Author: gleanernewspaper

In 2024, Africell Sierra Leone made a significant move by partnering with the Ministry of Communication Technology and Innovation to build a state-of-the-art data centre in Sierra Leone. This strategic development marks a major step in the country’s digital transformation efforts and is poised to revolutionise network infrastructure while facilitating the adoption of Web3 technologies. This article explores the technical specifications and expected capabilities of Africell’s proposed data centre, its potential to improve network infrastructure in Africa, and how these advancements will contribute to onboarding new users into Web3 ecosystems. Technical Specifications and Capabilities of Africell’s Data Center Africell’s proposed…

William Fayia Sellu The Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is facing mounting scrutiny following a press release addressing serious allegations regarding the treatment of former United Nations Peacekeeping officers who have recently returned to the country. These officers, reportedly detained at the Sierra Leone Police Headquarters (SLPHQ), have been subjected to what many are describing as inhumane treatment and illegal solitary confinement. In its press release, the SLP attempted to clarify the situation by stating that the Formed Police Unit (FPU-4) was deployed at the Police Headquarters and other locations nationwide. The SLP emphasized that this deployment should not be misconstrued…

By Fadumo Abdulqadir “Each year, we witness a further drop in rainfall – which translates to a drop in produce – resulting in us not having enough food to consume, let alone sell,” Debele Coulibaly, deputy chief of the small village of Safekora in central Mali, told me earlier this year. Sitting under a tree to shield himself from the scorching sun, he explained how farming has always been the only source of income in the village with 1,400 inhabitants, and climate change has left him and countless others struggling to provide for their families. Some villagers, he told me,…

Christian Saborowski, the Deputy Division Chief of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), has paid a courtesy visit to President Dr. Julius Maada Bio at the State House. The meeting aimed to update the President on the progress of ongoing negotiations under the Extended Credit Facility (ECF). During the visit, Minister of Finance, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, reported that the IMF team had been in the country for two weeks and had engaged in discussions with the government’s economic team regarding a new arrangement under the ECF. Saborowski expressed gratitude towards President Bio for his steadfast commitment to collaboration with the…

By Ibrahim Sorie Koroma Following the enactment of the Tobacco and Nicotine Act in 2022, the Director of the Directorate of Non-communicable Diseases and Mental Health in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Dr Santigie Sesay, has said that public smoking is now banned in every part of Sierra Leone, making it unlawful to some in public places liable to fines and or impressment or both. Dr Santigie reiterated that the goal is to protect the public against the harmful effects of tobacco, stating that though tobacco is a legal product, one’s right to smoke should not put another’s health…

A delegation from Sierra Leone, led by Dr Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, the Executive Director of the National Sports Authority (NSA), and Chief Michael Shamsu Mustapha, President of the African Traditional Games and Sports Federation, has officially given Zimbabwe the green light to host the second edition of the African Traditional Games and Sports in 2028. On Thursday, 12th September 2024, at the Tower Hotel in Harare, Zimbabwe, President Mustapha joined Zimbabwe’s Traditional Games and Sports Commission, represented by Lizzie Mupure, to sign the formal bid agreement. Elta Nengomasha, Director General of the Zimbabwe Sports and Recreation Commission, expressed her government’s…

Sherbro Alliance Partners (SAP) and their globally renowned consultants, Foster +Partners, were honoured to host the Honourable Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernor Bah, at their London offices. The purpose of the visit was to showcase early planning and visioning work on the Sherbro Island City Project, a groundbreaking initiative aimed at transforming Sherbro Island into a modern, sustainable, and inclusive urban metropolis. Minister Bah met with SAP co-founder, Siaka Stevens, for a series of strategic discussions and a site visit to Foster +Partners. This offered a valuable opportunity to showcase the company’s innovative and sustainable design approach, which…

Afrimoney, a leading mobile money operator in Sierra Leone, has officially launched the “Kam Join We” campaign. The initiative, unveiled by Afrimoney’s Chief Executive Officer, Martison Obeng-Agyei, aims to raise awareness about the benefits of joining the Afrimoney platform. The “Kam Join We” campaign is designed to attract new users by showcasing the exclusive benefits available to Afrimoney customers. Speaking at the launch, Obeng-Agyei emphasized that many people who are not yet Afrimoney users are missing out on valuable opportunities. “The campaign is about informing potential customers of the many perks they are missing if they don’t join the Afrimoney…

In a recent nationwide stakeholders consultation and validation of the reviewed draft of the Country Planning Act in Sierra Leone, significant attention was drawn to the importance of efficient land utilization and urban development for national progress. The consultation held on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at the Port Loko District Council Hall, saw the gathering of key government officials and local leaders. Among the distinguished guests were Dr. Turad Senesie, Minister of Lands, Housing, and Country Planning; Mr. Tamba Lamina, Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs; Umaru Bond Wurie, Resident Minister North; Deputy Mayor, Port Loko City; Hon. Quinton…

In a shocking turn of events, William Fayia Sellu, the Inspector-General of the Sierra Leone Police, has come under fire for allegedly subjecting ex-peacekeeping officers to inhumane treatment and illegal solitary confinement at the Police Headquarters (PHQ) in Freetown. Reports indicate that these officers, who served in a peacekeeping mission in Somalia, have endured degrading conditions for nearly eleven months without any clear justification. The controversy began on April 1, 2022, when a contingent of 160 officers from the Formed Police Unit 4 (FPU 4) was deployed to Somalia for an eighteen-month peacekeeping mission. Tragically, during their time overseas, two…