Author: gleanernewspaper

To finalise instruments for the upcoming Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS), Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has started a four-day questionnaire review and adaptation workshop in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and with technical assistance from ICF. The workshop, which takes place at the Swiss Hotel in Babadorie Junction, Lumley, brings together a variety of stakeholders, technical experts, and industry representatives tasked with making sure the survey questionnaires are appropriate and prepared for national deployment.Lansana Kpewolo Kanneh, Deputy Statistician General of Statistics Sierra Leone, opened the event by stating that the organisation is prepared to conduct…

On March 11, 2026, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) partnered with the Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (SLANGO) to continue the NGO Open Information Initiative, with public presentations by BRAC Sierra Leone, AVSI Foundation, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). The session, held at the MoPED Conference Hall in Tower Hill, Freetown, was part of a long-term effort to improve transparency, accountability, and coordination throughout Sierra Leone’s development sector.The Open Information Initiative enables non-governmental organisations in the country to share annual work plans, funding sources, geographic coverage, implementation strategies, and impact evidence. The MoPED initiative…

The Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington, D.C., welcomed Sierra Leoneans of both Muslim and Christian faiths to a Ramadan Iftar in the Chancery Hall on March 12, 2026, in an event that emphasised unity, faith, and a renewed call for diaspora support for the homeland.His Excellency Amara Mohamed Sheikh Sowa, Ambassador to the United States, welcomed attendees and reminded them of President Bio’s mandate to strengthen ties between Sierra Leoneans in the United States. Ambassador Sowa stated that cultivating quality relationships in the diaspora is an important part of his mission and urged attendees to stay connected to and…

Dr Ibrahim Bangura (DIB) The All People’s Congress (APC), Sierra Leone’s main opposition party, is increasingly rallying around Dr Ibrahim Bangura (DIB) as its preferred presidential candidate for the 2028 election, convinced that he provides the most direct path to ousting the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). Following Dr Samura Kamara’s two unsuccessful presidential bids, senior APC officials are now arguing that a younger, more dynamic candidate will better capture the electorate’s desire for change. Party insiders say the decision is based on both political strategy and public sentiment. Many APC members see Dr Bangura as a “clean slate,” untainted…

March 2026, streets in Mabayla, Doff Cut, and Kossoh Town swelled with residents who turned out in unprecedented numbers to welcome Dr Ibrahim Bangura, a candidate for the All Peoples Congress flagbearer position. The day was notable not only for the size of the crowds, but also for the clear presence of women at the reception — a powerful statement of grassroots energy and community solidarity.Women filled the main thoroughfares and community halls, taking the lead in organising the welcome. They greeted Dr Bangura with lively songs, coordinated dances, and rhythmic chants that echoed throughout the neighbourhoods. Their spirited presence…

On Thursday, His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio paid a courtesy call to Archbishop Nicolas Duncan-Williams, the renowned Ghanaian religious leader and Founder and General Overseer of Action Chapel International, at State House in Freetown. Archbishop Duncan-Williams is in Sierra Leone from March 5-7 to lead a three-day national revival crusade for his “Global Prayer Works” initiative, whose theme this year is “Breakthrough Unseen Barriers.”Introducing the delegation, Akintayo Sam Jolly, President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Sierra Leone, thanked President Bio for granting the audience and expressed gratitude for the respect and cooperation that religious leaders have received under…

The Republic of Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom and other accredited nations, His Excellency Dr Morie Komba Manyeh, attended the 26th Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers Meeting (CFAMM) on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at Lancaster House in London. Ministers and high-ranking delegates from all over the Commonwealth came together to discuss common history, honour group accomplishments, and address current institutional, regional, and international issues. Under the theme “unlocking opportunities together for shared prosperity,” this year’s meeting offered a forum for strategic discussion, hands-on participation, and initiatives to fortify member state partnerships. During his intervention, High Commissioner Manyeh called…

Freetown, Thursday, March, 2026 — The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay, today convened a high-level medico-legal engagement that brought together medical practitioners, prosecutors, and investigators to improve Sierra Leone’s coordinated response to sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). The meeting aimed to close gaps between the health and justice sectors and ensure that clinical evidence is used effectively in investigations and prosecutions.The forum provided a structured space for discussion of the practical challenges that frontline clinicians and legal actors face. Participants investigated how to standardise medical notes, injury documentation, evidence collection, and chain-of-custody procedures so that reports generated…

Sierra Leone has been awarded the hosting rights for the 3rd UN Tourism Regional Forum on Gastronomy Tourism for Africa, a significant diplomatic and development achievement for the West African country. The event will take place in Freetown from December 2-4, 2026, following an agreement reached on the first day of ITB Berlin, the world’s leading travel trade show.Sierra Leone was chosen following a high-level meeting between the Sierra Leonean delegation, led by Mrs Nabeela Tunis, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, and the leadership of UN Tourism (formerly UNWTO), represented by Madam Elsia Grancourt, the organisation’s Regional Director for…

Sky Bank Sierra Leone’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) efforts included donating a variety of essential supplies to mothers and newborns at Oladuring Children’s Hospital in honour of International Women’s Day. The contribution, which included diapers, baby wipes, sanitary pads, buckets, and other baby-care items, was intended to provide practical assistance to vulnerable families while also commemorating International Women’s Day, which recognises women’s roles and rights.Fatmata Suma, Head of Corporate Communication at Sky Bank, presented the items to hospital staff, saying the bank was delighted to commemorate the occasion by assisting mothers and their newborn babies. Suma explained that the initiative…