Author: gleanernewspaper

On September 9, 2024, His Excellency, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio, announced the upcoming Decennial Population and Housing Census (PHC) scheduled for 2025. In preparation for this significant national undertaking, a delegation of seven technical experts from esteemed organizations, including the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA), the United States Census Bureau (USCB), and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), concluded a comprehensive five-day assessment and support mission at Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) on January 13, 2025. The primary aim of this mission was to evaluate Stats SL’s readiness and capacity to conduct a successful Digital Census in…

Foday B. L. Mansaray, the Director General of the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone (PDSL) Sierra Leone is poised to make significant strides in the energy sector as it prepares to highlight its offshore oil licensing opportunities and upcoming drilling plans at the Invest in African Energy (IAE) Forum in Paris on May 13-14, 2025. Foday B. L. Mansaray, the Director General of the Petroleum Directorate of Sierra Leone (PDSL), will represent the country, emphasizing its potential as a burgeoning exploration hub in the African energy landscape. The offshore oil potential of Sierra Leone is considerable, with government estimates indicating…

Dilapidated Kimbima Hotel The National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), the statutory body responsible for managing Sierra Leone’s National Pension Scheme, has come under fire for the mismanagement of pensioners’ funds amounting to a staggering One Hundred and Sixty-Five Billion Old Leones (NLe165,093,760.58). A recent audit revealed that this large sum was invested in subsidiaries that no longer exist or have ceased operations entirely. The auditors’ investigation identified three companies associated with NASSIT that contributed to this financial disaster. These companies were discovered to have either closed or gone out of business by December 31, 2023, putting pensioners’ money…

Her Excellency Francess Virginia Anderson and His Excellency Ambassador İsmet Korukoğlu In a diplomatic engagement aimed at enhancing educational cooperation, His Excellency Ambassador İsmet Korukoğlu of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus paid a courtesy visit to Her Excellency Francess Virginia Anderson, PhD, the Sierra Leone Ambassador to Türkiye. The meeting focused on the status of Sierra Leonean students studying in Northern Cyprus and the potential for further academic collaboration between the two regions. Ambassador Korukoğlu’s visit was primarily centred on discussing educational opportunities available to Sierra Leonean students in Northern Cyprus, a region recognized for its welcoming environment and…

Lieutenant General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan of Sudan and His Excellency, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio. His Excellency, President Dr. Julius Maada Bio has received His Excellency Lieutenant General Abdel-Fattah Al-Burhan Abdelrahman Al-Burhan, President of the Transitional Sovereign Council of the Republic of Sudan, during a working visit to Sierra Leone. The engagement underscored the shared vision and commitment of the two nations toward fostering unity and addressing pressing African challenges.In his welcome address, President Bio emphasised the enduring bonds between Sierra Leone and Sudan, stating that despite geographical distance, both nations share a mutual commitment to advancing the interests…

Minenet Company (SL) Limited has successfully disbursed surface rent payments to landowners in the Ribbi, Bumpeh, and Kongbora Chiefdoms, located in the Moyamba District. The total payment amounted to One Million Four Hundred Thousand New Leones (NLe 1,400,000), which translates to a staggering One Billion Four Hundred Million old Leones. This significant financial transaction took place over the weekend of January 10-11, 2025, marking a pivotal moment for both the company and the local communities. Minenet Company is a limited liability entity that has been incorporated and registered in Sierra Leone, primarily focusing on mining and exporting valuable minerals such…

On January 9, 2025, a delegation from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) met with Sierra Leone’s Minister of Gender and Children’s Affairs to announce an ambitious pilot project aimed at constructing factories dedicated to the production of reusable sanitary towels and diapers. This initiative, titled “Human Capital Development Plus,” seeks to address the pressing needs of school-going girls, women affected by obstetric fistula, and elderly women facing similar challenges. The overarching goal of the project is to establish facilities that will manufacture and market high-quality sanitary products, thereby reducing school dropout rates among adolescent girls and providing…

Local councillor Agnes Marah, whose district covers more than 45,000 residents in Freetown’s Western Urban district, discusses local issues with constituents. Marah, known locally as the “Iron Lady” is part of an International IDEA-backed initiative, along with the 50-50 gender rights group that has trained hundreds of elected women on issues from campaigning on social media to writing grant applications. After two years of dedicated support for Sierra Leone’s democratic processes, International IDEA is poised to usher in a new era of political stability and civic engagement in the West African nation. From mediating political-party conflicts to empowering women lawmakers…

In a significant step towards ensuring the success of the upcoming 2025 Sierra Leone Population and Housing Census (SLPHC-2025), a high-level delegation from the United States Census Bureau (USCB), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has commenced a critical assessment and support mission. The initiative began on January 13, 2025, at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown and will conclude on January 17, 2025. The mission aims to evaluate Statistics Sierra Leone’s (Stats SL’s) readiness and capacity to conduct a comprehensive and accurate census.  The delegation consists of a team of technical…

Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, Director General- National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT). The National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) has come under intense scrutiny following a recent audit that revealed significant discrepancies in its financial records. Auditors discovered that the principal and accrued interest from debenture loans, which were expected to be deposited into the Trust’s account, are currently untraceable. A thorough review of NASSIT’s investment portfolio indicated that the corporate debenture loans issued to various affiliated companies, including joint ventures and subsidiaries, totalled an alarming One hundred and forty million, nine hundred and twenty-nine thousand, three hundred and…