News

By Francis H. Murray

Farmers in Makpele and Sahn Malen chiefdoms in Pujehun District and Upper and Lower Banta chiefdoms in Moyamba District have benefited from the second tranche cash payment by the World Food Programme (WFP).

The project aims at building the capacities of institutions that promote peace as well as create multi stakeholder dialogue platforms for peaceful relations between communities, government and private investors.

By Kemo Cham

Sierra Leone and two of its West African neighbors Liberia and The Gambia are to share $53.25 million being grant from the Africa Development Bank as budgetary support to help fight Covid-19 in the three countries.

The multi-country grant for COVID-19 response in Gambia, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which was approved by the AfDB Board of Directors on Friday, according to a news release issued via the African News Organization, is meant to mitigate the impact of the ongoing viral pandemic in the three countries.

By Francis H. Murray

Mariama Sajor Barrie and Ibrahim Bah, the two people accused of murdering five-year old Kadija Saccoh, appeared before Magistrate Mark Ngegba on Tuesday for preliminary investigations into the charges which also include conspiracy to murder.

The prosecution alleges that the accused persons on the 1^st May 2020 and on diverse dates between that day and Wednesday 17^th June, at No. 23 Spur Road in the Western Area of Freetown, conspired with other persons unknown to murder Kadija Madiatu Saccoh.

By Umaru Fofana

After a heated debate lasting several hours, Parliament yesterday approved Mohamed Kenewui Konneh as the head of the National Electoral Commission (NEC).

78 of the parliamentarians present voted to approve his nomination, while 51 voted against.

The main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party said that his appointment was unconstitutional because he had not resigned from public service one year prior.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

The Government of Sierra Leone has launched an insurance scheme to cover all 11, 039 health workers in the country. The Group Life Insurance will be carried out by the state owned National Insurance Company (NIC) for all health care workers who are in the frontline of the COVID-19 fight.

Some 300 healthcare workers are expected to be added to the scheme once they get pin codes from government.

By Kemo Cham

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Foday Rado Yoki has been sacked. No reasons were given in a State House press release which announced his replacement, but it had been for days.

In the release, President Julius Maada Bio appointed petroleum engineering expert, Musa Timothy Kabba, to head the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Mohamed Haji Kella, has told Politico that the government has agreed in principle to allow Muslims in the country to hold congregational prayers on Eid-ul-Adha (Dunkay Sally).