News

By Kemo Cham

There has been outrage and condemnation in response to the latest reports from the Auditor General of Sierra Leone revealing massive irregularities, in what seems like business as usual in the mismanagement of public finances.

Two reports on the annual accounts of the government and the handling of funds meant for the response to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic were tabled in parliament on Friday.

By Kemo Cham

After nearly nine years of efforts, Sierra Leone has finally been shortlisted as a recipient for the highest award in the United States government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) programme.

The award of Compact was announced by President Julius Maada Bio on Tuesday in a tweet.

By Saio Marrah

The Minister of Basic and Senior School Education, Dr. Moinina Sengeh, has blamed the poor performance of students in schools on the attitude of some teachers whom he said abandon their posts after receiving government pin codes to work for other institutions.

The Minister made this statement on Tuesday 8 December in parliament when he was summoned by the House where lawmakers expressed concerns over the poor performance of students in this year’s West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

By Mohamed Ayoub Conteh

People in various parts of Freetown have reported instances of men purporting to work for the Fire Force going into their compounds and threatening residents with arrest and prosecution for cooking in the open. Some of the people who appeared visibly upset told Politico that the lack of kitchen was forcing them to cook outside and, in most cases, use the locally made clay stove commonly called “coal pot”.

By Lamin Idriss Conteh (Cazorla)

The Executive Director of the Centre for Accountability and Rule of Law (CARL), Ibrahim Tommy, says perpetrators of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) must be brought to book and dealt with severely if found guilty, as a way of addressing the phenomenon. He made this statement at the Buxton Memorial Church Hall in Freetown during a conference held on Thursday 17^th December.

By Saio Marrah

Parliament has unanimously approved a financing grant agreement between Sierra Leone and the International Development Association (IDA).

The agreement, according to officials of Ministry of Finance, includes seven grants and one loan. The loan has low interest rates, they say.

By Francis H. Murray

The Director General of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), an institution charged with administering the country’s national pension scheme has assured members and beneficiaries of the scheme of improved service delivery under his leadership.