News

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay 

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has launched its annual Human Development Index Report (HDI Report) 2015 which exposes huge gender disparities in Sierra Leone.

The latest report which was launched on Thursday 10 March at the conference hall of the ministry of finance in Freetown showed huge gender inequality in the labor force globally, especially in terms of comparative earnings between men and women.

Members of Social Work Sierra Leone (SWSL), a community-based organisation, have hosted Sierra Leone’s first Social Work month celebration.

The occasion, held every March, is geared towards recognising those who have offered timeless efforts to social work globally.

This year’s global team is: “Social Work: Forging Solutions Out of Challenges.”

But SWSL carved its own theme: “Time for reflection in social work education and practice.”

In the biggest reshuffle since he named his first cabinet in 2007, President Ernest Bai Koroma has appointed nine newcomers: Finance, information, sport, local government, internal affairs, tourism, gender, and works and infrastructure all have new ministers. Among them three female ministers bringing the number to four.

His most trusted ally since his opposition days, Alpha Kanu has been replaced as information minister by Mohamed Bangura who recently resigned from his own UDM party to join the ruling APC party.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

Sierra Leone's telecoms regulator has fined Airtel US$ 1.2 million “for poor service delivery”. The fine must be paid within the next seven working days.

National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM) boss, Momoh Konte says the country's oldest mobile phone company has consistently failed to meet with international standards of mobile service provision.

He said he was positive the payment deadline would be met but that if it was not the commission would have to meet and pursue another course of action.

By Kemo Cham

Two Sierra Leonean filmmakers have been detained and face charges for producing a movie deemed offensive to the country's two largest ethnic groups, a police spokesman confirmed to Politico on Friday.

The movie, titled: ‘Tribal War: Mende vs Temne’, was produced by the Empire Movie Production which is based in Bo in the south of the country. The producer and the director of the controversial movie were detained about three days ago, according to sources familiar with the situation.

By Umaru Fofana

Police in Bo last night arrested the convicted war criminal and former Kamajor Director of War, Moinina Fofana exactly one year after he had been conditionally released from a Rwandan prison.

As we went to press he was being prepared to be taken to Freetown for detention at the facilities of the Residual Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Assistant Inspector General of Police Mustapha Kamara told Politico that he was arrested around 7:00 PM last night “without resistance”.

By Mohamed T Massaquoi

The International Women’s Day was celebrated globally on Tuesday 8 March but some civil society organisations have raised concerns about government’s commitment to meeting the needs of women.

They cited as proofs of their claims the deteriorating conditions of women in the district in general, as well as government’s indifference to their plight in terms of tackling domestic and other gender-based violence.