News

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

The Sierra Leone government intends to create 9,000 new jobs in the public sector, according to the 2020 budget, as presented to parliament last week.

Minister of Finance, Jacob Jusu Saffa said in the budget speech on Friday that the government would hire 5,000 teachers, 3,000 health sector workers and 1,000 Police officers.

By Kemo Cham

A regional salary survey done by Sierra Leonean UN employees in the country shows the workers’ concerns over disparity are genuine.

A copy of the result of the comparison of what UN workers are paid in the four Mano River Union countries reveal that the Sierra Leonean national staff earn the least pay, compared to their counterparts in Guinea, Liberia and Ivory Coast.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

The gender parity group 50/50 has expressed disappointment with President Julius Maada Bio for not appointing “enough” women in his latest cabinet reshuffle.

Only one woman was among the 17 appointments announced by the president last Thursday in the person of Manti Tarawally who becomes Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs which has been separated from the ministry of social welfare.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

The Representative of the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) to Sierra Leone, Nyabemji Tito Tipo, has expressed optimism about the prospect of attaining food sufficiency in Sierra Leone before 2030.

Ms Tipo made the statement during this year’s celebration of World Food Day, where she said Sierra Leone had a “huge” potential for food sufficiency, noting that it could make it beyond the target if it worked with everybody.

By Kemo Cham

The National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), created to help rehabilitate, reintegrate and resettle fighters and refugees in the war in Sierra Leone in the 90s, has been transformed into a permanent public institution.

NaCSA’s permanent status was sealed by parliament on Thursday 7^th November when it passed into law a Bill entitled: “The National Commission for Social Action Act 2019”.

The bill was first presented to Parliament on Tuesday October 29.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

Plan International Sierra Leone has launched a sponsorship alumni association comprising former sponsored children, graduates and beneficiaries of Plan’s program in the country.

The Regional Sponsorship Manager for West and Central Africa, Nsah Juli Coulette, told Politico during the program that the initiative was one of the many ways the organization had targeted to be able to help 100 million girls in the world to “learn, lead and strive”.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay and Hajaratu Kalokoh

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has made 17 new appointments and created two new ministries in his latest cabinet reshuffle announced on Thursday.

The development comes on the eve of the government’s reading of its 2020 Financial Year Budget to the House of Parliament.

The biggest casualties were Dr Jonathan Tengbe who was sacked as Minister of Water Resources and Joseph Ndanema, sacked as Minister of Agriculture Forestry and Food Security.