To coincide with the reopening of schools this week, we have decided to dedicate this special issue of Politico to the issue of basic education. If no one appreciates the significance of this school year, we do. For the first time in peace time Sierra Leone, the country will not send candidates to sit to the school-leaving WASSCE examinations organised by the West African Examinations Council. This... 

The incident last week between ex-servicemen and the Defence Minister is despicable. We, at Politico,  are surprised that it has not been roundly condemned. Pallo Conteh is our Minister. No matter the security breach that led to his beating and being stripped of his jacket in broad-day light the action by these ex-servicemen, however strong the reason for their agitation, must be condemned. A Government... 

We applaud some efforts that have been made and are still being made by Government in addressing the country’s poor road network. The provincial and district headquarter town projects are laudable even if some of them  seem abandoned owing, largely, to corruption between the contractors and some government officials. And barring the engineering stupidity that has caused flooding on that road, the... 

We have great respect for the man who is Minister of Sports and Youth Employment of Sierra Leone, Paul Kamara. But certainly not because of what he has done as minister. We believe he has done tremendous things for this country in the past as a fearless and opinionated journalist who stood for what his conscience told him was right. He may have got some of it wrong some of the time – obviously he... 

Some eight months since we first hit the newsstands, effective this week, Politico will be publishing twice a week. And please note the days: We will no longer be coming out on Wednesdays as we have been doing. Rather we will be publishing on Tuesdays and Thursdays unless, of course, on public holidays. Our decision has been informed by several factors chief among which is the demand and pressure we... 

The nation was shocked to learn on Friday 6 July about the death of the First Mother, Mrs Alice Rosaline Koroma. Aged 83 years. Grandchildren who lose their octogenarian grandmother would usually beat drums and dance her remains to the grave. But Mrs Koroma was a different grannie. She was, in fact, a mother. We are saddened by her passing, even if it was inevitable. It is all too easy to hail her... 

It is shocking – the level of vicious attacks, vilification and smearing that takes place in some sections of our local media. Interestingly some of these spurious writings have been aimed at Politico or its journalists. If we need to say this again, here it is: WE WILL NEVER RESPOND TO THEM because they are a distraction to a serious cause of addressing those things affecting the welfare of our... 

We are still shocked and feel overawed by a statement made by President Ernest Bai Koroma last month that the HONEYMOON with journalists was or would soon be over. Was there no irony lost in the president that he was making such a statement at an Open Government Initiative programme and that one of the cardinal principles of open governance is journalists’ ability to have unfettered access to information... 

The one-day visit today to Sierra Leone by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC)may not be unprecedented but is certainly a watershed. Apart from its obvious significance that the most important organ of the world body is visiting our country, it is further testament to the continued commitment of the UN to Sierra Leone. The UN spent billions of US dollars on what was its largest peacekeeping... 

Politicotorial The issue of the long drawn-out Freedom of Information Bill is embarrassing us as a nation. The stop-start nature or even the complete stall of the process is incomprehensible. May be nonsensical. No Member of Parliament has the conviction of their conviction to tell the people of this nation why such a progressive piece of legislation, which has been promised and assured the people... 

The loss being incurred by businesspeople through the erratic service and, sometimes, complete breakdown of the three mobile phone companies in Sierra Leone, is indescribably galling. The suffering and inconvenience visited upon other mobile phone subscribers is nauseatingly sickening. This is why we wish to salute the announcement by the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) denouncing these...