Le66 BILLION BOOST TO ELECTRICITY PROJECT

The government of Sierra Leone through the Finance Ministry in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy has disbursed the sum of Le66.4 billion Leones to contractors of the seven district towns’ electrification project.

In a continued effort to increasing access to energy utility, the Government has committed an Advance Mobilization Payment, representing 30% of the contract prices for the design, supply, installation, and commissioning of transmission and distribution networks in Mattru, Bonthe, Pujehun, Kabala, Kailahun and Moyamba Township respectively.

Below is the breakdown of the 30% Advance Payment by District:

1: Kambia–Le7,096,260,616

2: Kailahun–14,848,109,365

3: Kabala–7,578,269,676

4: Moyamba–8,956,293,430

5: Mattru–11,775,016,854

6: Bonthe Island–8,910,525,228

7: Pujehun–7,231,007,715

The Contractors have already commenced the supply and installation work across these seven district towns and further progress payments will be made as per contract terms as the project progresses.

APC Loses 2018 Election Petition Case

The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone presided over by the Hon. Chief Justice, Desmond Babatunde Edwards, has struck out the 2018 presidential elections petition case brought before the court by the leadership of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) Party.

The empanelled quorum comprised the Hon. Justice Nicholas Browne- Marke (JSC), the Hon. Justice Eku Roberts (JSC), the Hon. Justice Alusine Sesay (JSC) and the Hon. Justice Ansumana Ivan Sesay (JA).

The Petitioners including Dr. Sylvia Blyden (1st Petitioner), Dr. Samura M. W. Kamara (2nd petitioner); Minkailu Mansaray (3rd petitioner) and Dr. Osman Foday Yansaneh (4th petitioner) filed a petition against the former National Electoral Commissioner (NEC) Mohamed N’fah Allie Conteh; NEC; HE President Julius Maada Bio and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), challenging the validity of the 2018 presidential election results.

It could be recalled that in April 2018, Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden and Dr. Samura M.W. Kamara separately filed petitions challenging the pronouncement of HE President Julius Maada Bio as President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. These cases were heard by the Supreme Court presided over by Justices Nicholas Browne-Marke; Eku Roberts and Glena Thompson who gave directives for both petitions to be consolidated.

In the substantive application, the Petitioners claimed that the presidential elections of 31^st March, 2018 that brought HE President, Julius Maada Bio, to power was improper and fraught with irregularities.

They asserted that the election was not conducted in accordance with the 1991 Constitution, the Public Elections Act of 2012 and the governing regulations. They argued that NEC failed to establish and maintain an accurate voter register that was publicly available, verifiable and credible as required by Section 42 of the 1991 Constitution.

They also alleged that the NEC Commissioner on the 4^th of April 2018, without ‘‘full and frank disclosure’’ of over-voting concerns pronounced Julius Maada Bio winner of the run-off elections contrary to the Public Elections Act No. 2 of 2012.

The Petitioners further claimed that there was widespread intimidation, harassment and assault on polling agents of the APC party, particularly in Kenema, Kailahun, Pujehun, and Bo districts by ‘SLPP operatives in agreement with NEC officials.’

Representing His Excellency President Bio, George Banda Thomas Esq. urged the Supreme Court to strike out the petition on the grounds that, the method or process used by the Petitioners to invoke the Original Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court to challenge the validity of the elections of the President as prescribed under the Sierra Leone Constitution is faulty. 

According to him, the process to challenge the validity of the elections of the President should be done by Originating Notice of Motion, rather than by a Petition.

Delivering the joint ruling, the Supreme Court Judges unanimously declared that the Court in its inherent jurisdiction holds that the “election of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, the Sierra Leone Peoples’ Party candidate as President of Sierra Leone on the 4^th April 2018, was and is valid.”

The Supreme Court Judges affirmed that, “the petitioners have failed, refused or neglected to produce any evidence to rebut the fact that Brigadier (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio now President was validly elected as President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. All things considered, the petition of Dr. Sylvia Blyden as SC6/2018 and that of Dr. Samura M. W. Kamara, Minkailu Mansaray and Ambassador Dr. Osman Foday Yansaneh as SC7/2018 now consolidated as S.C. Cases 6 and 7 of 2018 are all herein struck out.”

 

Kamakwie Deprived of Basic Amenities

Kamakwie is the headquater town of Karene District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. It is among the sixteen districts that make up the Republic of Sierra Leone and Kamakwie is the largest city in that part of the country.

Both Falaba and Kerene districts are the two new districts that were formed in December 2017 and ratified by Parliament during the tenure of former President Ernest Bai Koroma.

Kamakwie Town which is geo-politically and strategically placed and its central location in the new Karene District has an edge over other towns because it is the District Headquarter Town.

Its multi-ethnic character is an ace and the town is well positioned as it stands astride the trade routes between Kambia, Falaba, Koinadugu, Bombali and Port Loko districts.

Even though the township is a center point for most district headquarter town, yet still government is paying little attention to it in terms of development and infrastructure.

The township is currently suffering from lack of electricity, poor road networks, inadequate water supply and abject poverty.

It could be recalled that Kamakwie Town was one of the strongholds of the main opposition APC but from time immemorial, the people haven’t seen much or absolutely nothing coming from that party.

The district is the prominent home of APC personalities including the 2018 presidential flag bearer Dr. Samura Kamara.

But during their tenure of governance much was not seen by way of improving the major roads that link this town and even the Tonko Limba road that links Kambia/Madina to the town.

Residents in that part of the country have been crying to every government of the day for the main road to be paved as most government authorities ply this road daily. 

Quiet recently the Sierra Leone People’s party of President Julius Maada Bio vowed to pave the major roads within the township and provide electricity as well.

Sierra Leone Ambassador to Guinea Busted

The Sierra Leone Ambassador to Guinea Alimamy H. Bangura who currently resides in Kambia has allegedly been implicated in a land dispute with one Ibrahim Jalloh and Mohamed T. Sorie.

Speaking to Mr. Tejan through a telephone interview he said that in 2015 mohamed T sorry met mr Jalloh for a small  portion of land which he denied to offer him but later agree to sell the land at Kmbia 2 Katimpe road.

He explained that mr Sorie was always in the habit of intervene in peoples land at kambai district and he has always attending court sitting for interfering in peoples land.

Mr. Tejan said that after the agreement has been tied Mr. sorie requested for the document where he try to fudge the document attempt to  change the date but he did not succeed.

Mr. Tejan also continue that when the matter was brought to the magistrate court No.1 in Kambia, ambassador Alimamy requested for the matter to transfer to the magistrate court No.3 and because of that him and Mr. Jalloh failed to honored the court invitation.

He explained that the main reason why they did not honored the invitation because the ambassador has already intervened in the said matter which they believe that the case will not rule in favor of them.

he also continued that he has quite aware that the reason why the ambassador is fighting because after the court rule the case against them part of the land will be given to him which he will be given to his wife to build stores.

He expresses that the said matter started in2015 but the accuse Mr Sorie was in prison and in 2019 ambassador Alimamy finally made him to be release.

“After he has released he decided to raise the same matter as he had already have a backup by the ambassador” he said.

He expressed that the ambassador is always pressured him ant threaten him that since he is the ambassador for nor Mr. Tejan will never get government or private contact till the next government.

He ended that he is current afraid as a whole authority of the country told him such words and he is currently in fair of his life in Kambia.                                                                                    

When contacted the Ambassador Alimamy in a telephone interview he said                                                                                                                                       

Attorney General Lays Census Instrument in Parliament

In spite of the impasse over the emergency summoning of Parliament by President Julius Maada Bio at the Bintumani Conference Center, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Anthony Brewah has finally laid on the Table of the House, the Statutory Instrument regarding “The Census Order 2021, The Census Act 2002 (Act No. 14 of 2002), Statutory Instrument No. 4 of 2021”, on Monday 19^th April, 2021.

The Speaker and Clerk of Parliament were buoyed up with police assistance to enhance the proceedings of Parliament to go on unhindered.

Earlier, following objections raised by the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Chernor R.M Bah regarding the emergency sitting, citing Standing Order 4(3) and no consultations prior to calling a sitting of Parliament, the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Abass Chernor Bundu ruled against him signifying Section 86 (1) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone regarding same; adding the grund norm takes precedent over provisions in the Standing Orders of Parliament.

Pursuant to Section 170 Subsections (1&7a, b & c) of the said Constitution of Sierra Leone, Statutory Instruments do form part of the laws of Sierra Leone, after a period expiring 21 Days except being annulled by 2/3s of votes cast against it by 98 MPs out of a total of 146.

Amidst the protracted brouhaha, the presidential proclamation for the emergency sitting of Parliament was read by the Clerk of Parliament, Hon. Dr. Paran Umar Tarawally pursuant to Section 86 (1) of the said Constitution and the Statutory Instrument on the Census Order 2021 was laid by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Anthony Brewah.

The Statutory Instrument relating to the Census Order has been published in the gazette and also laid on the Table of Parliament by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice on Monday 19/04/2021 at the Bintumani Conference Center in Freetown.

Orange Foundation Doles Le85M Food Boost to Autistic Society

By Feima Sesay

As part of their continuous support to vulnerable people in the country, especially persons with disabilities across the country, Orange Foundation Sierra Leone on Monday 19th April, 2021, donated assorted food items worth over 85 million Leones to the Sierra Leone Autistic Society for children living with Autism in the country.

The event took place at the Sierra Leone Autistic Society Care Center at Babadorie Hill, Lumley in Freetown.

The donated items included 70 (50kg) bags of rice, 70 cartons of tinned tomatoes, 67 gallons of cooking oil, 70 bags of onions, 70 bags of sugar, and 70 cartons of medicated soap.

These are to be distributed to children with Autism at the Sierra Leone Autistic Society Care Center.

Welcoming the Orange Foundation delegation, Chairman of the Sierra Leone Autistic Society Board, Gibrilla Jalloh noted that the Sierra Leone Autistic Society is pleased to receive them to their care center.

He extended his appreciation to the Foundation for thinking of them in making such a huge donation. He assured the delegation that the Sierra Leone Autistic Society will ensure that the donated items are given to the beneficiaries who are the children living with Autism.

Manager Orange Foundation, Desmond Spaine applauded the Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Autistic Society Mary Penntimity for the initiative in caring for children living with Autism, adding that such a move by the society is a laudable one and therefore they should be commended.

He admonished the parents and guardians to see these children as very important in society regardless of their situation.

He maintained that Orange SL Foundation is a responsible Foundation which thought it fit to make this donation and that they are doing so with the strong belief that such assistance is necessary at this decisive moment.

Handing over the food items to the Sierra Leone Autistic Society, the Director of Orange Foundation Sierra Leone, Jestina Betts, said Orange Foundation is very happy to hand over the assorted food items to the Sierra Leone Autistic Society to support children living with Autism, adding that as a company they want to be touching their lives and making sure they continue to support them during difficult periods.

The Director stated that the donation is evidence that they do not take their Corporate Social Responsibility lightly, which is pivotal to their business as a Telecoms Company. She further revealed that they have been supporting different vulnerable groups in the country.

She revealed that when she took over as Director of the Foundation she had the passion to do something especially with regards addressing issues relating to children in the country, adding that children living with Autism need more attention. She noted that growing up she came across children living with Autism and that she has always wanted to help children living with Autism, adding that they are therefore very proud to make the donation.

She also noted that they are very committed to see that they render their support to them in order to include them in digital inclusion and that although they have disabilities they should not be discriminated against but rather should be seen as very important children in society.

Receiving the donated items, the Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Autistic Society, Mary Pennytimity, expressed her appreciation to Orange Foundation for the kind gesture which she described as the biggest donation they have received so far as a society.

Mary Penntimity noted that her organization has been providing support for autistic children, young people and their families in Sierra Leone since its inception, adding that they started with few children but now run play schemes, and have youth groups and support groups, and that their activities include providing vital community support and reducing the profound and dangerous isolation of autistic children, adding that they have also succeeded in establishing a school for these children.

She further noted that with the support from Orange Foundation it will contribute tremendously towards supporting children living with Autism and their families.

She also assured that the items will be given to the children who are the beneficiaries.

She ended by calling on all to stop discrimination against children living with Autism but rather to see them as very important children in society and help create the enabling environment for them to live.

=DIPLOMACY=

Pulling Together Through Adversity and Toward a Shared Future for All

By H.E. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China

The speech below was given at the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference on 20^th April 2021.

Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,

“True friendship brings people close however far apart they may be.” It gives me great pleasure to attend the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference 2021 and meet you all in this cloud meeting. Let me begin by extending, on behalf of the Chinese government and people and also in my own name, a warm welcome to all the guests participating both in person and online and cordial greetings and best wishes to all friends old and new.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Boao Forum. Over these two decades, Asian countries have advanced regional economic integration and worked in unison to pursue both economic and social development, which has turned Asia into the most vibrant and promising region in the global economy. Asia has also stood with the rest of the world in the face of terrorism, the Indian Ocean tsunami, the international financial crisis, COVID-19 and other traditional and non-traditional security threats, which has helped maintain stability and security in the region. As an important member of the Asian family, China has kept deepening reform and opening-up while promoting regional cooperation, thus achieving progress and development in tandem with the rest of Asia and the world. It is fair to say that this Forum has borne witness to the extraordinary journey of China, of Asia and of the world, and has exerted a significant influence in boosting development in Asia and beyond.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

This year’s annual conference is convened against a very special background. The theme of the conference—“A World in Change: Join Hands to Strengthen Global Governance and Advance Belt and Road Cooperation”—is most opportune and relevant under the current circumstances.

Now, the combined forces of changes and a pandemic both unseen in a century have brought the world into a phase of fluidity and transformation. Instability and uncertainty are clearly on the rise. Humanity is facing growing governance deficit, trust deficit, development deficit, and peace deficit. Much remains to be done to achieve universal security and common development. That said, there is no fundamental change in the trend toward a multi-polar world; economic globalization is showing renewed resilience; and the call for upholding multilateralism and enhancing communication and coordination has grown stronger. While we live in an age rife with challenges, it is also an age full of hope.

Where should humanity go from here? What kind of future should we create for future generations? As we try to answer these important questions, it is crucial that we bear in mind the shared interests of mankind and make responsible and wise choices.

China calls on all countries in Asia and beyond to answer the call of our times, defeat the pandemic through solidarity, strengthen global governance, and keep pursuing a community with a shared future for mankind.

We need consultation on an equal footing to create a future of shared benefits. Global governance should reflect the evolving political and economic landscape in the world, conform to the historical trend of peace, development and win-win cooperation, and meet the practical needs in addressing global challenges. We need to follow the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, uphold true multilateralism, and make the global governance system more fair and equitable. We need to safeguard the UN-centered international system, preserve the international order underpinned by international law, and uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core. World affairs should be handled through extensive consultation, and the future of the world should be decided by all countries working together. We must not let the rules set by one or a few countries be imposed on others, or allow unilateralism pursued by certain countries to set the pace for the whole world. What we need in today’s world is justice, not hegemony. Big countries should behave in a manner befitting their status and with a greater sense of responsibility.

We need openness and innovation to create a future of development and prosperity. Openness is essential for development and progress. It also holds the key to post-COVID economic recovery. We need to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, deepen regional economic integration, and enhance supply, industrial, data and human resources chains, with a view to building an open world economy. We need to deepen partnerships for connectivity and strengthen infrastructural links to keep the arteries of economic activities unclogged. We must seize the historical opportunities in a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation, boost the digital economy, and step up exchanges and cooperation in such areas as artificial intelligence, biomedicine and modern energy, so that the fruits of scientific and technological innovation can be turned into greater benefits for people in all countries. In this age of economic globalization, openness and integration is an unstoppable historical trend. Attempts to “erect walls” or “decouple” run counter to the law of economics and market principles. They would hurt others’ interests without benefiting one-self.

We need solidarity and cooperation to create a future of health and security. In the ongoing fight against COVID-19, victory will be ours at the end of the day. We must put people and their lives above anything else, scale up information sharing and collective efforts, enhance public health and medical cooperation, and give full play to the key role of the World Health Organization (WHO). It is important that we bolster international cooperation on the R&D, production and distribution of vaccines and increase their accessibility and affordability in developing countries so that everyone in the world can access and afford the vaccines they need. It is also important that we take comprehensive measures to improve global governance on public health security and work together for a global community of health for all. We need to follow the philosophy of green development, advance international cooperation on climate change, and do more to implement the Paris Agreement on climate change. The principle of common but differentiated responsibilities must be upheld, and concerns of developing countries on capital, technology and capacity building must be addressed.

We need commitment to justice to create a future of mutual respect and mutual learning. Diversity is what defines our world and makes human civilization fascinating. The COVID-19 pandemic has made it all the more clear to people around the world that we must reject the cold-war and zero-sum mentality and oppose a new “Cold War” and ideological confrontation in whatever forms. In state-to-state relations, the principles of equality, mutual respect and mutual trust must be put front and center. Bossing others around or meddling in others’ internal affairs would not get one any support. We must advocate peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom, which are common values of humanity, and encourage exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations to promote the progress of human civilization.

In this context, I would like to announce that once the pandemic gets under control, China will host the second Conference on Dialogue of Asian Civilizations as part of our active efforts to promote inter-civilization dialogue in Asia and beyond.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I have noted on various occasions that the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is a public road open to all, not a private path owned by one single party. All interested countries are welcome aboard to take part in the cooperation and share in its benefits. Belt and Road cooperation pursues development, aims at mutual benefits, and conveys a message of hope.

Going forward, we will continue to work with other parties in high-quality Belt and Road cooperation. We will follow the principles of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, and champion the philosophy of open, green and clean cooperation, in a bid to make Belt and Road cooperation high-standard, people-centered and sustainable.

We will build a closer partnership for health cooperation. Chinese businesses have already started joint vaccine production in BRI participating countries such as Indonesia, Brazil, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, Pakistan and Turkey. We will expand cooperation with various parties in infectious disease control, public health, traditional medicine and other areas to jointly protect the lives and health of people in all countries.

We will build a closer partnership for connectivity. China will work with all sides to promote “hard connectivity” of infrastructure and “soft connectivity” of rules and standards, ensure unimpeded channels for trade and investment cooperation, and actively develop Silk Road e-commerce, all in a bid to open up a bright prospect for integrated development.

We will build a closer partnership for green development. We could strengthen cooperation on green infrastructure, green energy and green finance, and improve the BRI International Green Development Coalition, the Green Investment Principles for the Belt and Road Development, and other multilateral cooperation platforms to make green a defining feature of Belt and Road cooperation.

We will build a closer partnership for openness and inclusiveness. A World Bank report suggests that by 2030, Belt and Road projects could help lift 7.6 million people from extreme poverty and 32 million people from moderate poverty across the world. We will act in the spirit of openness and inclusiveness as we work with all willing participants to build the BRI into a pathway to poverty alleviation and growth, which will contribute positively to the common prosperity of humankind.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The year 2021 marks the centenary of the Communist Party of China (CPC). Over the last century, the CPC has striven forward against all odds in a relentless pursuit of happiness for the Chinese people, rejuvenation for the Chinese nation, and the common good for the world. As a result, the Chinese nation has achieved a great transformation from standing up to growing rich, and to becoming stronger, and has thus made a notable contribution to human civilization and progress. China will continue to play its part in building world peace, promoting global development, and defending international order.

China will stay committed to peace, development, cooperation and mutual benefit, develop friendship and cooperation with other countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, and promote a new type of international relations. China will continue to carry out anti-COVID cooperation with the WHO and other countries, honor its commitment of making vaccines a global public good, and do more to help developing countries defeat the virus. However strong it may grow, China will never seek hegemony, expansion, or a sphere of influence. Nor will China ever engage in an arms race. China will take an active part in multilateral cooperation on trade and investment, fully implement the Foreign Investment Law and its supporting rules and regulations, cut further the negative list on foreign investment, continue to develop the Hainan Free Trade Port, and develop new systems for a higher-standard open economy. All are welcome to share in the vast opportunities of the Chinese market.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

“By setting sail together, we could ride the wind, break the waves, and brave the journey of ten thousand miles.” We may at times encounter stormy waves and dangerous rapids, but as long as we pool our efforts and keep to the right direction, the giant vessel of human development will stay on an even keel and sail toward a brighter future.

Thank you.

New Direction & Policies for Correctional Center

The Technical Support Team Lead, Sierra Leone Correctional Service- Colonel David Ngaujah has presented new policies on recruitment, promotion, ranking structure, among others to the decision making body of the Sierra Leone Correctional Service. This was done in his office situated in former Special Court Complex, Jomo Kenyatta Road, New England Ville in Freetown.

He said recruitment should be handled such that every kind of personnel needed are given the job.

He said he noticed that the SLCS did not have any officer who was a medical doctor or a lawyer.

Advising the SLCS’ management body to consider recruiting such professionals so that they can bring the required expertise, he said he had created room in the proposed SLCS’ hierarchical arrangement for Directorates of Medical Services and of Legal Affairs.

“Promotion for all levels should be preceded by some form of in- service training, examinations, and appraisals. This will ensure fairness and equity for all.”

The Director General SLCS, Mr. Joseph Lamboi said he is pleased with the work, adding “management will need to take a closer look at all the documents for better understanding”.

DG also assured that he will ensure the policies are tabled at the Sierra Leone Correctional Service Council for approval.

 

 

Start SL Postponed Mid- Term Census Indefinitely

BY Feima Sesay

The Startistician General of Start SL Professor Osman Sankoh has on Monday 19 April 2021 said again postponed the  population and Housing Census indefinitely due to delay of shipment of electronic tablets from Kenya.

He said this Whiles addressing Media Practitioners, civil society activist and staff of Start SL at their Start SL office Tower Hill Freetown.

He further disclosed that out of 20,000 of the electronic tablets that was donated to Sierra Leone by the Kenya president, they  have received only 1,000 remaining 19,000.

Professor Sankoh went on to debunk rumors of the of the census being postponed for the third time.

He added that the main purpose d of conducting the census is to eveluate progress made since the last primary census in 2015 and to also Review the last census exercise and further look at any it reported challages and try to address them.

As he said it will provide data For monitoring the Mid Term National Development Plan of 2019 and 2023 and the  prioritized SDG in the country.

He further that census paperwork is risky and has challenges when  collecting  data but doing it technologically will make the process easy without any hindrance.

He further  revealed that arrangement for the shipment of the remaining 19,000  tablets are on the way with support from development partners. He underscores that the delays in the shipment of the electronic tablets from  Kenya to Sierra Leone has affected the timelines in the conduct of the census.

He therefore encourage the public to support the census process as they continues to ensure transparency, trust, inclusion and credibility at all stages.

He further allays the fear of the public that during the process, households do not need to have internet or know how to use the tablets but only the staff of Start SL, adding that the  there does not need to bee network coverage every where as he said the staff can work off line and go online to update  data.

He however assured the public of their firm commitment to the execution of the 2021 mid- term Population and Housing Census.

Abdul Karim Kargbo High Commissioner to Kenya said he facilitated the process of bringing the 1,000 tablets from Kenya to Sierra Leone, noting that the remaining 19,000 is in their possession already .

He disclosed that on his returned to Kenya, he  will ensure that the  19000 tablets will   Sierra Leone for the 2021 census to proceed.

He thanked the Kenya government especially  President Kenyanta for providing the 20,000 tablets to Sierra Leone.

He disclosed that 45, 000 tablets were given to five countries, but Sierra Leone was lucky to have 20,000.

The High Commissioner ended by thanking President Bio for his intervention by talking to President Kenyanta who provided the country with 20,000 tablets to facilitates the process.

He said all  the 20,000 tablets has there power bank for any outrage of power as the batter will last for long.

Other meaningful contribution were made in ensuring that the process is successful.

Environmental Ministry Clarifies on Fence Destruction

Following a misleading report Captioned “ENVIRONMENTAL MINISTER TOOK MATTERS INTO HIS OWN HANDS” that has gone viral on Social Media, the Ministry of the Environment wants to clarify that there is a formulated Inter-Ministerial/Agencies Committee set up as instructed by H E. President Maada Bio. The Ministry of the Environment is part of that Inter-Ministerial/Agencies Committee which constitutes seven key ministries including the Environment Ministry, Lands Ministry, Ministry of Water Resources, Ministry of Internal Affairs, Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Defense, as well as its Agencies which also include National Protection Area Authority (NPAA) and Conservation Trust Fund (CTF), Environment Protection Agency (EPA), Forestry, Wild Life, Sierra Leone Meteorological Agency and National Nuclear, Safety and Radiation Authority, GUMA Valley, and Water Agency. One of the mandates of this Committee is to enforce law and environmental compliance in all encroachment areas across the country.   

Quite recently, the Inter-Ministerial/Agencies Committee headed by Prof. Foday M. Jaward, accompanied by the Lands Minister, Minister of Water Resources and Deputy Minister of the Environment embarked on robust field inspections at Lakka, Hamilton, Sussex, No. 2 River Axis and Tokeh. According to findings of the Committee, encroachers were seen on sight illegally erecting a fence close to the beach area in Bawbaw Village without a building permit.

 Sequel to inquiries by the Lands Minister from the man who claimed that the land belongs to his family (Jarret Family) to present the relevant documents including building permit for erecting a pfence, which he failed to produce. It was then that the Lands Minister ordered the arrest of the contractor for erecting the fence without a permit. The Lands Minister also asked both parties to take their land document’s to his office the following morning. In view of the above, as a mandate to protect the environment and to investigate and crack down on encroachers in protected areas, and more significantly, with failure to provide evidence of a building permit, the illegal fence was demolished by a team accompanying the Hon. Ministers with the aim to discontinue such illegal activities that are being carried out with impunity in protected areas.

Consequently, the rate of encroachments upon Water Catchments, Mangroves and Forest areas are swiftly increasing precisely in these communities within the Western area. These illegal activities carried out by encroachers into the protected areas have posed significant threat to coastal areas leading to illegal development. All decisions were taken as a committee including all Ministers and their agencies present.

Justice Fisher Orders APC Party to Hold Emergency National Delegates Conference

 High Court Judge, Justice Adrian J. Fisher, presiding over the case between Alfred Peter Conteh (Plaintiff) and the Chairman and Leader of the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party and others, has ordered the 3rd Defendant (APC party) to hold an emergency national delegates conference for the purpose of adopting its amended draft constitution.

This follows an application filed by the Defendants seeking among other things, the Court to strike out the Notice of Motion on the grounds of irregularity and that the originating process did not comply with Order 5(3) of the High Court Rules 2007 and Order 8 (4) of the High Court Rules 2007.

The 2nd Defendant had also prayed that the Court grants a stay of proceedings of the substantive action, pending the hearing and determination of the application and to set aside the interim injunction on the grounds that the plaintiff lacks the capacity to institute such an action.

He canvassed the Court to dismiss the substantive action instituted by the plaintiff on the grounds of lack of capacity to institute such an action.

The plaintiff on the other hand, had argued that the current national Secretary General, Assistant National Secretary General, National Organising Secretary, Assistant National Organising Secretary, National Publicity Secretary, Assistant National Publicity Secretary, and the National Treasurer of the APC party are illegitimate, on the grounds that they were not duly elected, as required by Article 6 (14) (1) (i) of the party’s 1995 Constitution.

He went on to claim that the four regional Chairmen of the APC party, 16 Districts Chairmen, 132 Constituency Chairmen are illegitimate and were not duly elected pursuant to the 1995 party Constitution.

In his ruling, the High Court Judge ruled that the injunction slammed on all political activities within the party dated 26th day of February 2021 continues in force.

He further ordered that, “the following office holders are restrained from taking part as delegates in the emergency national delegates convention: all members of the National Advisory Committee, the National Secretary General, the Assistant National Secretary General, the National Organising Secretary, the Assistant National Organising Secretary, the National Publicity Secretary, the Assistant National Publicity Secretary, the National treasurer, the five Regional Chairmen, the 16 Districts Chairmen, the 132 Constituency Chairmen.’’

He added that all other members of the National delegates conference not named above are eligible to take part in the emergency national delegates conference as delegates.

Justice Fisher ordered the party to ensure that the elections of twenty delegates for the women’s congress, twenty delegates for the youth league and five delegates by each constituency are conducted not later than 25th June 2021 from the date of the order.

 

SLRSA Executive Director Strengthens Bilateral Ties With FRSC In Nigeria

*The Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority – SLRSA Mr. Ibrahim Sannoh is currently in Abuja, Nigeria on a week long working visit to the Federal Road Safety Commission of Nigeria to strengthen RSA’s Bilateral relationship with the Nigerian Road Safety Commission.*

The SLRSA Executive Director will during his visit have strategic engagement with the Head of the Federal Road Safety Corps of Nigeria on possible collaboration on Capacity building ahead of planned  reforms anchored around commencement of the production of biometric Drivers License with a National Identification Number (NIN) from the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA); Change Request and Data Integrity, Command and Control in Administration of Drivers License Centres, Curbing Drivers License Centre’s Information through Biometric Investigations among others.

Mr. Ibrahim Sannoh will as part of his working visit pay courtesy call on the Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria and their line Ministry  of Works and Housing.

His visit will be climaxed with a conducted tour of the FRSC Academy in Abuja, Nigeria. License and Road Signage, Printing Room and a host of other facilities of the FRSC.

The SLRSA Executive Director is accompanied by the Director of License Mrs. Hassanatu J. Mansaray, Management Information System Analyst Mr. Glen Cole, Safety And Enforcement Director Mr. Augustine Kaitongi and Mr. Ambrose Tucker Research Manager SLRSA.