News

By Bampia James Bundu

In a bid to create space for policy makers and land owners to dialogue, a civil society organisation, Green Scenery yesterday opened a 2-day national conference on “creating a platform where policy makers, local authorities, civil society, land owners, and land users and Ministries Department and Agencies (MDAs)".

The meeting is also interfacing, sharing ideas for discussion and consolidating as part of what they say is their contribution towards the constitutional review process relative to land rights and tenure.

Somano Kapen

The Chairman and Leader of the main opposition SLPP party has described as a "palace coup" the decision by a meeting of some members of the party to suspend him and the party's Secretary General.

By Crispina Cummings

Minister of health, Miatta Kargbo, has told parliament that the government is sad about and regrets the loss of lives to the deadly Ebola virus in the country.

While giving an update on the status of the hemorrhagic fever which broke out last month and has killed at least 20 people in the eastern provincial district of Kailahun, the minister sympathised with the bereaved families left behind by Ebola.

By Mohamed T Massaquoi

Police in Pujehun have confirmed the death of a 25-year-old woman who was allegedly stabbed by a 14-year-old pupil of the Methodist Secondary School in Bo.

Jebbeh Shiaka was allegedly stabbed with a long kitchen knife at Madinma Kodogbe village in the Kpanga Kabondeh chiefdom, about 15 miles from Pujehun town.

By Crispina Cummings

National social security and insurance trust, NASSIT, is to recover over Le 1 billion from seven districts, towns and city councils across the country.

The Bonthe Municipality owes the Trust Le 17m, Bonthe District Council Le70 m, Bo City Council Le 541m, Bo District Council Le 84m, UBC Le85m, Western Area Rural District Council owes Le40m, Makeni City Council owes Le 439m and the Koinadugu District Council owes Le 87m.

By Bampia James Bundu

The Supreme Court has levied a Le 3 million fine on the main opposition Sierra Leone People's Party after it was sued by one of its members, Alie Bangura, who lost in the election won by Chief Somano Kapen as party chairman and leader.

Bangura alleges that the election was rigged and unfair, hence his decision to go to court. The winners of the election have denied any wrongdoing accusing Bangura and his supporters of being sore losers.

By Bampia James Bundu

The Anti-Corruption Commission has officially launched its 2014-2018 National Strategy - NACS - to promoting a corruption-free society "in which good governance, effective and efficient public financial management and the rule of law are upheld”.

ACC Commissioner, Joseph Kamara described corruption as “an endemic and systemic ailment that has the potential to crumble the economic development and strength of a country by the embezzlement of government financial resources and institutions”.