Author: gleanernewspaper

Liberia is under intense scrutiny after authorities intercepted 198 compressed plates of cocaine (237.6 kg) hidden in cargo boxes at Roberts International Airport, bound for Europe via a Brussels Airlines flight. A Margibi County court has ordered airport management to turn over CCTV footage, waybills, and shipping documents as investigators work to map the trafficking network. The seizure has fueled public debate over security transparency and raised suspicions of systemic collusion in customs, port, and airport operations.Diplomatic and media attention has focused on Jos Leijdekkers (also known in Sierra Leone as Omar Sherriff), a convicted Dutch drug trafficker who investigators…

Chief Electoral Commissioner and Chairman Edmond Sylvester Alpha and NCRA Director General Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi The Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL) and the National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) have strengthened their long-standing collaboration as both agencies prepare for credible, transparent, and inclusive elections in 2028. The renewed commitment was highlighted during a high-level courtesy visit by ECSL leadership to the NCRA headquarters on King Harman Road in Freetown on Wednesday, June 17, 2026. The ECSL delegation was led by Chief Electoral Commissioner and Chairman Edmond Sylvester Alpha, who was greeted warmly by NCRA Director General Mohamed Mubashir Massaquoi and other senior…

Kweku Melvin Lisk Esq., Deputy Mayor of Freetown City Council (FCC), has urged residents of the capital to adopt responsible sanitation habits as the Council begins full enforcement of the Freetown City Council Solid and Liquid Waste Collection By-Laws 2024. Speaking at the Government Weekly Press Briefing on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, at the Miatta Civic Centre, Mr Lisk emphasised that long-term improvements in the city’s cleanliness and public health necessitate a shift in public attitudes as well as ongoing government investment. Mr Lisk stated that poor sanitation remains one of Freetown’s most significant challenges, arguing that the problem is…

The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) completed the third review of Sierra Leone’s Extended Credit Facility (ECF) arrangement and approved a new, larger financing package under the Resilience and Sustainability Facility (RSF) to strengthen the country’s ability to withstand climate shocks.Sierra Leone will receive SDR 23.333 million (approximately US$31.7 million) immediately after the ECF review is completed, bringing the total disbursements under the existing ECF arrangement to SDR 116.664 million (roughly US$158.6 million). In addition, the Board approved an RSF agreement worth SDR 155.550 million (approximately US$211.5 million). After the initial review of the arrangement is completed,…

Earnings are divided equally at the end of the working week. Photo: WFP/Michael Duff The World Food Programme (WFP) is expanding its School Feeding Programme in Sierra Leone using a Home-Grown School Feeding (HGSF) model, which connects daily school meals to local smallholder farmers. The initiative, which operates in the Eastern, North Western, and Southern regions, aims to improve learning outcomes, increase school attendance and retention, strengthen child nutrition, and support rural livelihoods by generating stable market demand for locally produced food. The programme is carried out in collaboration with national government agencies, local stakeholders, farmer cooperatives, schools, and communities. Key…

During the 114th International Labour Conference (ILC), Sierra Leone’s Minister of Employment, Labour, and Social Security, Honourable Mohamed Rahman Swaray, led a delegation to a bilateral meeting with the Director-General of the International Labour Organisation. The Minister began by thanking Sierra Leone for inviting her to the Conference and congratulating the ILO leadership and delegates on two significant outcomes: the adoption of the Convention on Decent Work in the Platform Economy and the Transformative Agenda for Gender Equality at Work Instrument.Hon. Swaray updated the Director-General on recent domestic progress, including the successful Second National Labour Conference and Social Dialogue Forum…

On Friday, June 12, 2026, the Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU) received a significant donation of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) equipment from its United Kingdom Alumni Association branch, which the alumni say is intended to strengthen teaching and learning while also supporting administrative needs on campus.Representatives from the UK Alumni presented five laptop computers, two projectors, and two projection screens at a handover ceremony held in the Great Hall of the Goderich campus in Freetown. The items will be installed in the Great Hall and the Education Department. Additional ICT items were also distributed, with the total value of…

Sierra Leone’s Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Alpha Sesay Esq., hosted a delegation from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) West Africa Regional Office (WARO) to review progress on the country’s human rights reforms and discuss future collaboration. The high-level meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to assess key legal and institutional changes, identify persistent gaps, and discuss how to consolidate gains in rights protection and access to justice.Attorney General Sesay outlined several government initiatives that prioritise human rights in the justice reform agenda. These include measures aimed at decriminalizing poverty, improving…

Alpha Sesay Esq., Attorney General and Minister of Justice, met with the Chairman of the Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone (ECSL), Mr Edmond Sylvester Alpha, and fellow commissioners in what both sides described as a constructive, forward-looking discussion about the future of the country’s electoral governance.The high-level meeting discussed the government’s ongoing electoral reform agenda, with a focus on proposed constitutional amendments, institutional reforms within the Electoral Commission, and a comprehensive review of key electoral laws. According to officials, the initiative aims to strengthen democratic institutions, improve electoral preparedness, and increase public confidence in the electoral system.Participants looked at practical…

The West Africa Integration and Investment Summit (WAIIS), led by ECOWAS Chairman and Sierra Leonean President Julius Maada Bio, made significant progress after a high-level meeting in Abuja with investor and philanthropist Tony Elumelu. Elumelu pledged his full support for the Summit, which will be held under President Bio’s leadership from November 16 to 18, 2026, and is positioned as a catalytic platform to accelerate West African economic integration.WAIIS aims to bring together governments, development partners, institutional investors, and private-sector leaders to align around a common agenda for regional growth, coinciding with the 50th anniversary of ECOWAS (established in 1975).…