Author: gleanernewspaper

On January 16, 2026, President Dr Julius Maada Bio formally opened the new National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) District Office in Moyamba. He described the establishment as a significant step toward increasing social protection, decentralising public services, and encouraging inclusive development outside of Freetown. The President told attendees at the commissioning ceremony that the Moyamba office embodies his administration’s commitment to bringing essential services closer to the people, particularly workers in rural and provincial communities who are critical to Sierra Leone’s economy. “This structure is more than just bricks and mortar,” President Bio declared. “It is about dignity,…

On Friday, December 12, 2025, Lyrical Three, a talented trio of young women, was crowned the overall winner of the EU-Ballanta Academy Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Singing Competition, which featured music, youth activism, and a powerful call to end gender-based violence. The group won the grand prize of NLe 30,000, with first and second runners-up Alie Baminhoma and Othman Tao receiving NLe 20,000 and NLe 10,000, respectively. All three winners were also awarded full scholarships to study music at the Ballanta Academy of Music and Performing Arts.The competition, organised as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence…

Following a devastating fire that destroyed Voice of Youth Radio 107.1 FM in Songo on January 9 and rendered it completely inoperable, the Sierra Leone Broadcasters Association (SiLBA) visited the station in solidarity on Friday, January 16, 2026. In order to assess immediate needs, comfort staff and the larger Songo community, and spread a nationwide call for help to restore the community’s essential radio service, the delegation travelled to Songo.Andrew Koroma, proprietor of Kiss 104 FM in Bo and Board Chairman of the Independent Radio Network (IRN), welcomed the SiLBA team and spoke on behalf of Voice of Youth Radio…

On January 17, 2026, A group of heads of state and other prominent international figures attended President Mamady Doumbouya’s inauguration at the Stade Général Lansana Conté in Conakry, including His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio. After a period of political transition, President Doumbouya was elected, took the oath of office, and reaffirmed Guinea’s commitment to democratic governance and the constitutional order in his inaugural speech.President Doumbouya promised in his speech to support inclusive policies with a focus on the roles of women and youth, maintain the rule of law, and fortify democratic institutions. Additionally, he pledged to strengthen Guinea’s…

President Julius Maada Bio President Julius Maada Bio has directed his cabinet to move quickly from policy to results, urging ministers to implement policies that will result in visible improvements in Sierra Leoneans’ daily lives. Speaking at a cabinet retreat and presiding over the first ministerial meeting of 2026, the President reiterated the themes of his New Year’s address, in which he declared 2026 to be a decisive Year of Action.  “My message to all Ministers is unequivocal: this must be a year of decisive action—one in which we not only accelerate our country’s progress but also implement meaningful steps that will significantly impact Sierra…

Freetown, January, 2026 — In an attempt to deepen and broaden bilateral relations between the two nations, Amb. Zhao Yong, the recently accredited ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Sierra Leone, paid a courtesy call on Rt. Hon. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas on Tuesday. The ambassador called the visit a significant step in reviving and strengthening cooperative relations, and it demonstrated Beijing’s ongoing interest in collaborating with Sierra Leone in a variety of fields.Ambassador Zhao began by thanking the warm reception he received and congratulating Sierra Leone on its development progress. He framed his mission around the Sierra…

Dr Sheku Ibrahim Conteh has been appointed as Acting Registrar immediately by the University of Management and Technology (UNIMTECH). This is a strategic move by University Management to strengthen the institution’s operational efficacy and administrative leadership.Dr Conteh has a long and illustrious history as an academic, administrator, and public servant with a wealth of knowledge in public governance, higher education administration, and development practice in Sierra Leone and abroad. He worked directly with student services, academic support, and campus life while serving as UNIMTECH’s Deputy Dean of Student Affairs and Lecturer in Development Studies before this appointment. In his previous…

Sheikh Alie Kallay: +23278586554. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia concluded a historic International Qur’anic Competition in Sierra Leone under the sponsorship of its Ministry of Islamic Affairs, Da’awah & Guidance. This was the first time the well-known competition was held outside of Saudi Arabia and in West Africa. To compete in four categories—memorisation of the entire Qur’an with Tafseer, memorising the entire Qur’an, memorising half of the Qur’an, and memorising one-third of the Qur’an—25 finalists were gathered at the Ghadahfi Mosque in November 2025. Competitors competed for significant cash prizes. The grand prize winner received US$6,000, while other prize winners…

On January 12-13, 2026, the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA) hosted senior representatives from the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office (UKHO) and the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) for a high-level working visit, a significant step forward in the country’s efforts to strengthen hydrographic capacity, maritime safety, and port operations.The two-day engagement served a dual strategic purpose. The UKHO delegation returned to assess progress on Sierra Leone’s Hydrographic Action Plan (HAP), a nationally endorsed roadmap created following the National Hydrographic Governance Workshop, which SLMA hosted with UKHO facilitation in March 2025. At the same time, an IHO official took advantage of the…

Freetown, January 2026 — Sierra Leone and the Islamic Military Counter Terrorism Coalition (IMCTC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Tuesday and launched an IMCTC strategic initiative at the Freetown International Conference Centre (Bintumani). The agreement and accompanying programme are intended to strengthen West Africa’s capacity to prevent and respond to terrorism, with a focus on training, intelligence cooperation, and counter-terrorist financing measures.The MOU, signed by Sierra Leone’s security sector’s Chief of Defence Staff Lieutenant General Amara Idara Bangura and the IMCTC’s Major General Mohammed bin Saeed Al-Moghedi, establishes a multifaceted partnership. It intends to train Sierra Leone’s defence…