Author: gleanernewspaper

On July 24, 2025, His Excellency Ambassador Amara Sheikh Mohammed Sowa presented his letter of accreditation as Sierra Leone’s Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to President Donald J. Trump of the United States of America. Ambassador Amara Sowa delivered his Letters of Credence and Predecessor’s Recall to President Trump on behalf of His Excellency Rtd. Brigadier President Dr. Julius Maada Bio wishes President Trump continued good health and success in bettering the lives of Americans. Ambassador Sowa spoke about Sierra Leone’s century-long relationship with the United States. He informed President Trump that Sierra Leone’s ties to the United States go beyond…

The recent release of the National Primary School Examination (NPSE) results has raised concerns among educators, parents, and school administrators. Many stakeholders, particularly those involved in private primary schools, have expressed concerns about how accurately these results reflect the students’ true capabilities and potential. Administrators from long-established and reputable private schools, as well as discerning parents, have discovered a significant disparity between published NPSE results and their students’ consistent academic performance throughout the academic year. Given these disparities, Grade A secondary schools should consider implementing entrance exams. Such assessments would be a more reliable indicator of a student’s true academic…

President Dr. Julius Maada Bio welcomed Mr. Leonardo Santos Simão, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel (UNOWAS), who is in Sierra Leone for a working visit. Mr. Simão congratulated President Bio on his election as Chairman of ECOWAS and reaffirmed the UN’s commitment to supporting his tenure, despite ongoing regional challenges. “Mr. President, thank you for welcoming us. I am writing to express my heartfelt congratulations on your election as Chairman of ECOWAS. Your leadership comes at a critical juncture, as the region faces numerous complex challenges. Mr.…

Dr. Ibrahim Bangura As Sierra Leone prepares for the 2028 elections, the political atmosphere is charged with anticipation, particularly among supporters of the All Peoples Congress (APC) party. The APC is preparing for its national delegates’ convention and internal elections, as President Julius Maada Bio nears the end of his two-term tenure. Dr. Ibrahim Bangura, a prominent candidate vying for the party’s presidential ticket, is actively engaging with supporters to share his vision for the country’s future. In a recent public appearance in London, Dr. Bangura expressed his belief that the upcoming election is more than just a routine political event; it…

© UNICEF/Olivier Asselin-Young men work on a diamond mining site near Koidu, Sierra Leone. (file) Craters filled with muddy water pocket the landscape of the Kono district in Sierra Leone – the result of a blood diamond mining industry which contributed to a decade-long civil war. But now, parts of the land have been restored. Crops are beginning to flourish and bees are buzzing around once again. The people responsible for this change are a hodgepodge group – former taxi drivers and miners, people who barely finished secondary school and some with higher education degrees. The unifying factor? Most have youth on…

High Commissioner Lavahun and Dr. Musalia Mudavadi Dr. Musalia Mudavadi, Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs, welcomed His Excellency Peter K. Lavahun, Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner, and his diplomatic entourage to his Nairobi office today in a warm and productive meeting. High Commissioner Lavahun’s visit aimed to strengthen Sierra Leone and Kenya’s already strong diplomatic ties, sparking discussions on key areas of collaboration that have the potential to improve both countries’ socioeconomic and political relationships. As the meeting progressed, HE Lavahun expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Prime Cabinet Secretary for the warm reception extended…

Ahmed Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance, has officially taken over as Chairman of the Inter-Governmental Action Group Against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA). This transition occurred on July 19, 2025, at the GIABA Ministerial Meeting’s Extraordinary Session in Accra, Ghana. In his inaugural address, Minister Bangura expressed heartfelt gratitude to his predecessor, Hon. Lateef Olasunkanmi Fagbemi, SAN, who is currently Nigeria’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General. Bangura praised Fagbemi for his outstanding leadership and contributions to the organisation during his tenure. Minister Bangura, GIABA’s new Chairman, is committed to fostering collaboration among member states to…

Chief Justice Komba Kamanda and His Excellency Wang Qing The Honourable Chief Justice Komba Kamanda has successfully procured six motorcycles from His Excellency Wang Qing, the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, as part of a significant initiative to improve access to justice in Sierra Leone’s remote regions. This donation demonstrates the Chief Justice’s unwavering commitment to improving the efficiency of judicial services across the nation. During the official ceremony presenting the motorcycles, Ambassador Wang congratulated Chief Justice Kamanda on his recent appointment as Chairman of the Judicial Council of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). He expressed confidence that this…

The World Food Prize Foundation has established its first Youth Institute in Sierra Leone, advancing its mission to engage the next generation of leaders in food security across Africa. The inaugural program was held on July 14, 2025, and marks a significant step in the Foundation’s continental expansion of youth-focused initiatives. The Sierra Leone Youth Institute was held in Freetown, Sierra Leone in partnership with the Sierra Leone Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education and Njala University. “Bringing the Youth Institute model to Sierra Leone is part of a broader effort to…

Ambassador Anthony Navo Jr. and Africell CEO Mr. Shadi Gerjawi The highly anticipated Housemates Salone Season 4 officially began on Friday, July 18, 2025, with the announcement that the winner would receive SLE 1 million (or one billion in old Leones) and a fully paid trip to Dubai—the show’s largest star prize in history. First Lady Dr. Fatima Maada Bio launched the event at Chapter One Night Club & Restaurant in Freetown, calling for a cultural shift in Sierra Leone’s reality TV landscape, emphasising the importance of decency, dignity, and purpose-driven content. “Let us clean up the game of reality…