Author: gleanernewspaper

The U.S. Government, through the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA), awarded a grant to Africell Sierra Leone Limited (Africell) for a feasibility study to expand internet access to more than 95,000 individuals throughout Sierra Leone. The study will facilitate the expansion of Africell’s fibre backbone network nationwide and the complementary expansion of fixed broadband networks in up to 32 cities and towns. “USTDA is committed to expanding internet access across Africa in partnership with the private and public sectors,” said Enoh T. Ebong, USTDA’s Director. “Our Agency has a long history of partnering with African countries that are…

By Mohamed Kelfala Fofanah In what seems like the geopolitical switch from the Western World, Sierra Leone is fast embracing China and Russia. The People’s Republic of China and the Republic of Sierra Leone established diplomatic relations on July 29, 1971, but in recent times, the relationship has taken a sharp twist, with the Chinese on the verge of taking over every aspect of Sierra Leone’s economy. The Chinese now control Sierra Leone’s biggest economic asset, the mine, which has an estimated resources of 13.7 billion tonnes, was rolled over from China’s state-backed Shandong Iron & Steel Group, Kingho. Shandong bought the mine in 2015 but stopped operations when the Sierra Leone government cancelled its licence,…

Sierra Leone Minister of Trade and Industry, Honorable Ibrahim Alpha Sesay, has addressed the Fourth Turkiye Business and Economic Forum and has shared President Julius Maada Bio’s Big Five priority programmes. Minister Sesay was accompanied by His Excellency Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba, Sierra Leone Ambassador to Turkiye, senior members from the Ministry of Trade and Industry; and other players in the business community. He further told the Forum that the Parliament of Sierra Leone had ratified the trade agreement with Türkiye, adding that the agreement on the Exemption of Double Taxation would help eradicate trade barriers between the two countries; thereby…

The Republic of Korea has donated Information Technology (IT) equipment worth over $200, 000 to the Foreign Affairs Academy to help support the work of the Academy. The equipment was handed over to Ambassador Soulay Daramy, head of the Foreign Academy service by the Korean Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Ambassador Kim Young Chae, in the presence of the special envoy of the President of the Republic of Korea. H.E Mr Chung Hwang-keun. Ambassador Kim Young Chae, in his statement, applauded the establishment of the Foreign Service Academy and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for their exemplary work in fostering Sierra…

By Ibrahim Sorie Koroma Ministry of Health and Sanitation, in collaboration with its partners, on Friday 13th October 2023, engaged Paramount Chiefs from the Southern Region at the One World Link Conference Hall in Boy City, on the Sierra Leone 2023 ITNs Mass Distribution Campaign, scheduled to kick-start in Bo District, as a pilot. The main purpose of the engagement was to orientate traditional authorities from the south on the upcoming Insecticide Treated Mosquito Net Distribution Campaign, thereby soliciting their support and commitment to achieving the desired goal/outcome of the campaign and ensuring ownership, especially in the area of reviving/enforcing byelaws on…

By Augustine Sankoh Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) and partners held a three-day inception retreat on the rolling-out of a $40 million Global Partnership for Education (GPE) grant to implement the foundational learning for all projects (2023-2027). The retreat was held from the 10th to the 12th of October at The Place Resort, Tokeh, with the theme: “Accelerating government’s commitment to Education with focus on delivering foundational learning for all children.” The Board of the Global Partnership for Education (GPE) approved US$ 40 million in grants for Sierra Leone during their July meeting. The grants include a US$ 22.5…

NGOs across Africa and around the world will meet in Nairobi, Kenya, from 21-22 November 2023 to discuss sustainable peace and socio-economic development of the African continent. For too long, the realisation of peace and human development in Africa has been left in the hands of politicians. Despite the enormous contribution of African and international civil society, little has been achieved to realise sustainable peace and development across the continent. On this note, the African NGO Summit will be a meeting point for NGOs from across the continent and abroad, to converge on the socio-economic needs of the African continent.…

His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, received the report, with recommendations, from the committee that was commissioned in 2022 and mandated to investigate the extent, causes and implications of encroachment into the Western Area Peninsula National Park, WAPNP. Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, told President Bio that members of the committee were in his office to submit their report, adding that they discovered that there was a lot of human encroachment on the forest reserve area around Guma Valley Dam. He said the Greenbelt was first established in 1916 and was reviewed in 2013, but human activities had…

News from the Diaspora has intimated this medium that comes December 1st this year, there is likely going to be another big protest, which will impact government operations negatively, countrywide. In an interview with one of the organizers in the Diaspora, Humphrey Thomas, he disclosed that he is coming up with what he described as a ‘Pot Coba’ Protest to let the government know the challenges and frustration the masses are going through. He said that Sierra Leone has faced its fair share of economic, social, and political hardship under the current Bio administration. Freedom of speech and peaceful assembly have been…

The EU’s election observation mission to Sierra Leone on Tuesday 10th October 2023, highlighted statistical inconsistencies, intimidation and political violence in its final report on the June 24 Elections, recommending a string of measures to boost transparency, safety and freedom of expression. “Voters’ trust in the credibility of elections was undermined by (a) lack of transparency during critical stages of the process,” the mission said in the report, which it presented to President Julius Maada Bio on Tuesday. “Tabulation and announcement of results proved to be the tipping point for the credibility of the elections. The entire process was opaque,…