News

By Prince J Musa in Kenema

Residents of Combema in Kenema District have accused the police of brutalizing them in an attempt to impose a check in the town.

The locals say the checkpoint, which they insist must be permanently removed, has been a point for extortion by police officers who man it.

Combema, situated one and half mile from Kenema Town and located within the Gbo-Kakajama Section in the Nongowa Chiefdom, is a largely agrarian community. But its inhabitants also engage in a lot of business.

By Hajaratu Kalokoh

The telecoms operator Africell and the Oversees Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) of the United States government have confirmed a US$100 million financing agreement meant to expand the compamy's operations. 

The agreement which took over a year to materialize, began with the signing in November 2018 and concluded in May 2019.

The confirmation ceremony was done on Tuesday at a ceremony in the US Embassy in Freetown.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

Honorable Veronica Kadie Sesay, President of the Female parliamentary caucus, on Tuesday August 6 presented a report of a fact finding research on women’s space and participation in governance to President Julius Maada Bio.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

The Milton Margai College of Education and Technology (MMCET) will next semester start a course in pottery with support from the Chinese Embassy in Freetown.

A memorandum of understanding signed on Wednesday 7^th August between the Ministry of Tertiaty and Higher Education and the Chinese embassy commits the latter to support the Practical Arts Department of the college that will provide the new course.

By Umaru Fofana

The Government of Sierra Leone has placed an indefinite ban on all overseas travels by ministers, deputy ministers and members of state departments and agencies.

According to a memo sent to all concerned, with immediate effect and until further notice, they should “not embark on official overseas trips except for STATUTORY ENGAGEMENTS”.

Even those statutory engagement travels such as to the African Union or the United Nations, must be cleared by the president.

By Mabinty M. Kamara

The Meteorological Agency of Sierra Leone (MASL) has warned of more heavy rains in the next two months as the country braces up for one of the highest rain falls in many years.

MASL officials say so far the highest monthly rain fall recorded is 800 mm in July in Kenema, compared to 695.4 mm last year in Both.

Gabriel Kpaka, Deputy Director General at SLMA, told Politico that heavy downpours are expected in late August and September. 

By Hajaratu Kalokoh

The last set of a total of 900 hundred Muslim pilgrims expected to leave Sierra Leone for Saudi Arabia on Monday morning eventually left a  little latter than scheduled.

The pilgrimage which is known as “Hajj” is part of a compulsory rite for Muslims, where they will visit Mecca, Medina and Mina to perform rituals, all in the next three weeks.

The Sierra Leonean pilgrims will join millions of other Muslims from all over the world to perform these rites.