Author: gleanernewspaper

President Julius Maada Bio and Segepoh Solomon Thomas Parliament passed the Constitution of Sierra Leone (Amendment) Act, 2025, on 10 August 2026, generating heated political and legal debate, with opponents arguing that it was flawed, even unlawful. The bill, which passed after an opposition walkout and heated debate, would change several key aspects of Sierra Leone’s electoral and political systems. Opponents say President Julius Maada Bio would be complicit in what they describe as an illegitimate enactment if he signs the measure into law. Main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) lawmakers staged a walkout during the vote, accusing the government of not following…

A delegation led by Minister of Youth Affairs, Ibrahim Sannoh, called on His Excellency Saud Mushabbab Al-Musa’e, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the Republic of Sierra Leone. The engagement was part of the Ministry’s continuous efforts to broaden international partnerships that provide practical opportunities for the youth of Sierra Leone. Minister Sannoh was joined by Deputy Minister Patrick Gibrilla; Permanent Secretary Dr Philip Kargbo; Director of Programs Mr James Bondeva Sandi; and Director of Policy and Research Mr Marlon Bockarie, Esq. The delegation and the Ambassador discussed several possible areas of bilateral cooperation in youth development, including…

The Sierra Leone Association of Hotels has launched a five-day professional training program for hotel and restaurant employees at the Wusum Hotel in Makeni. Over 50 people from hotels, guest houses, bars, and restaurants throughout the Northern Region are taking part. The course focuses on practical skills for kitchen staff, front desk officers, and housekeepers to help them deliver better service on a daily basis.The sessions are being led by Jean Paul Hubert of France, an internationally experienced hospitality trainer hired by the Association. Mr Hubert, who has over 50 years of experience in the hospitality industry spanning multiple continents,…

The Sierra Leone High Commission joined members of the Sierra Leonean and diaspora communities in London on August 29, 2026, for the Count Down Community Sports Day, a lively family event held at Southwark Park Sports & Athletics Centre. The Count Down Community organised the day, which included friendly competition, cultural exchange, and community-building activities. Alumni associations, charities, businesses, social groups, and families from all over the UK attended.Participants participated in a variety of sporting events and recreational activities aimed at encouraging participation, healthy living, and stronger community ties. Athletics on the track were accompanied by music, food, and cultural…

JEDDAH, August 27, 2026 – Sierra Leone’s new Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, took advantage of the 23rd Extraordinary Session of the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, in Jeddah, to advocate for stronger economic ties with Saudi Arabia, calling on the Kingdom’s private sector to explore investment opportunities in Sierra Leone and the wider West African market, less than one month into his tenure.On the side-lines of the OIC session, Minister Swaray held discussions with H.E. Eng. Waleed bin Abdulkarim Al-Khuraiji, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to map out…

Higher Education Minister Hon. Dr. Haja Ramatulai Wurie, speaking at a Special Edition Civic Town Hall in Freetown, Wednesday, August 26, 2026, said the integrity and quality of Sierra Leone’s higher education system must be actively defended. Dr Wurie, speaking to the audience at the Miatta Civic Center during an event organized by the Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, strongly called for more stringent verification of academic qualifications, increased use of online resources, and stronger institutional controls to curb emerging threats to quality education.The theme was “How Do We Address the Threats to Quality Education in Sierra…

By: Francis Kargbo, Media Relations Intern. Africell Sierra Leone’s CEO, Shadi Gerjawi has reiterated that the telecommunications provider always puts customers first in all its decisions and that user satisfaction is the true test of any product. Speaking to participants of the company’s Customer Experience (ACE) Media Tour, Gerjawi said that as customer needs evolve, Africell must be agile and responsive by engaging directly with communities across the country. Gerjawi said the company’s customer-centric strategy is well established, not a recent pivot. “For the last five years, Africell teams have been doing regular outreach and the ACE program is just…

President Julius Maada Bio The impact of Julius Maada Bio on the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone is over decades, and three critical interventions defined the country’s constitutional trajectory. President Joseph Saidu Momoh promulgated the 1991 Constitution, which restored multi-party democracy, established a separation of powers, and enshrined fundamental rights in its 192 sections. But Mr Bio’s actions – as a member of the National Provisional Ruling Council (NPRC) that suspended the constitution in 1992, as a military head of state who organised elections and restored constitutional rule in 1996, and now as an elected president leading a process to amend the constitution in 2026 have…

His Excellency Ambassador Sadiq Silla, Ambassador-Designate of the Republic of Sierra Leone to the Republic of Sudan (non-resident) presented Copies of his Letters of Credence to the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Sudan, Ambassador Muji Al-Din Salem, in Khartoum on 23rd August 2026. The formal presentation of these documents is a customary and significant prelude to Ambassador Silla’s planned presentation of the full Letters of Credence to His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan President of the Transitional Sovereignty Council of the Republic of Sudan. The ceremony is a demonstration of Sierra Leone’s commitment to strengthening the…

The EU Delegation to Sierra Leone said on Tuesday that the European Union has announced €175,000 in humanitarian funding to help people affected by severe flooding in Sierra Leone, citing the European External Action Service (EEAS). The grant will be channelled through the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, a mechanism for rapid financing that is triggered when a national Red Cross or Red Crescent society responds to an emergency. The funding will enable the Sierra Leone Red Cross Society to provide immediate relief to some 5,100 people in 27…