Author: gleanernewspaper
His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has held a fruitful engagement with Jennifer Overton, the Catholic Relief Services, CRS, Regional Director for West Africa and Ademola Ajagbe, the Regional Managing Director, Africa, for The Nature Conservancy, on opportunities around the Water Fund and conservation of nature. Before stating the purpose of the courtesy call and presenting the team, Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Madam Kenyeh Ballay, who is responsible for coordinating nongovernmental and international nongovernmental organisations, said for the last 60 years CRS had supported the country in the areas of education, health and urban resilience, but also…
Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield and Dr Julius Maada Bio By Mohamed Kelfala Fofanah Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio met with US Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield recently to discuss the nation’s position on the UN Security Council. The meeting occurred at the Presidential Lodge in Hill Station, Freetown, on Wednesday, January 24, 2024. Madam Victoria M. Sulimani, Director General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, gave an overview of the ministry’s previous correspondence with Ambassador Thomas-Greenfield before the talks started. She clarified that the main purpose of the ambassador’s trip to Freetown was to talk about Sierra Leone’s recent…
His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio has received Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield in her capacity as Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations as well as the representative in the United Nations Security Council, UNSC. Director General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Madam Victoria M. Sulimani, opened the discussions by stating the ministry’s earlier engagement with the Ambassador and indicated that her visit to Freetown was primarily on account of Sierra Leone’s ascension to the UNSC and how the governments could support each other’s positions. “Thank you very much. We did have…
His Excellency Abu Bakarr Karim has recently participated in the 7th Session of the China Overseas Investment Forum held in Beijing, where he delivered a speech highlighting Sierra Leone’s readiness to forge global strategic partnerships with several Countries including the PRC. In his speech at an event that attracted numerous representatives from around the world, Ambassador Karim emphasized his Country’s commitment to attracting foreign investment aimed at ensuring transformative projects and programs. He underscored the importance of collaborating with both State-owned entities and private sectors in other to create sustainable development opportunities. Highlighting Sierra Leone’s strategic location and the endowment…
Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to Türkiye, HE Mohamed Hassan Kaisamba, has participated in the DEIK Business Diplomacy Conference and award ceremony and has engaged the new Turkish-Sierra Leone Business Chairman. DEIK is the Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye and the main engine and symbol of the Turkish business community’s power in the international arena. Through the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TİKA), Türkiye is providing development assistance to Sierra Leone in various domains. The Foreign Economic Relations Board of Türkiye has recently appointed Mr. Fatih ALTUNBAŞ as the new Chairman of Türkiye – Sierra Leone Business Council. During their engagement, Ambassador Mohamed…
Mohamed Gento Kamara The recently released 2022 Audit Report by the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL) has raised allegations against the Gento Group of Companies, led by Chief Executive Officer, Mohamed Gento Kamara. The report suggests that the company, in charge of the Waterloo Township Contract signed with the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) on behalf of the Government of Sierra Leone, received double payment for work completed. According to the audit findings, the contract, valued at $42,782,727, saw a payment of $39,676,314 made to the contractor, leaving a balance of $3,106,413. The crux of the allegation revolves around the claim that…
Inevitably, contempt breeds disgust. People gather as they wait for the arrival of the legal team representing South Africa’s case against Israel at the Court of Justice at Johannesburg International Airport, South Africa on January 14, 2024 [Alet Pretorius/Reuters] Anyone with a scintilla of awareness and sympathy for the horrors that Palestinians have endured for generations knows the abiding ache that churns inside of us like a dormant volcano ready to blow with righteous anger. So, we take to the streets, bridges and national malls in a necessary display of irenic solidarity and to point an accusatory finger at the hypocrites…
Netpage representative in Sierra Leone, Jamal Shallop, is said to owe the government of Sierra Leone US$429,627. The money is an outstanding royalty generated from the sale of e-passports produced in 2022. Auditors from the Audit Service Sierra Leone revealed that US$429,627 was not paid to the Government of Sierra Leone for e-passports produced in 2022, Contrary to Section 1 (1.4) of the contract change note No. SID1178.008 between the Government of Sierra Leone and the HID CID Limited, which states that from January to December 2022, an approved royalty payment of 8% per sale of each e-passport shall be…
Following a meticulous recruitment process by the Stats SL Council which he aced, Lansana Kpewolo Kanneh, who had been acting as Stats SL’s Ag. Deputy Statistician General since May 2023, has been appointed as the substantive Deputy Statistician General. Mr Kanneh who has served Stats SL for 13 years and counting, ascends to the post vacated by the current SG/CEO, which had been vacant since April 1, 2023. Until he is appointed Ag. Deputy Statistician General in June 2023, Mr Kanneh served as Director of Finance and Support Services, handling Finance, Administration, Human Resources and Procurement for 8 years. Mr…
As discussions on the increment of work permit fees for foreign workers/expatriate staff in Sierra Leone continue, the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mr Mohamed Rahman Swaray, met with foreign business owners, two days after he met with International Non-Governmental Organizations operating in the country. The business owners had requested to meet with the Minister to appeal for a reduction of the stipulated work permit cost. It could be recalled that the Ministry recently sent out a public notification of the increment, which will subsequently affect foreign workers/expatriate staff and institutions employing foreign workers/expatriate staff in Sierra Leone. This, the…