News

By Mabinty M. Kamara

Some 6.2 million people in Sierra Leone face moderate or severe food insecurity, data attributed to the United Nations reveals.

The revelation was made on Thursday by officials from the UN country, during a session that brought together lawmakers and food and agriculture stakeholders.

Issuance of the long awaited new national Identification (ID) card will commence by the end of the year, according to the Director General of the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), Mohamed Massaquoi.

By Francis H. Murray

Tam Foday, a middle aged man who is alleged to have sexually penetrated a 13 year-old girl, has told a court that he had a bitter confrontation with the father of the alleged victim who in turn brought up the allegation of sexual penetration against him.

The accused appeared before Justice Manuela Harding last Tuesday at the High Court in Freetown, at the start of his defence, which followed the close of the prosecution’s case involving a one count indictment of sexual penetration against him.

A group of civil society organisations called the Sierra Leone Land Alliance (SLLA) has released a report critical of the situation land ownership and acquisition in the country, with particular emphasis on the Western area.

By Francis H. Murray

The Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, has been named among a panel of 100 judges to decide on an upcoming award for female journalists in Africa.

The African Press Organization (APO) funded journalism competition, dubbed ‘African Women in Media Award’, is slated for December 2-3, 2020.

APO said the contest is part of its commitment to supporting the development of journalism on the continent.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

The Managing Director of the Sierra Leone Telecommunication Company (Sierratel), Foday M. Sankoh, has been sent on leave with immediate effect.

Revelation of the news about Mr Sankoh’s apparent forced leave was made in a leaked letter from the office of the president addressed to the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the state run company, dated 2^nd October. The letter was copied to the National Chairman and Executive Secretary, National Commission for Privatization.

By Kemo Cham

Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has unveiled its new timeline for the planned Mid-term Population and Housing Census slated for next year.

A news dispatched released by the national statistical agency on Monday indicates that preliminary report on the outcome of the exercise is expected in by August, 2021, with the dissemination of the final report expected to be in September the following month.