Author: gleanernewspaper
Octopus Energy’s generation arm, in partnership with Idris Elba, has kicked off its first renewables project in Africa, a pioneering wind farm on Sherbro Island in Sierra Leone. The company announced this milestone at this year’s World Climate Conference (COP29), which is currently taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan, and brings together governments, businesses and other stakeholders to negotiate global climate strategies and policies. Octopus has submitted detailed plans to Sierra Leone’s government. The company is aiming to start construction of the wind farm – up to five turbines, complete with solar panels and battery storage – next year. The wind…
Deputy Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay Deputy Minister of Justice Alpha Sesay has affirmed the government’s resolute commitment to tackling money laundering and other financial crimes. Speaking at the weekly government press briefing held on Tuesday, November 12, 2024, at the Ministry of Energy conference room on Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown, Deputy Minister Sesay emphasised the collaborative efforts underway to enhance financial crime investigation and enforcement in Sierra Leone. In his address to journalists, Deputy Minister Sesay highlighted that the Office of the Attorney General and the Ministry of Justice are working closely with the Financial Intelligence Agency (FIA) to…
The Africell Impact Foundation, in collaboration with the Royal Botanic Gardens, recently organised a public lecture for students from the Department of Biological Sciences at Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone. The event, themed “Navigating the Future: Ensuring the Resilience of Trees in an Evolving Climate,” aimed to empower students with insights into climate resilience and urban biodiversity. Targeting FBC’s Biological Sciences students, the workshop featured a presentation from Kevin Martin, Head of Tree Collection at Kew Gardens—a globally recognised centre for the study of trees and plants. Martin explained how urbanisation is altering local climates, emphasising the…
Deputy Minister of Health 1, Dr. Charles Senesie, commissioned the newly installed solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and batteries in 25 community health centres and clinics in Sierra Leone. He cut the ribbons on Jenner Wright Clinic’s new energy system, symbolically celebrating the life-saving electricity access in all 25 facilities as part of the second phase of the Sierra Leone Healthcare Electrification Project. Phase 3 of the project was unveiled with plans to install solar power in 11 more hospitals in Sierra Leone. This momentous occasion was followed by the unveiling of the third phase, which will electrify 11 other hospitals…
On Tuesday, 12 November 2024, a 20-man Presidential delegation from the Republic of Gambia visited Sierra Leone to learn from the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) about Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS). The head of the delegation is Madam Juldeh Ceesay, Deputy Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs. They came to Sierra Leone to gain insight into the accomplishments of NCRA and Sierra Leone. In his statement, the Director General of NCRA, Mr. Mohamed Mubashir MASSAQUOI, welcomed the delegation on behalf of His Excellency, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, the government and people of Sierra…
On Tuesday, 12 November 2024, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio received a comprehensive report outlining a roadmap for sustainable peace in the long-standing conflict between the landowners of Sahn Malen Chiefdom and Socfin Agricultural Company. The dispute, which has persisted for over thirteen years, dates back to the company’s 2010 acquisition of the Sierra Leone Produce Marketing Board (SLPMB) plantation. President Bio thanked committee members for their dedication and commitment to achieving a lasting resolution. In his remarks, Honourable Shiaka Musa Sama, representing the aggrieved people of Sahn-Malen, described President Bio’s intervention as timely and commendable. He noted…
Workers at FG Gold’s Baomahun Gold Project have raised serious allegations against the company, claiming they are being subjected to inhumane treatment akin to modern-day slavery. The company, led by Nigerian businessman Oliver Tunde Andrews, is under investigation for allegedly failing to follow the Sierra Leone government’s labour standards. Reports from local miners in Baomahun Village and Valunia Chiefdom, Bo District, reveal a troubling pattern of mistreatment by FG Gold management. Workers have accused the company of violating the Mines and Minerals Development Act of 2022, specifically Part XIX, which outlines the mining company’s responsibilities to provide safe working conditions…
His Excellency Mohamed Yongawo Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation, His Excellency Mohamed Yongawo, has emphasised the growing importance of deepening Sierra Leone-Russia bilateral relations and advancing Russia-Africa cooperation. The Sierra Leone diplomat made a statement at the inaugural Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi. Ambassador Yongawo extended warm greetings from President Julius Maada Bio and highlighted Sierra Leone’s gratitude for Russia’s longstanding support. He applauded Russia’s commitment to the conference and acknowledged Russia’s plan to reopen its embassy in Freetown, a step, the Ambassador emphasised, would “further deepen the bilateral cooperation between the two nations.”…
A delegation from Sierra Leone is actively participating in the Regional Maritime University Board of Governors’ Meeting, which commenced today and will run through November 8, 2024. Held in Monrovia, Liberia, the meeting brings together key stakeholders from the maritime and transport sectors in its five member states. The opening session featured a welcome address and an overview of the meeting’s objectives by the Permanent Secretary of Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Transport and Aviation. Following this, participants reviewed and adopted the minutes from the previous meeting, setting the stage for this year’s agenda. One of the highlights was a comprehensive…
Alhaji Mustapha Turay Chairman of the Board of Directors of Sierra Leone’s National Minerals Agency has highlighted Sub-Saharan Africa’s critical mineral wealth as an unparalleled opportunity for economic growth, driven by the rising global demand for minerals essential to clean energy technology. Alhaji Mustapha Turay was speaking at the First Ministerial Conference of the Russia-Africa Partnership Forum in Sochi, where several mining ministers from across Africa and world-class mining companies gathered. The NMA Chairman began by sharing the nation’s rich mining history, which stretches back to diamond mining in the 1930s, and its vast reserves of critical minerals. These resources…