Author: gleanernewspaper

Conex Energy Limited, one of the leading Oil Marketing Companies ( OMCs) in Sierra Leone, on 25th April 2024, officially commissioned the Freetown International Airport Depot. Speaking at the ceremony, the Managing Director for Conex Energy, Avrajit Kar, applauded the collaboration of all relevant stakeholders within the Downstream Sector, noting that it’s timely for Airport Aviation to have their depot with adequate products so that passengers travelling abroad will not be constrained when it comes to the availability of petroleum products. The Acting Director of License and Inspection, Mr Jayah K Muana, while speaking on behalf of the Executive Chairman…

By Brian Roach, American International School of Freetown The more engaging an online program can be and the more human contact it offers, the better it’s going to be for the students. The American International School of Freetown in Sierra Leone (AISF) has 90 students between the ages of three and 19, seven teachers and a director–an all-encompassing administrative role that is common in small international schools in Africa. AISF does not have a certified high school but does have 11 high school-aged students who have no other options for international education in town. So, our school has been offering them…

There has been a lot of hue and cry over the Sierra Leone passport as to whether it is biometric or not, as well as confusion over who issues it. This confusion and misinterpretation by people who are bent on painting the company in a bad light prompted Netpage to make the following clarification Netpage is operating as the financier, while the company that prints the passport is HID. Thus, it is a tripartite arrangement, with the government on the one part providing the design of the passport they want HID to print, Netpage providing the finance and HID doing…

Dr. Isata Bendu Mahoi, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs By: Kingsley Ighobor Sierra Leone’s Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs, Dr Isata Bendu Mahoi, recently participated in the 68th session of the Commission on the State of Women (CSW) at the UN headquarters in New York. She shared insights with Africa Renewal’s Kingsley Ighobor on her empowerment initiatives, the challenges she faces as a political figure, and her message to young women across Africa. The following are excerpts from the interview: Africa Renewal: What best practices you would you like to share with other countries regarding your government’s work to empower women? Dr. Mahoi: Everybody…

In a world where corporate social responsibility has become a vital aspect of business operations, China Railway Seventh Group (CRSG) reaffirms its dedication to supporting the economic and social development of Sierra Leone, and in this regard initiated the following projects in communities along the Wellington-Masiaka Highway corridor: Parking lot, Solar light, Traffic light, Market, and also support for community development. Since its inception in Sierra Leone in 2007, CRSG has consistently displayed exemplary corporate governance and a steadfast commitment to fulfilling its social responsibilities, setting a benchmark for international enterprises operating in the country. Responsible to Partners CRSG’s…

On Monday 29 April 2024, His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio attended a two-day International Development Association of Heads of State summit (IDA21), to discuss key priorities for financing in Africa and championing ambitious financing replenishment that will support transformational development objectives in the region. Host President, His Excellency William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto, welcomed his colleagues and established that the summit was aimed at asserting to IDA donors and other partners the critical priority areas for development financing in Africa, in particular, and requesting them to consider a significantly higher level of funding for the IDA21 cycle to…

Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura,  Alhaji Kanja Sesay,   Joe-Lahai Sormana   The recent blackout crisis in Freetown has brought to light the underlying tensions and power struggles within the government, particularly between the Finance Minister, Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, and the outgoing Energy Minister, Alhaji Kanja Sesay. There was a deliberate attempt to undermine Alhaji Kanja Sesay and push him out of his position, amidst the chaos of the week-long blackout. The Finance Ministry’s delayed release of funds to the management of Karpowership, only after Alhaji Kanja Sesay resigned, raises suspicions of sabotage. The swift payment of US$ 17m to Karpowership and US$1.5m to TRANSCO-CLSG following his resignation is seen as a tactic to remove one of President Bio’s most loyal ministers from his position. Alhaji Kanja Sesay, who has been a dedicated and effective minister for almost six years, was made a scapegoat for the government’s failure to address the energy crisis. The recent blackout crisis in Freetown has brought to light the underlying tensions and power struggles within the government, particularly between the Finance Minister, Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, and the outgoing Energy Minister, Alhaji Kanja Sesay. There was a deliberate attempt to undermine Alhaji Kanja Sesay and push him out of his position, amidst the chaos of the week-long blackout. The Finance Ministry’s delayed release of funds to the management of Karpowership, only after Alhaji Kanja Sesayresigned, raises suspicions of sabotage. The swift payment of US$ ofUS$17m to Karpowership and US$1.5m to TRANSCO-CLSG following his resignation is seen as a tactic to remove one of President Bio’s most loyal ministers from his position. Alhaji Kanja Sesay, who has been a dedicated and effective minister for almost six years, was made a scapegoat for the government’s failure to address the energy crisis. There are underlying power struggles and undermining games at play within the Bio administration. Alhaji Kanja’s resignation has left a void in the government, as he was known for his leadership and commitment to improving the energy sector. His departure has raised questions about the government’s handling of the crisis and the motives behind the delayed release of funds. Moving forward, the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Energy, and EDSA must work together to address the root causes of the energy crisis and ensure a sustainable and reliable energy supply for the people of Sierra Leone. Reforms are needed to improve the financial viability of the energy sector and prevent future crises from occurring. The government must learn from the events that transpired during the blackout crisis, and take steps to prevent similar situations in the future. Alhaji Kanja Sesay’s legacy as a dedicated and effective minister should not be overshadowed by the political games and power struggles within the government. His contributions to the energy sector have been significant, and his departure is a loss for the people of Sierra Leone. The government’s undermining of Alhaji Kanja Sesay during the blackout crisis highlights the need for transparency, accountability, and unity within the government. The focus should be on addressing the root causes of the crisis and working towards a sustainable energy supply for the people of Sierra Leone. The legacy of Alhaji Kanja Sesay should be honoured, and his dedication to public service should serve as an example for future leaders in the government.

In a significant milestone for infrastructure development in Sierra Leone, the Wellington-Masiaka Highway has emerged as the key that opens the gate of the PPP (Public-Private Partnership) model in the country. This toll road project has not only bolstered economic and social connectivity between urban and rural areas but has also paved the way for enterprises to actively participate in Sierra Leone’s infrastructure construction sector through the PPP model. The successful implementation and operation of the 62-kilometre Wellington-Masiaka Highway marks a turning point in the economic and trade cooperation between China and Sierra Leone. The highway has vastly improved the condition of Sierra…

On 16 April, the Ambassadors of the European Union, Germany and Ireland, Manuel Müller, Jens Kraus-Massé and Aidan Fitzpatrick, held a press lunch with journalists from several Sierra Leonean media outlets, including print and online newspapers, radio and TV, to share updates on the partnership and development cooperation activities of the EU, Germany and Ireland with Sierra Leone. Team Europe Ambassadors explained the priority issues and sectors of EU, German and Irish partnerships and development cooperation with the country, the activities recently implemented, and the new initiatives to be implemented soon. They underlined that the European Union and European Union Member States…

By Walter Sánchez Silva Bishop Natale Paganelli, 66, arrived as a Xaverian missionary in 2005 in Sierra Leone. In an interview with the Catholic magazine Omnes posted on April 25, he noted that the majority of Catholic priests in that African country are sons of Muslims. “Most priests are sons of Muslims. Why? Because of the schools,” explained the prelate of Italian origin, who also spent 22 years in Mexico and was apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Makeni in Sierra Leone from 2012–2023. “When the Xaverians arrived, they used a very interesting strategy. Since there were almost no schools in the country’s north, they…