Author: gleanernewspaper

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…

Sierra Leone has taken a significant step forward in advancing Universal Health Coverage (UHC) by convening a high-level policy dialogue on the draft Sierra Leone Agency for Universal Health Coverage (SLAUHC) Bill. The Ministry of Health organised the one-day engagement in Freetown on May 6, 2025, with support from the World Health Organisation (WHO), which brought together over 60 senior leaders from the health sector, including ministers, directors, and technical heads. The proposed SLAUHC Bill envisions the creation of a dedicated agency to integrate and manage two major national health financing mechanisms: the Free Healthcare Initiative (FHCI) and the Sierra…

Sierra Leone, a nation endowed with abundant mineral wealth, finds itself embroiled in a land dispute that raises critical questions about governance, human rights, and the rule of law. The ongoing saga surrounding the Kasafoni land issue serves as a stark reminder of the delicate balance between economic development and the rights of local communities. Recent developments have intensified the urgency of this situation, revealing the complexities involved in addressing land rights in a post-conflict society. The Public Petition Committee was scheduled to meet recently to discuss pressing concerns regarding land claims made by the residents of Dansogoia, Sambaia, and…

The deputy managing director, Mr. Ini Ebong, recently made a major visit to FirstBank’s subsidiary in Sierra Leone, where he addressed staff members and reiterated the bank’s commitment to regional growth. Since June 2024, Mr. Ebong has served as DMD, bringing a wealth of experience from his previous roles as Executive Director of Treasury and International Banking and Group Executive in the same industry. Mr. Ebong said he was impressed by FirstBank Sierra Leone’s young and vibrant staff during his visit. He emphasised the vital role that employees play within the larger FirstBank Group and urged them to uphold the…

A $60 million investment deal with Kissy Industry Limited has been formally approved by the Parliament in a historic move that could drastically alter Sierra Leone’s economic situation. Announced in Freetown on July 10, 2025, this noteworthy development is a daring step towards industrial growth and economic revitalisation in the West African country. Building on the agreement’s initial presentation on July 3, the ratification came after a lengthy and passionate debate in Parliament. Signed earlier in January 2025, the agreement focuses on enhancing operations in the rapidly growing oil palm sector with the dual objectives of increasing job opportunities and…

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, has successfully negotiated a historic $5 million deal with China’s Diming Yimo Printing Company, marking a major step towards modernising the country’s printing industry. The goal of this historic agreement is to modernise the Government Printing Press and turn it into a cutting-edge, digital facility that can meet regional and national printing demands. A significant step forward in Sierra Leone’s continuous efforts to improve public infrastructure and raise the calibre of state printing services is the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which was signed during Minister Bah’s official visit to Beijing.…

In a significant diplomatic encounter, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone hosted a delegation from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID), led by President Dr. George Agyekum Donkor. Dr. Donkor praised President Bio for the favourable macroeconomic data seen in Sierra Leone during his administration during this courtesy visit to the president’s office in Freetown. “Every macroeconomic indicator has been performing well, Your Excellency. An indication of the success of your government. “Congratulations,” he said, reaffirming the bank’s commitment to promoting investment prospects in the area. To foster economic growth and development among the fifteen member…