Niger Invites Speaker Of Parliament

By Feima Sesay

The Deputy Speaker of Sierra Leone Parliament Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas has on Wednesday, 8th September, 2021 received an invitation from the 6th Deputy Speaker of the parliament of Niger Hon. Oumarou Yahaya on behalf of the speaker of parliament to attend their opening budgetary ceremony slated for this month.

During the courtesy call on the  acting Speaker of parliament Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, at his office in parliament, the Niger delegation handed over the invitation to the latter for their participation  in their upcoming opening budgetary ceremony.

The acting Speaker while welcoming the delegation on behalf of the Speaker and the entire parliament said they were happy to have them. He urged them to continue to cooperate with Sierra Leone and assured them of exchange visits as well as strong bilateral relationship.

The sixth deputy Speaker of Niger, whiles extending thanks to the acting Speaker for receiving them said they are in Sierra Leone to invite him to attend their budgetary opening ceremony and to further thank the people and authority Sierra Leone for smooth transition of government in 2018.

He commended President Bio for the free quality education and youth empowerment.

He expressed hope that President Bio’s initiative on education and youth empowerment will be shared and implemented by other Africa Countries.

He said they are inviting the parliament of Sierra Leone in light of sharing such an experience model as his own president is also a developmental oriented person like Bio.

Zion A Happy Home Foundation Donates school materials to over 45 underprivileged pupils

By Abdul Hassan Fackie

‘Zion A Happy Home Foundation Sierra Leone’, a charitable organization in Kanigo community in Lumley in the west of Freetown has on Saturday, September 3, 2021 donated school materials to over 45 underprivileged pupils.

Evangelist Sao, the Program Coordinator  stated that the donations which cost millions of Leones were made to the underprivileged so as to help them to go to school.

He observed that  there were children who love to go to school but their parents could not afford them the chance as they are poor.

“To help the children to go to school and get educated, we gave each and every one of them one dozen exercise books, one water bottle and a bag containing a ruler, pen, pencil and eraser. We visited communities like Susan’s Bay, Kroo Bay, Juba Hill and Kanigo and registered the less privileged children,” he revealed.

He disclosed that  since the foundation was established they have helped  many less privileged children and young men and women in different communities. He revealed that in 2020 they were able to help many youths by giving the training in different skills.

Evangelist Sao also revealed that they also support people with disabilities in some of  the communities in Waterloo and  some slum areas.

He disclosed that they intend to take their support to the less privileged in the provinces.

“We need to show love to the underprivileged, change their life styles and make them believe that they are part of the society,” he noted.

He encouraged other  organizations and individuals to consider the needy and the less privileged in the communities and help them to realize their potentials.

Receiving the items,you Mrs. Kadiat Kamara, the  mother of Miss Alimatu Kamara who benefited from the donations said that she was very happy to get the school materials from the foundation.

She maintained that had it not been for the assistance from  the foundation, her  daughter would not have had the  chance  to go school as she has no money to buy her school materials.

She said, “I was thinking where I should get the money to buy the school materials for my daughter. Hence God has made it possible for me to have such materials for my daughter, I will make sure that they are best utilized. May God continue to make more provisions for the foundation so that they will give more support to more children in our community.”

SLMA Launches Emergency Response Toll-Free Line

Sama Ansu Gamanga, Acting Executive Director SLMA making th lauching

By: Amara Kargbo

The Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) with support from Orange Mobile Telecommunication, has intensified its communications strategies by launching the Emergency Response Toll-Free Line “855” which gears to interface with boat operators and SLMA to respond to emergency issues at sea, the occasion occurred on the 3^rd September 2021 at the SLMA headquarters, Government Wharf, Freetown

The introduction of the Toll-Free Line will underprop the efficiency of infrastructure which is the SLMA Marine Radio Communication units at the headquarters as well a regional level across the country.

The Toll-Free Line will also serve as a contrasting body that regulates maritime activities between the territorial water of Sierra Leone which covers the safety of the movement of the sea transportation, health, welfare crew member, and boat owners.

Sama Ansu Gamanga, Acting Executive Director SLMA said it was not a common phenomenon that boat accidents causing lives to be lost on the water, until someone years ago when stringent measures were implemented to mitigate such occurrences.

He emphasized that emergency preparedness, takes into consideration emergency response because human systems never feel safe, accidents can happen anytime, and introducing the  Toll-Free Line would help people who are distraught at sea can get immediate attention from SLMA in the shortest possible time. Adding that the SLMA  has added another layer to the existing epitome to enhance maritime safety on the water.

Paramount Chief Shebora Lion II, President of the Sierra Leone Boat Owner Association, applauded SLMA for adding another feather to the sea transportation, launching the Free Toll Line was a milestone that will enhance passengers and boat operators to contact the administration in terms of a distress situation.

He challenged SLMA that, their association will cooperate, accelerate and support the administration effort towards maintaining safety at sea because they are directly benefiting from such facility.

Tegan savage, Genegra Secretary, of the Sierra Leone Sea Fearers Union, commended the maritime administration to pay attention to the safety of lives properties at sea that happens to be one of the cardinal objectives of the administration.