A Press Release from the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) has condemned the parliament of Sierra Leone for placing a ban on a journalist from entering parliament. The Speaker of Parliament, Solomon Thomas announced last Friday that parliamentary journalist, Melvin Tejan Mansaray has been banned to enter the house for what he described as “ engaging several media houses houses maliciously criticizing the decision of the House of Parliament “ a stark from parliament said . SLAJ said it “is deeply concerned about the decision of the Speaker of the Parliament of Sierra Leone, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, to bar journalist Melvin Tejan Mansaray from accessing the precincts of Parliament. This action, reportedly based on allegations of “malicious criticism” of parliamentary decisions, is a troubling development for press freedom and the principles of accountability in our democracy.” The statement noted . It added that “”While SLAJ acknowledges the Speaker’s concerns regarding journalistic standards, we strongly believe that barring a journalist from covering parliamentary proceedings undermines the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression and the press. Such actions set a dangerous precedent and could erode public trust in the commitment of Parliament to transparency and accountability. We call on Parliament to reconsider this decision and refer the matter to SLAJ and the Independent Media Commission (IMC), as suggested by the Leader of Opposition, Hon. Abdul Kargbo. SLAJ is the professional body to address concerns regarding the professional conduct of journalists in the country while the IMC is the statutory body to regulate the conduct of the media. ‘’ the statement further noted The statement which was signed by the Sexual General of SLAJ said they will soon engage the  leadership of Parliament to better understand the circumstances surrounding this decision. “”At the same time, we are launching an internal investigation to assess the allegations against Mnsaray. We urge all journalists to adhere to the highest standards of ethical and professional journalism. At the same time, we remind public institutions of their duty to uphold the rights of journalists to report freely and without intimidation.” It said . SLAJ remains committed to defending press freedom and promoting responsible journalism in Sierra Leone.” Said Alhaji Manika Kamara , Secretary General of SLAJ said in the statement. A statement from the parliamentary Press gallery has also condemned the decision of parliament especially the utterances of the Speaker who has emphasized his stance on the action. “ as a key stakeholder in promoting transparency and accountability through accurate and balanced reporting, the Press Gallery is dedicated to fostering a constructive and cordial relationship with Parliament.” The statement said . It continued that “ we therefore kindly requests parliament to reconsider its decision “” Several rights groups and civil society organizations have also condemned the decision of parliament barring the  Journalist from entering parliament. The it could be recalled that parliament on the 20th of December 2024 took a decision to remove the revered and most respected Auditor General of Sierra Leone Lara Taylor Pearce . This action taken by Parliament raised huge public outcry and criticisms from all sectors across the country . A decision which many Sierra Leoneans including Melvin Mansaray have been criticizing on the basis that due process was not followed and that the decision of parliament to remove the Auditor General Lara Taylor Pearce was against democracy standards and parliamentary rules and procedures. These criticisms have not gone down well with some members of parliament especially the Speaker Thomas and members of his rulling party in parliament who say the journalist Mansaray has been misleading the public on the decision.  But many Sierra Leoneans believe that the Auditor General Lara is a woman of integrity and a model to reckon with in ensuring transparency and accountability for public funds . Her work has been exemplary and professional; according to many Sierra Leoneans. For many people, her only crime , was because she audited the President”s office and exposed blatant corrupt practices. She has been held high for standing stall in the against fight corruption in the country; which is why mostly people believe she was removed un procedurally.

By Ahmed Sahid Nasralla President, SLAJ As a father of two daughters, I envision a future where they, as women, have the power and the right to make decisions about their own bodies. No government, religion, or tradition should dictate such deeply personal choices. This belief underpins my support for the Safe Motherhood and Reproductive Healthcare Bill 2024, and I urge our honourable parliamentarians to pass it into law. Since 1861, abortion has been illegal in Sierra Leone. Yet, statistics show that an estimated 90,000 abortions occur annually, with 70,000 resulting in complications, many of which lead to preventable deaths. These alarming figures underscore the urgent need for a law that provides improved, affordable, and accessible reproductive health services for women and girls across the country. While I recognize the challenges in ensuring that the government, through the Ministry of Health, prioritizes these services amidst resource constraints, the passage of this bill is a critical step forward. On balance, it is far safer and more progressive to have legislation that empowers women and protects their health and rights. Supporting the Safe Motherhood Bill is not about being anti-life; it is about being truly pro-life—respecting the fundamental right of women to make decisions about their own bodies while safeguarding their health and well-being. Beyond this legislation, I believe it is time for a national conversation about responsible procreation. I hold the view that individuals who are not earning at least the minimum wage should consider limiting their family size to what they can sustainably support. It is often the poorest among us who bear children without adequate means to care for them, leading to broken families and societal challenges. In many cases, fathers abandon their responsibilities, leaving mothers and children in precarious situations. These children often grow up without proper guidance, becoming vulnerable to negative societal influences. The breakdown of the family unit lies at the root of many of our societal problems. In too many homes, young girls are forced to become breadwinners through exploitative means, sometimes sanctioned by their own families. When the family is weak, this weakness reflects on the community, schools, places of worship, and society at large. Strong families build strong communities, and strong communities build resilient societies. Let us not shy away from these difficult but necessary conversations. The Safe Motherhood Bill is a step in the right direction, but it must be accompanied by broader societal reforms to strengthen the family unit and promote responsible parenting.

By Jia B Kangbai I am for pro-life, and I also support women to determine their health outcomes only if is based on sound clinical evidence or medical opinion. Much has been said about the Safe Motherhood Bill; here are my submission to this national debate based on my 18 years public health background: 1.            Abortion is not the leading cause of maternal mortality (MM) in countries (including Sierra Leone) with high maternal mortality rate (MMR) – severe hemorrhage and infections (sepsis) during or after child birthing, HBP (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia), complications from child birthing are the four leading causes of MM. In fact, unsafe abortion only ranks as the fifth cause. 2.            Ninety-eight percent of abortion mortality is due to unsafe and criminal abortions which are performed by quacks and most often in non-clinical environments. So, the noise connecting abortion and MM is not abortion but where it is performed and who performed it. Like all clinical operations, including surgeries, there is always a miniscule probability of failure mostly based on who performed it and where it was done. 3.            Majority of unsafe abortions are committed by desperate women hence the term: Desperate Abortion. The trigger for majority of Desperate Abortions is unwanted pregnancy and not based on clinical evidence or medical opinion. An SSS1 girl is more likely to commit unsafe abortion leading to her death compared to a married woman because she is desperate for her status not to be identify both at home and school.   4.            The Safe Motherhood Bill as it stands empowers the woman to make a family decision without the consent of her partner – such an empowerment has the potential of undermining traditional family value in Sierra Leone. I agreed that this contention issue deals more directly with the affected woman, however, the decision to have or not to have a child should come from both parties. 5.            In public health, anytime a system tries to offer as free through a public health policy without duly following Health-Belief Model Theory (HBMT) will boomerang. In the early 2000, an attempt by the West (USA, Canada and Britain) to ‘legalize hard drugs’ by selling small portion of medical cannabis to their youths has today led to a global drug pandemic simply because with an easy access to medical cannabis people increase their demand for it, leading to a reduction of the effect of the drug anymore in their system. The ultimate route now left is to go for a higher impact drugs like Ecstasy, Kushe etc. 6.            The HBMT believes that individuals make changes in behavior (in this case unprotected SEX) on their perception of the severity of the potential health problems. So, if a girl/woman perceive having unprotected sex can lead to unwanted pregnancy that has a high tendency leading to death, that girl/woman would either abstain or use contraceptives. The Safe Motherhood Bill as it stands offers a negative feedback loop system to the HBMTB. 7.            Interestingly even in the US, not all states have legalized abortion and those that have do so based on sound clinical and medical opinions and findings: currently about 26 States are either totally against or severely limiting abortion, while few others have it being debated in various legal systems.  8.            The way out for this Bill is to fine tune some of its clauses to capture its good elements. Not all abortions are due to unwanted pregnancies that have the high chances of death. A good number of the pregnancies that occur are needed but during their process complications occur placing the life of both the mother and or unborn child on high risk of death – such pregnancies require clinical-decision based abortion. Such an abortion must be certified by a clinician backed by the laboratory results and decision processes that were followed to arrive at such conclusions. Sierra Leone should not be rushed into arriving at the conclusion to make abortion free and legal perhaps because of foreign pressure. Most of the elective-specific abortion procedures done in the West are purely clinical-decision based abortion, while those that had to do mostly with unwanted pregnancies, are being done in backstreet abortion clinics like in Third World Countries often with severe consequences including death. ………………………….. More about the Author Jia Bainga Kangbai is a USA States Department William Fulbright Fellow and a Germany DAAD Fellow Jia did his PhD at the University of Munich, Germany and his MPH (Epidemiology and Biostatistics) at the University of Kentucky His interest is applying Machine and Deep Learning and AI in solving medical problems. He has recently shift focus on health system strengthening.

By Paul Kamara It was yesterday, that one of my brothers I harbour great admiration and respect for in staying put for the development of Kambia and the entire district, Brother Saidu Pedro, who made a comment; which no-one has yet responded to. That: The people of Kambia District have been disappointed by Ernest Dura Kamara, Pa SSA Sankoh, Saidu Conton Sesay, Dr Joe Sam Sesay, Farkeh, Yellow man, Abdulai Sampa. But are we disappointed in them; or, a deliberate failure of the system and the fact, that they were overwhelmed by it? Or, is it that all of us stood by and allowed the system to swallow or gobble us all up; by failing to speak out, due to the prevalent culture of silence and fear? Before the Farkehs and the Ernest Duras, were the Contons, Sankohs and the Sam Sesays. The latter emerged from Shaki’s one-party system and many of our brothers thrived in it; and extends to CA Kamara-Taylor, Hamid Kamara, Dr Abdulai Conteh, Ibrahim Sorie to name a few. It was under these great KD men; that many expect the Kambia-Tonko Limba Rd to had been constructed. Sam had the chance to had transform Kambia District to a bread basket. Conton under Nacsa and as COS to EBK; to had impacted on youth projects. Sankoh was director of defence; but had the big chance to had made a mark as Chairman of the KDC. In short, did they fail Kambia district or even their backyard? There were some, who were forced to be part of the system or flee Salone. Abdul Thorlu-Bangura known as The Black Prince in London; defied Shaki and teamed up with Taqi and Forna who were later executed; and The Prince was sent into political oblivion and ended up in a remote village. His brother, Bai Farma Tass 2 was removed from the chieftaincy by Sir Milton; and an unknown Lebanese from Port Loko Mamoud Ahmed defeated him in the polls for the Magbema seat. HH Kamara and other teachers and pupils of Kolenten also resisted Shaki’s one-party; but cannot stand the onslaught of Ibrahim Sorie and other party loyalists. Abdul Karim became the most powerful secretary to president under Shaki; and often determined the fate of ministers and civil servants. But his mansion was burnt down by rebels; and died a remorseful man. Did they fail Kambia district? The fact remains and a statement oftentimes repeated by Shaki himself that: na sens mek buk norto buk mek sens. Our bukmen did not live up to expectations; and did not live by the FBC motto: not for self but for others. Today, the Prince Harding and the Sama Banyas who once held sway under the APC; are now bleating that the SLPP will never again give power to mad men like the APC; and will rule Salone for the next 70 years and take the cue from a party in Mexico. But these are the two evil siamese twins-Luseni and Lansana who spread the evil trinity of dog eat dogism. Thus, a polluted system breeds a polluted breed. In short, they plant the wind, we reap the whirlwind. But what did Kambia district actually benefit from Shaki’s one-party rule? Except for individual benefits, KD benefitted absolutely nothing whatsoever! And yet, the majority still cling to the APC party for want of a better alternative; or lack the ability to bring about positive reforms within the party. We therefore, cannot expect much from the Farkehs or Duras; when the Petitos and the Bai Mamouds didn’t live up to expectations. And the crucial players to had made a difference joined the jet age to seek greener pastures; when all seemed lost and forlon. Did they also fail Kambia district? It is therefore, a collective failure but we can still learn from our historical mistakes; and make our ancestors proud, amongst them Farma Tami, Pa Momoh alias Pankilla and Pa Kambi. But we first, need to break the stranglehold of the one-party mentality. Bai Mamoud squandered most of the KD funds for the 2018 elections. He again, confessed to ACC of pilfering state funds; but led Team A to perpetuate the same one-party corruption and bone to bone politics. Inspite of the largesse from Kambians to fund Sidi’s campaign, it came to nought. So, until we can collectively say NO to the one-party mentality; the likes of Sidi with all their good intentions and favourite candidate; will never have a fair chance to ever play a role in the political development of KD. Let us find the common ground to unite us. First, our negative mentality is derived from the SLPP bcos Shaki who actually is not the founder of the APC came from the SLPP; where he was both a founding member and senior minister under Sir Milton. He was given succour by the original seven APC founders after Albert drove him from PNP; but soon introduced the SLPP mentality and the one-party state he inherited from Sir Albert from the same SLPP. In short, APC abandoned it’s grassroots ideology; as a party for the people, the masses, nurses, students, traders, market women, workers and the sufferer. The APC must therefore, re-discover its original philosophy and that means going back to roots! Second, let us go for the APC leadership and find one amongst us; that we believe is untainted and has the pedigree and what it takes; to be an unquestionable persona to win the polls. And I bet, that Kambia has the best candidate. The youth revolution has already started from Kambia. Both NRM and Team A have Kambia roots; the latter under Bai Mamoud and Sheridan has faltered; being an appendage of the one-party system. The NRM despite some hiccups; can still be a rallying point to champion the democratic and human rights struggle. But Kambia can stand alone; and with general support, we can not only solidify our Kambia hegemony; but also transcend to other districts. But first, let