News

By Hassan J. Koroma in Bo & Prince J. Musa in Kenema

Sierra Leone’s electricity situation is again on the spotlight with a major power crisis ongoing in the southern city of Bo and Kenema in the east.

The two cities are among the three largest in the country outside the capital Freetown, and are currently battling incessant power outages which have affected businesses and led to a rise in crime.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

The Independent Police Complaint Board (IPCB) has accused the Assistant Inspector General of Police North-East of contempt and misconduct following a complaint brought against him.

Ambrose Sovula, who is also accused of disrespectful behavior towards the IPBC, has been reported to the police leadership over his conduct towards investigations against members of his division.

By Umaru Fofana

Sierra Leone’s former foreign affairs minister, Zainab Bangura has been awarded an honorary Doctorate of Law degree by the prestigious Syracuse University in New York.

This is the fifth such degree awarded to Mrs Bangura who also served as health minister before her appointment by the former United Nations Secretary General as his Special Representative on Sexual Violence in Conflict.

By Kemo Cham

As yet another discouraging sign for the mining sector, the owners of the only cargo train in Sierra Leone have announced that they will cut down on the number of locomotives running through it.

The 2.24MW locomotives, which were once used to haul iron on the 200km rail line from the Tonkolili mine to the Port of Pepel in Port Loko, was constructed by the defunct African Minerals Limited, which has since been acquired by the Chinese steel manufacturing giant, Shandong Iron and Steel Group (SISG).

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay & Hajaratu Kalokoh

The widow of former president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah says she and her husband suffered unimaginably after his retirement in 2007.

Isatu Kabbah aka IJ told Politico that her husband waited for two years to receive his retirement benefits.

The Catholic Archbishop of Freetown says it is unacceptable to engage in post-communion fund-raising activities “that go on for an unduly long time than is prescribed by the liturgical norms.”

In a letter to Priests in charge of Catholic Communities and Chaplains, Archbishop Edward Tamba Charles has urged them to stop fundraising activities like “pin a friend, person of the year competitions accompanied by collections and unveiling with collection”, describing them as an “abuse of the mass”.

By Kemo Cham

The Titanium miner Sierra Rutile has defended the planned expansion of its operations in Sierra Leone in the face of opposition by rights campaigners over its social and environmental implications.

Sierra Rutile is seeking a partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) to embark on the expansion in two separate operational areas in Bonthe and Moyamba, the two districts where it operates in the country.