News

By Kemo Cham

Sierra Leone is still struggling to meet its target in terms of testing for Covid-19, latest government data on the pandemic reveals.

Despite a gradual increase in tests conducted in the last five weeks, weekly testing has reduced in the last week, figures in the latest weekly Situation Report on the pandemic - Sitreps 37 - released on Monday, show. It shows that laboratory testing for Covid-19 for last week (Epi week 36), reduced by 12.1% compared to Week 35. 

By Francis H Murray

Magistrate Hannah Bonnie in Freetown has sent the Executive Secretary of the National Commission for Persons with Disability (NCPD), Saa Lamin Kortequee on remand at the Correctional Service for failing to pay arrears of over Le 63million to the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) on behalf employees of the Commission.

By Prince J. Musa in Kenema

Kailahun District has got its second commercial bank, after the inauguration of a branch by the Rokel Commercial Bank.

The bank was inaugurated on Saturday, September 5 by Finance Minister Jacob Jusu Saffa, who told the audience at the ceremony held in the premises of the newly renovated one storey building that as a government they were inclined to pay great attention to the financial sector by empowering banks to expand on their services all over the country and thereby creating access to finance to the masses.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

A corruption perception survey commissioned by the Center for Accountability and the Rule of Law (CARL) has shown that 49% of people in Sierra Leone believe that corruption has increased in the country relative to the last three years.

The report, the result of a study that was completed in February as part of a collaboration involving other local and international NGOs, became the subject of public discussion this week.

CARL said the data for the study was gathered in 2019.

By Newman Anthony Levey In Bo

Residents of Niagorehun Village in Bagbo Chiefdom, Bo District, have requested for the establishment of a police post as part of efforts to tackle a rise in crime rate, including Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV).

The community people are particularly concerned about rise in cases of teenage pregnancy. They say cases of sexual abuse of minors are being swept under the carpet due to a culture of compromise, which they blame on the local chiefs.

By Prince J Musa in Kenema

Community leaders in Tiloma Village in Kenema have called for a review of a lease agreement for the use of their land by the city council as a dumpsite.

The villagers’ decision stems from a disagreement over payment of the lease for this year. While the council claims it has paid, the villagers denied it.

Tiloma Village is located at the southern end of Kenema City. The agreement was signed between the villagers and the council in 2017, according to Brima Swaray Fugbawa, Chief of the village.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said it has halted a planned repatriation of Sierra Leoneans stranded in Niger on the request of the government which is concerned by security issues.

Plans to repatriate the stranded Sierra Leoneans had been on the work for sometime now. IOM said it was waiting on the approval of the government, which was given last week.