Author: gleanernewspaper
In a nation grappling with economic challenges, the journey from graduation to employment can be daunting for many young people. Fatmata Turay, a recent graduate of Limkokwing University, experienced this firsthand in Sierra Leone, one of the world’s least-developed countries. However, her fortunes changed dramatically when she participated in the ITC project known as READY Salone, which introduced her to the vast possibilities of marketing her skills on a global scale through online platforms. This initiative opened up a new world of work that not only transformed her life but also ignited a spark of hope for many young Sierra…
Dr. Ibrahim Lahai Stevens, Bank of Sierra Leone Auditors from Audit Services Sierra Leone discovered a staggering discrepancy in the Bank of Sierra Leone’s vault systems, revealing a significant difference between recorded cash balances and actual physical cash held in the vaults. This alarming revelation was made during a cash count at the Kenema Branch on June 11, 2024, when auditors discovered a variance of two billion, one hundred and seventy-five million New Leones ( NLe2,175,000,000), equivalent to a staggering NLe2.1 trillion in old Leones. The audit process included a thorough review of the currency in circulation as well as an extensive cash count at the…
By Mike Omuodo A phone vibration drew my attention to an incoming message – a friend had sent a message with an attachment and a note reading, “This is so sad and needs to stop! The message was followed by some crying emojis. Curious, I opened the attachment. It was a photo of some of the carnage in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) – to be precise, the photo of corpses of those killed in the DRC’s never-ending war, piled like some waste from a city garbage truck. My heart bled for the children and women of DRC, the…
Alpha Sesay is the current Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone is set to confront a lawsuit filed by the U.S. law firm Jenner & Block, which is seeking to recover over $8 million in unpaid legal fees stemming from several years of legal representation. A federal judge in Washington, D.C., U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, ruled on January 24, 2023, that the West African nation must proceed with the lawsuit, rejecting Sierra Leone’s arguments that the law firm lacked a valid contract and that the country was protected by sovereign immunity. In 2022, Jenner…
In a move towards enhancing social welfare in Sierra Leone, the World Bank and UNICEF, alongside the National Commission for Social Action (NaCSA), paid a courtesy visit to the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mr Mohamed Rahman Swarray, on January 23, 2025. This visit followed the recent enactment of the Social Protection Act, a landmark legislation aimed at improving the social safety net for vulnerable populations in the country. The meeting, held at the Minister’s office in New England Ville, served as a platform for congratulating the Minister and discussing the next steps for the effective implementation of…
In recognition of innovative leadership, the Parliamentary Learning and Sharing Series Team, under the guidance of Director Mohamed Jalloh, awarded the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, on Monday, January 27, 2025. This accolade was bestowed upon Mr Speaker for his unwavering commitment to enhancing the welfare and professional development of Parliamentary staff during his tenure. The award ceremony took place in the Speaker’s office at Parliament, located at Tower Hill in Freetown. During the presentation, Director Jalloh highlighted a pivotal moment from May 2024, when the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, approached the Learning…
Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to India, Rashid Sesay, gathered with Sierra Leonean students studying at various tertiary institutions across the country. The meeting took place at Andhra Pradesh University, where the High Commissioner motivated the students to concentrate on their academic endeavours while embodying the values and spirit of Sierra Leone. During his address, High Commissioner Sesay expressed his genuine excitement at the opportunity to engage with his fellow nationals, discussing their welfare, achievements, and the challenges they encounter while studying abroad. He underscored the importance of education as a vital component of national development and economic growth, aligning his…
(From right) Chairman of the Liberia Telecommunications Authority, Abdullah L. Kamara; Amara Brewah, Director General of the National Communications Authority of Sierra Leone; and Solo Sima, Deputy Director General of PURA of The Gambia, affixed their signatures to the MOUs. In a landmark development for regional telecommunications, the Liberia Telecommunications Authority (LTA), the National Communications Authority of Sierra Leone (NatCA), and the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) of The Gambia have signed a series of Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) aimed at establishing free roaming agreements between their countries. The signing ceremony took place on January 31 at the picturesque Mamba…
In the advancement of rural electrification, the Government of Sierra Leone, in collaboration with its development partners, has successfully launched the Kassirie Mini-Grid project. This initiative, spearheaded by Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL), aims to provide reliable electricity to communities that have historically lacked access to such essential services. The commissioning of this solar-powered mini-grid marks a new era for the Kassirie community, which has been entirely reliant on fossil fuel generators for its energy needs. The Kassirie Mini-Grid project, which is the third undertaking by the Universal Energy Facility, is equipped with 67kW of solar power and 204kWh of…
NASSIT HOUSE The National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) awarded Systech Limited and IT Warehouse Joint Venture a significant contract worth NLe96,668,222.1 (approximately US$5.7 million) on January 4, 2023, to overhaul its Pension Administration System (PAS). This ambitious project was initially slated for completion by June 3, 2024. However, as of July 12, 2024, it remains incomplete, with critical components still in progress. An audit report has revealed that the PAS project is still in the training phase, with numerous essential tasks yet to be finalized. These outstanding tasks include user acceptance testing, performance evaluations, data cleaning, data…