News

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

The nationwide airborne survey being of Sierra Leone’s mineral resource base has been suspended due to weather condition, officials of the National Minerals have said.

The airborne survey, which is being conducted by the South African firm Xcalibur Airborne Geophysics (XAG), is part of implementation of the second phase of a World Bank funded Extractive Industries Technical Assistance project.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

Political leaders from across Africa have praised late President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah’s legacy of peace and democracy. Several leaders participated in talks and gave speeches all highlighting the achievements of the former President during the launch of a foundation in his memory.

The Ahmad Tejan Kabbah Foundation for Peace and Democracy was launched over the weekend in the presence of hundreds of guests at the Bintumani conference center in Freetown.

By Kemo Cham

A spokesman for the Sierra Leone Police has confirmed that they prevented opposition leader Samuel Sam-Sumana from entering Port Loko on Sunday because he didn't have clearance to do so.

Sam-Sumana, a former Vice President and former presidential candidate of the C4C party in last year’s election, was visiting the northern town on Sunday evening when he and his entourage were prevented from entering.

He was reportedly scheduled to watch a football match at the Old Port Loko Mini Stadium.

By Prince J. Musa in Kenema

The international medical charity, Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) hopes to help cut down on Sierra Leone’s high maternal and infant mortality with the construction of a 63-bed capacity hospital in the eastern Kenema District.

The facility was inaugurated on Friday at a ceremony marking the conclusion of the first phase of a project that is designed to cater for both babies and mothers in a country with some of the worst healthcare facilities.

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

The main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party has appealed for the Sierra Leone government to ensure foreign judges preside over its appeals hearing against last month’s ruling that stripped it of its parliamentary majority.

The ruling by two separate High Court judges on May 31 unseated 10 APC MPs, with nine of the seats handed to the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and one declared vacant for a bye-election. The development gave the SLPP a one-seat majority, with 58, against APC’s 57 seats.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

Testimonies at the onging Commission of Inquiry in Sierra Leone have revealed that former president Ernest Bai Koroma approved a total of Le 6.1 billion as payment for terminal benefits for all 34 staff of the Petroleum Directorate. This money was paid in 2018 despite most of the staff still working at the Directorate.

This is the first time President Koroma has directly been tied to any investigation at any of the three Commissions which are investigating the activities of his administration from 2007 to 2018.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

Three former African heads of state, including Ernest Bai Koroma, have confirmed their attendance at the impending launch of the Ahmad Tejan Kabba Foundation, the organizers have said.

Former Liberian leader and Africa’s first female President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo have both confirmed their names on the guest list of the event slated for this weekend.

The event is scheduled for Sunday, June 15 at the Bitumani International Conference Center in Freetown.