exams over 17 miles off to Bumpeh. “One day I saw a school kid who fell in to a ditch together with the bike Rider, pick up herself and went to take her exams and that had moved me and I later engage the community stake holders and they requested for a perimeter fence and a community hall”. He narrated. He said he could not only stop but he promised to furnished the library with computers, books and other school materials as according to him the materials had already left from china to Sierra Leone. He continued that the foundation had also been contributing immensely to boost agriculture by providing machinery; seedlings etc, across the chiefdom just to complement the government. According to him, during the previous holy month of Ramadan the foundation distributed 80 bags of rice to all the chief imams across Bumpeh as gifts to support them during the month of Ramadan. Honourable Osman Abdulai Charles of constituency 079 expressed his thanks and appreciation for the EPRF foundation for implementing such an initiative and he is well pleased for giving the people of his constituency what they need at the moment they requested for such help. The honourable furthered that amongst the whole constituency there is no school that have such kind of magnificent Hall compared to this one at the Serabu vocational secondary schools that will be able to accommodate over 117 pupils. He maintained that over the year’s pupils have to work miles away from the school to Bompeh to take their external examinations but now the hall is here for them. Wuyata Jalloh a pupil from the Serabu vocational secondary schools and one of the beneficiary expressed thanks and appreciated the efforts been made by the CEO and the foundation by providing them such help. She explained that it has been very difficult at the time the school intended to organize extra curricula activities such as debate, PTA meetings, and thanks giving service and so on. “I thank the EPRF foundation and the government of president Bio for providing the free quality education for us”, She narrated.  Young entrepreneurs in the making… Orange SL social venture competition applications ends on 27th May 2022 Sierra Leone’s biggest and most reliable leading telecommunications company, Orange Sierra Leone annual Social Venture competition applications deadline is set on Friday 27th May, 2022. The launched of the fourth (4TH) edition Orange Social Venture Prize (OSVP) in Sierra Leone on April, 6th this year and 12th edition in Africa and the Middle East encouraged candidates to submit their applications until May 27 on both website addresses for the national and international competition on the website   Interested young ICTs innovators business driven should grab the opportunity now and submit applications to become successful young entrepreneurs because since its inception in 2019, Orange has invested over two hundred millions Leones to support young entrepreneurs to thrive in the country. The company set out lucrative prizes to the first winner of this year competition locally  the sum of one hundred million Leones ( Le100,000,000) plus other ICTs materials and twenty five thousand united state dollars ($USD25,000) to the winner of the international competition with consolation prizes to second and third runners up. The OSVP aims at promoting local innovation for development, sustainability and business development growth. It showcases innovative young minds by providing financial support as start-ups and putting expertise businesses using Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) through its implementing partners Innovation Sierra Leone. This project is part of the innovation strategic and the corporate social responsibility policy of the company to produce new set of young entrepreneurs annually that help to address livelihood challenges in communities like slum communities, villages, women etc. The criteria for participating into the competition includes: open to male and female, participants must be at least 21 olds, innovators who are not yet entrepreneurs are eligible to participate, business idea must be innovative and must leverage on technology (digital technologies), business idea must address livelihood challenges in communities at the bottom of the pyramid like slum communities, villages, women etc. Le 50Million for winner… Orange SL Unveils “Miss Orange Makit Woman 2022” Beauty Contest Orange Sierra Leone, one of the best amongst the telecommunications service provider, has launched its brand-new pageant, “Miss Orange Makit Woman 2022”, which is targeting Market Women in Freetown. Orange Sierra Leone has set aside Le150 million for prizes, with the winner of the competition to bag Le50 million, 1st runner-up Le30million and the 2nd runner up Le20million. It was disclosed during the launch that as a bonus prize, the market where the winner emerges from, will also get a Le50million development project to be implemented in their market to be sponsored by Orange Sierra Leone. Slated to take place in Freetown some officials of the company have predicted that the competition will bring out the very best of talents in markets

Ending the eight long years of inter-house sports famine, the Milton Margai Technical University has on Wednesday, 25 May 2022, kick-started its annual inter hall track and sports meet at the university field, Goderich Campus. Weeks leading to the heat had been a high tension between the respective halls displaying a great sense of optimism to win this year’s competition as it marks the end of the long absence of sporting activities on campus. A frigid breeze caressed through the arena with a touch of a drizzling rain which appeared like a motivator as the supporters in their different hall colors hailed their representatives. It was a moment of wallowing for the hall masters, imploring their different representatives to do more. The passion shown by the university administration and students at this year’s event was unparalleled, thus the university believes that sport is a part of the essential development that they intend to impart to the students. The opening event was nothing but a manifestation of the rebirth of sporting activities, since the university held its last inter-house sports meet in 2014. However, in the end; it heated down to the points for the various halls. Juba which is Blue clinched the 1st position with 70 points Lakka-Red 2nd, with 57 points Lumley-Green 3rd, with 55 points and Adonkia- Yellow 4th, with 48 points. The sporting event is being fully funded and organized by the University. Milton Margai Technical University invites the general public to come and witness the grand finale on Saturday 28 May 2022.

TROUBLING REALITIES OF HIGH-COST LOW SALARY SYNDROME OF TEACHERS IN SIERRA LEONE By Marcus Bangura The plight of the teaching profession in Sierra Leone is a narrative that has hit the headlines in recent times with teachers becoming more vocal than ever in respect of their profession and the high cost of low salary syndrome that has dragged them into abject poverty since independence.  It therefore goes without saying that the strikes and protests that erupted in the country at the eve of the 62nd Independent Anniversary of Sierra Leone and the subsequent weeks  of   teachers laying down their tools until government improve their conditions of service and pay attractive salaries and allowances for rent, transportation and medical among others, compounded with  gross inequalities in salary emolument  compared to other sector workers and contemporaries  with similar credentials are  clear manifestation of the plight of teachers and the troubling realities of the teaching profession in Sierra Leone. Studies have painted a sad picture of the conditions of service of teachers in Sierra Leone as appalling, demotivating, unattractive and unappreciated. According to one study: “…teaching in Sierra Leone is an unattractive and unappreciated profession with teachers contending with low pay, late pay, or… no pay at all”.  This is a clear  indicator of the plight of teachers in Sierra Leone.  This cataclysmic situation has left teachers in a quagmire rambling in the rubble in sheer poverty and hardship fighting to make a living and support their family. As it is, the average monthly take home salary for teachers is at One Million three hundred thousand Leones (Le 1,300,000), an equivalent of one hundred US dollars (100 USD) and Eighty British Pounds (80 BP), irrespective of the president promising teachers a special package. The salary does not stretch to enable a teacher to support himself and feed his family at a time when Sierra Leoneans are experiencing extreme hardship with a shambling economy, uncontrolled inflation, devaluation of the Leone, stagnant salaries and widespread poverty and above all, where the prices of basic commodities, such as food stuffs like bread, petroleum products like fuel, electricity tariffs, data bundles, water rates, transportation as well as rents have all hit the roof top  more than ever before in the country. As a matter of fact, the teaching profession in Sierra Leone is in a quagmire that has existed for ages and to which existing governments have invested little at the high cost of teachers, who are paid pittance that does not match their livelihood or take care of their families Hence, to justify the maxim that when you become a teacher, you signed the bond of poverty. The  impeccable truth is that the present conditions of service for teachers is appalling for which they struggle to make a living and manage the burden of low monthly salary to support themselves and their families. It is generally obvious that at the heart of the teacher the real value of their professionalism is unattractive, demotivating and unappreciated due to inequalities in salary remuneration in other sectors, irrespective of the fact that they hold similar credentials.  The unbearable circumstances have forced a good number of good teachers to find a second job or quit the class room because their monthly salaries cannot meet their needs to take care of their family.   This quagmire has placed the teaching profession in a dungeon, leaving teachers entrapped, entangled, wobbled and dangled in poverty with stress of low pay and lack of recognition.  This speaks volume of the fact that teachers are psychologically imprisoned and there is no way out from the encumbrances, unless the government and politicians who holds the key to their dignity willingly and readily opens the door and revitalized their dignity in society for a happy living. Governments and their drivers should stand tall and doubly redouble their efforts with passion and judiciously do the needful by unlocking the doors of abject poverty they have been experiencing so as to allow wealth to flow and live a better life like the lawyers they taught, the doctors they prepared, the bankers they raised, the engineers they schooled and the politicians they inspired among others.  The government should step up, do the needful and fix the plight of the teaching profession and improve the wellbeing and conditions of service of teachers in an attractive way. Otherwise, the Free Quality Education is nothing but a mere mask and a White Elephant, if government turned blind eyes and deaf ears to salvage the plight of teachers who are only demanding for improve conditions of service.  a cut 21% from the national budget as popularized by the Bio led New Direction Government with loads of talks about making the teaching profession attractive. As teachers are struggling to make a living, they cannot support themselves and their families with the burden of high-cost low salary syndrome. Studies have painted a sad picture of the conditions of service of teachers in Sierra Leone.  as appalling, demotivating, unattractive and unappreciated. According to one study conducted by Amman and O’Donnell, 2011 “…teaching in Sierra Leone is an unattractive and unappreciated profession with teachers contending with low pay, late pay, or… no pay at all”. This is a clear manifestation of the plight of teachers in Sierra Leone. This cataclysmic situation is worrying as teachers are trapped in a web of melancholy, utter dismay, stress and above all, sheer poverty, hardship and stress since independence. In their desire to upgrade status, teachers who earns an average monthly salary of Le 1.3 million, an equivalent of about $100 through their fired leaders of the Teachers Solidarity Movement (TSM), an offshoot of the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU) are urgently demanding a workable “living wage” for high pay and better allowances for rents, transport and   medical among others.   As at April 21st this year, the TSM in an open letter blamed the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the All-People’s Congress (APC), the two dominant political parties for the perennial