Author: gleanernewspaper

After being called to testify before the Parliamentary Committee on Trade and Industry, Johny Kouza, the CEO of Accord Logistics, received harsh criticism from the Sierra Leonean Parliament. The Rt. Hon. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas publicly chastised Kouza during an appearance in the Bar of Parliament, calling his behaviour toward the Committee and the legislature intolerable and possibly constituting contempt of Parliament.Addressing Kouza directly, the Speaker made it clear that refusing to comply with any Standing Committee summons would constitute contempt and result in the full force of the law. He reminded the CEO that Parliament has the authority to…

Africell CEO Shadi Gerjawi Africell Group has introduced Africell Business, a dedicated enterprise brand aimed at accelerating digital transformation for corporate institutions and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Sierra Leone. The launch event, held at The Leads Hotel in Aberdeen, Freetown, was attended by senior government officials, private sector leaders, corporate clients, and development partners, emphasising the company’s intention to position itself as a strategic partner in the country’s digital economy.According to Africell CEO Shadi Gerjawi, the Africell Business initiative represents a deliberate shift away from providing standard telecommunications services and toward tailored, end-to-end enterprise solutions. According to Gerjawi,…

Chief Minister Dr David Moinina Sengeh convened a targeted stakeholder meeting to discuss a variety of issues affecting chieftaincy governance and local administration, such as chiefdom de-amalgamation, extended regency periods, outstanding court disputes, redistricting, and capacity building for local governments. Dr Sengeh emphasised in his opening remarks that chieftaincy and local governance issues are frequently discussed at the National Security Council and in presidential briefings, highlighting their strategic importance to national stability. He acknowledged that recent efforts to de-amalgamate chiefdoms have exacerbated tensions in some areas, particularly over land ownership, boundary delineation, and relations between neighbouring paramount chiefs. Dr Sengeh…

The Sixth Report of the Committee on Appointments and Public Service, chaired by the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma, was debated and approved by Parliament on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, for Sierra Leone’s development.Parliament approved the presidential nominees listed below:1. Mrs Marion Joy Emerald Nyanda Gouldson, Member of the Board of Directors, Sierra Leone National Shipping Agency.2. Ms Fatmata Deveh Khellah, Member of Sierra Leone Commercial Bank3. Mr Sheikh Ahmed Tunis, Executive Director of the National Protected Area Authority.4. Mr Leslie Gordon Brown, National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) Board of Trustees member,…

n a meeting with representatives of Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) at State House, President Dr Julius Maada Bio reaffirmed the government’s commitment to supporting growth driven by the private sector through ongoing collaboration and engagement. The President, in his opening remarks, reaffirmed the strategic significance of the oil marketing industry to Sierra Leone’s economy, pointing out that it directly affects daily life and that the government must give it careful consideration. President Bio stated, “This year, I am not only acting; I want to act with haste,” emphasising that if the government and business are to collaborate successfully, swift and deliberate…

Professor Helen Nambalirwa Nkabala, Principal of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and Director of the Rotary Peace Centre at Makerere University, was invited by the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to an official meeting on January 12, 2025, at the Conference Room, Third Floor, Integrity House, Freetown. The visit shows a desire to strengthen ties between one of Africa’s top universities and Sierra Leone’s main anti-corruption organisation.The ACC Commissioner welcomed Professor Nkabala and underscored the significance of her visit in bolstering integrity systems and improving Sierra Leone’s governance structure. He emphasised the Commission’s dedication to establishing long-term collaborations with the…

The Sierra Leone Police (SLP), with funding from the British Peacekeeping Support Team in Africa (BPSTIA), ended a three-day peacekeeping capacity building workshop for thirty (30) female personnel at the Police Wives Vocational Training Hall, Kingtom Barracks.The workshop brought together former, current, and prospective female peacekeeping officers to provide a forum for experience sharing, mentoring, and strategic engagement aimed at improving female leadership, participation, and performance in peacekeeping deployments.The training focuses on key peacekeeping principles, such as the nature of conflict in Africa, United Nations (UN) and African Union (AU) peace agreements, and the fundamental principles of peacekeeping missions.In his…

On January 16, 2026, President Dr Julius Maada Bio formally opened the new National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) District Office in Moyamba. He described the establishment as a significant step toward increasing social protection, decentralising public services, and encouraging inclusive development outside of Freetown. The President told attendees at the commissioning ceremony that the Moyamba office embodies his administration’s commitment to bringing essential services closer to the people, particularly workers in rural and provincial communities who are critical to Sierra Leone’s economy. “This structure is more than just bricks and mortar,” President Bio declared. “It is about dignity,…

On Friday, December 12, 2025, Lyrical Three, a talented trio of young women, was crowned the overall winner of the EU-Ballanta Academy Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Singing Competition, which featured music, youth activism, and a powerful call to end gender-based violence. The group won the grand prize of NLe 30,000, with first and second runners-up Alie Baminhoma and Othman Tao receiving NLe 20,000 and NLe 10,000, respectively. All three winners were also awarded full scholarships to study music at the Ballanta Academy of Music and Performing Arts.The competition, organised as part of the global 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence…

Following a devastating fire that destroyed Voice of Youth Radio 107.1 FM in Songo on January 9 and rendered it completely inoperable, the Sierra Leone Broadcasters Association (SiLBA) visited the station in solidarity on Friday, January 16, 2026. In order to assess immediate needs, comfort staff and the larger Songo community, and spread a nationwide call for help to restore the community’s essential radio service, the delegation travelled to Songo.Andrew Koroma, proprietor of Kiss 104 FM in Bo and Board Chairman of the Independent Radio Network (IRN), welcomed the SiLBA team and spoke on behalf of Voice of Youth Radio…