Author: gleanernewspaper

Hon. Abdul Kargbo….Leader of the Opposition (Minority Leader) and chief boycotter. In a healthy democracy, an effective, people-centred opposition is equally important as a responsible government. In Sierra Leone, the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the main opposition appear to have broken the balance. The All People’s Congress (APC) is widely accused of prioritising narrow political goals over citizens’ basic needs.  Since the SLPP took power in 2018, ordinary Sierra Leoneans have faced a deteriorating economy and an ever-increasing cost of living. The rising cost of necessities has become a major source of dissatisfaction. Critics remind voters that Julius Maada Bio, then…

Mrs Juliana Sia Hawa Fallah has officially joined the Sierra Leone High Commission in the United Kingdom as Minister Plenipotentiary and Head of Chancery. Mrs Fallah, a veteran civil servant with a long and distinguished career, brings extensive experience in diplomatic representation and administrative leadership to the London Mission. Her previous assignments included working with the African Union Mission in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, and the Sierra Leone High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya, where she gained experience in protocol, consular affairs, and mission administration. Colleagues anticipate that Mrs Fallah’s combination of practical diplomacy and managerial skills will strengthen the High Commission’s…

On Tuesday, March 10, 2026, His Excellency President Dr. Julius Maada Bio met with Mamadou Tangara, the African Union’s Special Representative for Mali and the Sahel, at State House in Freetown as part of regional consultations to develop a roadmap for improved cooperation between the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Timothy Musa Kabba, welcomed the delegation and stated that Dr Tangara’s visit was intended to provide President Bio, who also serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government,…

10 March 2026 — A delegation from Sierra Leone’s National Mandingo Union, led by its President and Mansa, Alhaji Kanja I. Sesay, paid a courtesy call on His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio at State House today to formally introduce the Union’s current leadership and report on recent activities aimed at fostering national unity and social harmony. During the meeting, the Union’s leadership briefed the President on a variety of initiatives aimed at promoting peace, national unity, and cultural preservation. Alhaji Kanja Sesay thanked President Bio for hosting the delegation and explained that the visit provided an opportunity to raise…

To finalise instruments for the upcoming Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey (SLDHS), Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) has started a four-day questionnaire review and adaptation workshop in collaboration with the Ministry of Health (MoH) and with technical assistance from ICF. The workshop, which takes place at the Swiss Hotel in Babadorie Junction, Lumley, brings together a variety of stakeholders, technical experts, and industry representatives tasked with making sure the survey questionnaires are appropriate and prepared for national deployment.Lansana Kpewolo Kanneh, Deputy Statistician General of Statistics Sierra Leone, opened the event by stating that the organisation is prepared to conduct…

On March 11, 2026, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) partnered with the Sierra Leone Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (SLANGO) to continue the NGO Open Information Initiative, with public presentations by BRAC Sierra Leone, AVSI Foundation, and the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI). The session, held at the MoPED Conference Hall in Tower Hill, Freetown, was part of a long-term effort to improve transparency, accountability, and coordination throughout Sierra Leone’s development sector.The Open Information Initiative enables non-governmental organisations in the country to share annual work plans, funding sources, geographic coverage, implementation strategies, and impact evidence. The MoPED initiative…

The Embassy of Sierra Leone in Washington, D.C., welcomed Sierra Leoneans of both Muslim and Christian faiths to a Ramadan Iftar in the Chancery Hall on March 12, 2026, in an event that emphasised unity, faith, and a renewed call for diaspora support for the homeland.His Excellency Amara Mohamed Sheikh Sowa, Ambassador to the United States, welcomed attendees and reminded them of President Bio’s mandate to strengthen ties between Sierra Leoneans in the United States. Ambassador Sowa stated that cultivating quality relationships in the diaspora is an important part of his mission and urged attendees to stay connected to and…

Dr Ibrahim Bangura (DIB) The All People’s Congress (APC), Sierra Leone’s main opposition party, is increasingly rallying around Dr Ibrahim Bangura (DIB) as its preferred presidential candidate for the 2028 election, convinced that he provides the most direct path to ousting the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). Following Dr Samura Kamara’s two unsuccessful presidential bids, senior APC officials are now arguing that a younger, more dynamic candidate will better capture the electorate’s desire for change. Party insiders say the decision is based on both political strategy and public sentiment. Many APC members see Dr Bangura as a “clean slate,” untainted…

March 2026, streets in Mabayla, Doff Cut, and Kossoh Town swelled with residents who turned out in unprecedented numbers to welcome Dr Ibrahim Bangura, a candidate for the All Peoples Congress flagbearer position. The day was notable not only for the size of the crowds, but also for the clear presence of women at the reception — a powerful statement of grassroots energy and community solidarity.Women filled the main thoroughfares and community halls, taking the lead in organising the welcome. They greeted Dr Bangura with lively songs, coordinated dances, and rhythmic chants that echoed throughout the neighbourhoods. Their spirited presence…

On Thursday, His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio paid a courtesy call to Archbishop Nicolas Duncan-Williams, the renowned Ghanaian religious leader and Founder and General Overseer of Action Chapel International, at State House in Freetown. Archbishop Duncan-Williams is in Sierra Leone from March 5-7 to lead a three-day national revival crusade for his “Global Prayer Works” initiative, whose theme this year is “Breakthrough Unseen Barriers.”Introducing the delegation, Akintayo Sam Jolly, President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Sierra Leone, thanked President Bio for granting the audience and expressed gratitude for the respect and cooperation that religious leaders have received under…