Author: gleanernewspaper
Professor A.M. Alghali Chairman of the Tertiary Education Commission, Professor A.M Alghali, has called for an overhaul of Universities’ fee structure and availability of facilities for them to be sustainable. Prof Alghali pointed out that lack of adequate financing prevents universities from achieving their outlined mandates. “Frank discussions should be held on the area of fee structure to help our universities thrive and offer better services,” he stressed. While responding to students who raised concerns on the area of paying other charges, alleging their diversion to other areas by the university for specific items, the TEC Chairman described it as…
OHCHR concluded a one-day regional dialogue on 25 September 2024, with recommendations for effective independence, collaboration, accountability, capacity building, and the setting up of regional networks of anti-corruption institutions, human rights commissions, and civil society organizations in Liberia, Sierra Leone, and beyond. Welcoming the participants, OHCHR’s Representative, Christian Mukosa, stated that the focus of the Dialogue, among other things, was to put in place strategies on how corruption’s adverse effects on the enjoyment of human rights can be addressed collaboratively, and to “seek opinions and best practices to have human rights and anti-corruption institutions actively participating in accountability mechanisms, including…
Joseph Nganga, Vice President for Africa at the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAAP), paid a courtesy call on President Julius Maada Bio in New York. Facilitated by PI-CREF, the meeting provided an opportunity to talk about progress in the country’s energy sector. The meeting included Chief Minister, David Sengeh, Minister of Finance, Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, PI-CREF’s Pete Kaindaneh, Chief Technical Adviser and Anthony Kamara, PI-CREF Director of Partnerships, Communications and Outreach. Nganga, who was previously Executive Director, of Power & Climate Africa at The Rockefeller Foundation, confirmed that GEAAP is excited to come back to Sierra Leone…
Engineer Hadji Dabo, the Director General of the National Minerals Agency (NMA) and Minister of Mines and Minerals Resources, Julius Mattai Recent revelations have sparked significant concerns regarding the operations of the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources and the National Minerals Agency (NMA) in Sierra Leone, suggesting that undisclosed agreements with mining companies are being conducted without public knowledge. The situation came to light following the announcement by an American company, Elektros (OTC PINK: ELEK), which has recently signed a lease agreement for a lithium mining project in the country. On August 22, 2024, Elektros, recognized as an emerging…
One of the most significant stories ahead of the annual gathering of world leaders at the United Nations this week is the United States’ recent announcement that it supports expanding the permanent members of the U.N. Security Council to include two seats for African countries. It’s a remarkable and long-overdue breakthrough to give Africa the stronger voice that our nations deserve on the world stage. If other countries – specifically the five permanent members of the council – follow suit, this urgently needed change will make the Security Council more relevant and responsive to the world we live in today. Since its…
The National Revenue Authority (NRA) on Saturday, 21st September 2024, hosted its annual general staff meeting at the Freetown International Conference Centre at Aberdeen, Freetown. The theme of this year’s meeting was “One Team, One Vision” and was aimed at updating the general staff on the Authority’s revenue collection performance for the first half of 2024, discussing strategies for achieving future targets and inspiring the team for the good of their mandate. Out of the nearly 850 staff, members across departments, units and from the field offices, participated in the one-day event. It will be recalled that this is the…
By Megan Cornell To celebrate this year’s International Day of Peace, the Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies invited Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, to speak on his career trajectory and experience working for peace in Sierra Leone. Every year as part of their annual Peace Day celebration, the Kroc Institute honors a Notre Dame graduate cultivating peace globally with the Distinguished Alumni Award. Bah, who received his master’s in international peace studies from Notre Dame in 2011, is this year’s award recipient. Associate Director for alumni relations, Anne Hayner, praised Bah for his work…
By Mohamed K. Fofanah On Monday, September 23, 2024, a PI-CREF team led by the initiative’s chairman, Hon. Dr. Kandeh Yumkella, is in New York as part of the Sierra Leonean delegation to the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The team includes Mr. Peter M. Kaindaneh – Chief Technical Advisor and Mr. Anthony Kamara, Director of Partnerships, Communications and Outreach. Among other bilateral meetings and high-level engagements, the team joined Chairman Yumkella in representing Sierra Leone as co-chair of the Alliance of Champions for Food Systems Transformation along with Norwegian Minister of Development- Anne Beathe Tvinnereim.…
By Mohamed K. Fofanah In a poignant address reflecting on Sierra Leone’s tumultuous history, President Julius Maada Bio emphasized the importance of dialogue, vigilance, and international support in the nation’s journey from the depths of a brutal civil war to a hard-won peace. He credited organizations such as the United Nations (UN) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) for their pivotal roles in fostering this stability. As President Bio highlighted, Sierra Leone’s experiences inform its contributions to the UN Security Council, where it advocates for the respect of international law, the protection of civilians, and the necessity…
The National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) has officially concluded the search and rescue operations at the collapsed seven-storey building at 57 Bai Bureh Road, Shell New Road, which tragically collapsed on September 16th, 2024, between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. The NDMA responded swiftly to the incident, coordinating efforts among various government agencies, NGOs, and private sector partners to expedite recovery efforts and assist those trapped beneath the rubble. A total of 24 individuals were recovered, with 16 fatalities, including children under the ages of five and ten, teenagers, and adults. Fortunately, eight survivors were rescued, including children under five,…