Author: gleanernewspaper
In a stride towards enhancing the welfare of its citizens, the National Social Protection Bill 2024 has successfully moved to the legislative committee stage after completing its first and second readings in Parliament. This milestone marks a crucial development in the establishment of a comprehensive social protection framework in Sierra Leone, aimed at bolstering the safety nets available to all Sierra Leoneans. The bill’s advancement comes on the heels of extensive regional consultations led by the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security. These consultations were conducted in partnership with the Sierra Leone Labour Congress and the Sierra Leone Employers’…
Dr Nahla Saeedi and Ambassador Sadiq Silla In a notable development aimed at bolstering educational collaboration, His Excellency Ambassador Sadiq Silla held a constructive meeting with Professor Dr Nahla Saeedi, who serves as the Advisor to the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar for Expatriate Affairs and is also the Head of the Center for the Development of Education and Foreign Students. This important dialogue took place in Cairo and centred on creating expanded educational opportunities for Sierra Leonean students while strengthening the institutional ties between Sierra Leone and Egypt. During the meeting, Ambassador Silla highlighted the determination and commitment of Sierra…
Deputy Speaker and PAC Chairman, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh In a decisive move, following audit inquiries regarding the Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) accounts for the financial year 2023, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has mandated that 33 specified staff members report to Parliament for physical verification on Monday, January 20, 2025. Failure to comply with this order could result in their removal from the Government of Sierra Leone’s payroll. The audit raised several concerns, including the inability of auditors to verify the employment status of certain staff members, questionable contract extensions granted post-retirement, unauthorised payments for study leave, unclear…
Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella By Abubakarr Bah The Future Minerals Forum (FMF) kicked off its fourth Ministerial Roundtable meeting on January 14th in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, bringing together government representatives from over 140 countries, along with participants from 50 international organizations and prominent leaders from the global mining industry. This three-day event, themed “Year of Impact,” is designed to solidify FMF’s reputation as a leading platform for collaboration and investment in the minerals sector, with a focus on critical minerals essential for the global energy transition. The main ministerial roundtable, held at the prestigious King Abdulaziz International Conference Centre, aims…
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…