Issues

The key role played by the media in shaping public perception on COVID-19 in Sierra Leone

admin — Fri, 13 Nov 2020 17:40:02 +0000

The key role played by the media in shaping public perception on COVID-19 in Sierra Leone admin Fri, 11/13/2020 - 17:40

Friday, November 13, 2020

Original Publisher

Local – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

The key role played by the media in shaping public perception on COVID-19 in Si…

November 13, 2020

By Ibrahim Tarawallie

Sierra Leone has been grappling with various health emergencies for the past six years. With one of the poorest health infrastructures in Africa, the country was at first devastated by the outbreak of the dreaded Ebola Virus in 2014, which killed 3,956 people. Like Ebola, the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has affected all facets of life in the country. Comparatively though, the infection rate of COVID-19 in the country is relatively low: 2,383 confirmed cases and 74 deaths as at Sunday November 8, 2020, compared to 14,124 confirmed cases and 3,956 deaths for Ebola. One of the contributors to the low infection rate of the Coronavirus is the significant role played by the media in creating awareness about the virus among the population.

Sierra Leone Association of Journalists

To enhance government’s capability in terms of effecting behavioral change leading to the general acceptability of the existence of COVID-19, the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) strongly collaborated with the government in the fight against the pandemic.

Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, President of SLAJ, narrated the role played by his association in the fight against the pandemic.

“Before we even had the index case, and when news broke out of the pandemic spreading widely in countries, we were proactive enough to join the government in preparing the minds of the people that the virus was real and it was coming to Sierra Leone, and that it was just a matter of time,” he said.

He said a SLAJ Coronavirus Response Committee was established with a mandate to liaise with the Ministry of Health and Sanitation for expert information on the virus so that journalists could have knowledge about the virus as well as understand the preventive measures.

SLAJ also established a national simulcast program on radio and TV, which was a clearing house for all information about the virus to dispel misinformation, fake news and conspiracy theories about COVID-19.

According to Nasralla, the program was used as a platform to talk directly to the people and convince them about the existence of the virus, as well as proffering prevention mechanisms and measures to combat the spread.

“Beyond that, this program continued after we had our index case. During the lockdowns, the media was the source of all information and we collaborated with the Independent Radio Network (IRN) and other media groups to speak with one voice,” Nasralla noted.

The SLAJ president said people all over the country relied on the media for accurate information on the virus and also about what the government was doing, especially in areas such as care and prevention.

Despite not undertaking any survey to gauge the contribution of the media in the fight, Nasralla stated that the feedback from various sections of the society, including from the government and development partners, was positive as people seemed to have appreciated the message of prevention and compliance with health measures.

He encouraged his fellow journalists to observe all safety measures while reporting public health emergencies like the current COVID-19 pandemic.

He noted that when the pandemic started, they issued out safety guidelines together with the Sierra Leone Reporters’ Union on how media houses should protect their members and guests coming into their radio and TV stations.

“We also provided information tips to journalists going out to get news on the virus, which is what we called self-preservation,” he added.

Coordinating the fight

When the pandemic broke out in Sierra Leone on 31 March 2020, the government set up a task force that was charged with coordinating the fight against the disease. The National Coronavirus Emergency Response Centre (NaCOVERC) is headed by the Minister of Defence, Brig. (Rtd.) Kellie Conteh, who served as the National Coordinator.

Communication Pillar Lead at NaCOVERC, Harold Thomas, said there were five strategies adopted to pass on critical information to the public on the pandemic, namely: Risk Communication plans and mechanisms, public communication, internal and partner communication and coordination, rumour management, and coordination and engagement with effected or targeted communities.

He however could not immediately provide details of the impact of the said strategies on the behaviour of the public towards the virus.

Traditional media remains key

With the advent of social media characterized by misinformation, the traditional media played a key role in creating balance amid the abundance of information being put out to the public. The public largely relied on the traditional media as sources of credible information about the pandemic.

Mabinty Aziza Mansaray, a student at the Institute of Public Administration and Management, said she trusted news coming from radio and television covering the Coronavirus pandemic in Sierra Leone.

“At first, I doubted the reality of the virus but when I started getting information on it from radio and television, I started taking measures to prevent myself and family from contracting the virus,” she said.

“I believe messages coming from the various media outlets helped Sierra Leoneans to understand what to do to keep themselves safe from the virus.”

She added that the media had been very instrumental because it did not only provide the platform for people leading the response to share useful information about the virus, but that the journalists themselves became the true harbingers of credible information.

“Journalists carried out public education during the Ebola outbreak and they are playing a similar role during this current Coronavirus pandemic,” she said.

Sierra Leone

Africa

News

‘Govt. not averse to receiving deportees’

admin — Thu, 24 Sep 2020 12:10:01 +0000

‘Govt. not averse to receiving deportees’ admin Thu, 09/24/2020 - 12:10

Thursday, September 24, 2020

Original Publisher

Politics – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

‘Govt. not averse to receiving deportees’

-Says Foreign Affairs Minister

September 23, 2020

By Freddie Hayward

Foreign Minister Nabeela Tunis has said that the government will not compromise its process for verifying the nationality of deportees from the United States, following the US Embassy accusing the Sierra Leonean government of an inconsistent and delayed removals process.

Speaking at a press conference, the foreign minister strongly denied claims by the US Embassy that Sierra Leone was not compliant with deportations and expressed a strong commitment to the verification process.

“As a country we have a responsibility to go through the verification process as our national processes deem fit…despite the fact that we are under a lot of pressure to receive these people who are alleged Sierra Leoneans from the United States,” said the foreign minister.

The US Embassy has suspended the issuance of all visas to Sierra Leoneans and has said that it will only reconsider the visa sanction once an improved removal process is put in place by the Sierra Leonean government.

“What we are looking for is a consistent, reputable, routine process by which the government of Sierra Leone issues these travel documents to their citizens,” US Ambassador Marie Brewer told Radio Democracy yesterday.

However, the foreign minister is adamant that the government is compliant with deportation requests: “We have told them over and over again that we are not averse to accepting our nationals. We are ready to accept our nationals and we have been doing that for a very long time,” said the foreign minister.

Ambassador Brewer stated that the number of people waiting for deportation to Sierra Leone stands at approximately 1,300.

The Sierra Leonean government will verify that each deportee is a Sierra Leonean national before accepting their repatriation.

The foreign minister also stated that the coronavirus pandemic has impeded the government’s ability to repatriate nationals.

“There was a delay in us effecting [the verification process] because… the airports were closed… it is not practically possible for us to execute the request for deportations. Therefore, for a certain length of time we could not have these deportations done. But immediately when the airports were opened we did receive eight people in August,” she said.

The foreign minister said that the verification process can last between a few hours and a couple of days depending on the level of documentation available.

The government has set up a committee responsible for verification comprising representatives from the immigration department, labour ministry, the Office of National Security, International Organisation for Migration, social welfare and the foreign ministry.

The committee was set up following the case of two deportees last year who claimed to be from the Caribbean rather than Sierra Leone.

Ambassador Brewer has said that it was the government of Sierra Leone that issued the travel documents to the two deportees and it was therefore their responsibility to verify their nationality.

The disagreement between the two countries has worsened over the past few years. Visa sanctions have been in place since 2016 and they were expanded in 2017 to include all foreign ministry and immigration officials. The latest round of sanctions are the most severe the country have suffered. Those that already have a visa will still be able to travel and the US Embassy has said it will respect its international obligations to supply visas to diplomats and embassy staff.

Sierra Leone

Africa

Politics

‘2020, a year of delivery in the health sector’

admin — Tue, 15 Sep 2020 13:00:02 +0000

‘2020, a year of delivery in the health sector’ admin Tue, 09/15/2020 - 13:00

Tuesday, September 15, 2020

Original Publisher

Local – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

‘2020, a year of delivery in the health sector’

-Health Minister

September 14, 2020

By Mohamed M. Sesay

Minister of Health and Sanitation, Prof. Alpha Tejan Wurrie

Connaught staff at the donation scene

Minister of Health and Sanitation, Professor Alpha Wurie Tejan Jalloh, has on Thursday assured health workers that 2020 would be a year of delivery within the rapid transformation of the country’s health sector to match with global standards.

Professor Wurie made the above statement when presenting medical equipment to the Connaught Government Hospital in Freetown.

The donated items include ten Oxygen Concentrators, sanitizers, Miller water tanks, uniforms for staff, IPCs and a lot more items geared towards boosting staff capacity and improving the Connaught facility.

‘’It has been extremely difficult as a result of the consequences of the covid-19 virus. Yet still, I am here for you to believe that there are quite a bit we can deliver this year. 2020 is the year of deliver within the health sector,’’ he assured.

Professor Wurie noted that Connaught is the flagship hospital of the country, adding that the hospital has seven hundred and forty-seven healthcare workers, eight-five house officers and forty-three specialists and medical doctors.

He added that the supplementary budget has a quota or an amount meant for the rehabilitation of every government hospital in the country, affirming that the government’s supplementary budget has three key areas including diagnostic that would soon be addressed.

He said the ministry would be working with radiologists to help draw a scheme that would inform the government with regards to the purchasing of diagnostic machine.

The health minister continued that that was the first time in the history of Sierra Leone that government has a budgeted project in order to strengthen the health sector.

He said there was another health related project running simultaneously with the government budgeted project funded by the Islamic Development Bank- the project as covid-19 response one (1).

He added that the bulk of that project would be focused on a health system strengthening which encompasses thirty-forty beds unit in every district of Sierra Leone for disease response.

He further stated that government has given pin codes to three thousand, five hundred health workers in this year alone, adding that government has also given authority to his ministry to employ another three thousand health workers.

He concluded with a glad tidings that the ministry has sent a project to Global Fund, adding that the ministry could now brag of a sector-wide programme of over fifty million United States Dollars from World Bank.

In her statement, Chairperson, Board of Administration of the University of Sierra Leone Teaching Hospitals, Dr. Sonia M. Spencer, said the teaching hospital complex is made of six hospitals of which Connaught happens to be the main one.

Said the new Board for the teaching hospital is faced with some challenges which staff, patients and administrators complained about every day.

She said the donated items were direly needed and appealed to the minister to replicate similar donation to the remaining hospitals across the country.

Sierra Leone

Africa

Fourteen count charges for two women traffickers

admin — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 00:00:01 +0000

Fourteen count charges for two women traffickers

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__10258.jpg

admin Sat, 12/11/2021 - 00:00

Tuesday, November 16, 2021

Original Publisher

Local – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

Fourteen count charges for two women traffickers

November 16, 2021

By Jeneba A Conteh

Isatu Nyama Jawara, a pharmacy technician and Katumu Kanneh, a farmer, made their first appearance before Magistrate Sahr Kekura of Pademba Road Court No.1 in Freetown, on fourteen count charges to wit one count of conspiracy to commit human trafficking contrary to Section 18 of the Anti- human trafficking Act No.7 of 2005 and thirteen count ranging from engaging in human trafficking contrary to section 2 (2) of the Anti- human trafficking Act 2005.

According to the particulars of offence, on diverse dates between the 1st to 20th September,2021, in Kenema, both accused persons conspired together with other persons unknown to traffic Yatta Massaqoui, Mamie Dakuwa and Sao Amara from Kenema to Madamaya, Kambia, enroute to Guinea for the purpose of exploitation and engaged in trafficking in person by the transfer of Ibrahim Mansaray from Kenema to Madamaya, Kambia enroute to Guinea by means of deception for the purpose of exploitation.

The charges were read to both accused persons and no plea was taken.

The accused persons were unrepresented.

Magistrate Kekura sent both accused persons to the Female Correctional Center in Freetown.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Ibrahim S .Mansaray is prosecuting the matter.

Magistrate Kekura adjourned the matter to the 16th November 2021 for further hearing.

Africa

News

Two remanded for alleged theft

admin — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 00:00:01 +0000

Two remanded for alleged theft

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__10257.jpg

admin Sat, 12/11/2021 - 00:00

Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Original Publisher

Local – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

Two remanded for alleged theft

November 17, 2021

By Jeneba A Conteh

Justice Mangeh Fofanah Deen Tarawally on Tuesday, 16 November, 2021, appeared before Magistrate Mark Ngegba of Court No 2 on Pademba Road to testify against his two employees, Thomas Coker and Christopher Washington for allegedly stealing his household materials.

Both accused are charged with four counts ranging from conspiracy, larceny by servant, to malicious damage.

According to the charge sheet on count 1, both accused persons on Saturday 6 November, 2021, at Levuma Beach, Goderich, Freetown, conspired together with other persons unknown to commit a crime to wit larceny by servant.

Count 2 state that both accused on the same date and place, being servants employed by Justice Mangeh Fofanah Deen Tarawally, stole three aluminum doors valued four Million Leones, one toilet seat and wash-hand basin totaling nine hundred and eighty thousand Leones and all to the total value of four million nine hundred and eighty thousand Leones, property of the said Justice Mangeh Fofanah Deen Tarawally.

On count 4 both accused on the same date and place maliciously damaged the inside and outside decorated boards valued one million Leones.

Justice Tarawally did not testify but a date was given for the matter to come up on the 17 November, 2021.

Both accused were remanded.

Sierra Leone

Africa

News

Finance Ministry to Establish Special Disaster Management Fund

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 23:50:01 +0000

Finance Ministry to Establish Special Disaster Management Fund

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__10256.jpg

admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 23:50

Friday, November 19, 2021

Original Publisher

Local – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

Finance Ministry to Establish Special Disaster Management Fund

November 19, 2021

By Alfred Koroma

In the 2022 Finance Bill, the Ministry of Finance has proposed to establish a special disaster management fund to provide finances for the development and operation of disaster prevention, disaster risk reduction, climate change risk reduction and other disaster management programs.

The special fund will target to provide support for emergency risk disaster victims with urgency and cater for swift disaster management for any emergency response to disaster.

According to the Minister of Finance, Denis K Vandy, the funds in the special account will be managed by the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) through the authority of the president and not by the Ministry of Finance.

But Section 34 of the Finance Act, which made provisions for the creation of the account, amends Section 38 of the NDMA Act of 2020 and gives the Minister of Finance power to establish and manage the special emergency account.

Members of Parliament accepted the proposal to create the account but raised concerns on the impact Section 34 of the Finance Act will have on the functions and authority of the NDMA- the country’s statutory body responsible for disaster management.

In his statement, Hon. Abdul Kargbo said that giving disaster management funds to be managed by finance ministry will be a problem while leader of the main opposition, Hon.Chernor Maju Bah noted that creating a special account for disaster management is questionable and challenging.

Speaking on the matter, Hon. P.C. Sanka Bai Kurr Kanagbaro noted that it is good to have special funds for managing disasters and advised that the funds be used for their intended purposes.

He added that funds of that nature put aside will prevent the government from having to buckle for finances in case of emergencies.

Leader of the National Grand Coalition (NGC), Hon. Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yukella, also welcomed the special fund disaster but as well questioned why the country should create a special fund when it already has an existing agency responsible for that.

The issue of who should have authority over the account became a similar concern raised by other MPs during the debate.

Responding to concerns raised by MPs, the Finance Minister said that the idea of creating the special account is just to set a basket fund somewhere that could be utilised when the urgent need arises and not to micro manage the agency. He stated that his ministry will not be a signatory to the account.

Sierra Leone

Africa

News

2022 Budget: -Wage Bill increases from Le3.75 trillion to Le3.90 trillion – Budget cut to agriculture from Le.422.6 billion to Le278.0 billion

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 23:50:01 +0000

2022 Budget: -Wage Bill increases from Le3.75 trillion to Le3.90 trillion – Budget cut to agriculture from Le.422.6 billion to Le278.0 billion

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__10254.jpg

admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 23:50

Monday, November 22, 2021

Original Publisher

Local – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

2022 Budget: -Wage Bill increases from Le3.75 trillion to Le3.90 trillion – Bud…

November 22, 2021

By Alfred Koroma

Government wage bill for 2022 will rise to Le3.90 trillion (7.7 percent of GDP) compared to Le3.75 trillion in 2021, according to the 2022 budget statement read by the minister in the Well of Parliament.

“This increase in the nominal wage bill reflects Government’s commitment to award a salary increase of 25 percent to all the security forces over a three-year period that started in 2021,” says the Minister.

He said government will add 25 percent to the salaries of employees in tertiary educational institutions, including universities, polytechnics and government technical institutes.

“This increase in the wage bill will also cover the recruitment of 1,200 teachers; 1,000 health workers. 1,000 police officers; 200 correctional officers; and 85 firefighters as well as 500 academic and administrative staff for tertiary educational institutions especially the newly established universities,” he said.

The Minister of Finance, Denis K.Vandy, on Friday disclosed content of the country’s budget in the Well of Parliament and outlines government spending plans for the Financial Year 2022. Building Resilience for Inclusive Green Recovery, he said, is the theme for this year’s budget.

The budget tells us how much money government will take in domestic taxes; how much it will get from grants, and how they will spend it in running the country. Government spending for next year’s budget will hit record high Le9.94 trillion from the Le9.21 trillion in 2021.

Of the Le9.94 trillion, domestic revenues will contribute Le7.64 trillion (15.1 percent of GDP) and project grants will contribute Le2.3 trillion – that will include Le783 billion support from World Bank.

The budget indicates that expenditure priorities of Government remain Human Capital Development, economic diversification which includes agriculture and food security; infrastructure development; combating climate change and promoting good governance as articulated in the Medium-Term National Development Plan of 2019-2023.

But there is 144.6 billion cut in the budgetary allocation to the agriculture sector which carried 6 percent of the 2021 budget. The 2022 budget allocation to the Agriculture and Food Security sector totals Le278.0 billion less than the Le.422.6 billion allocated to the sector in the 2021 financial year. The Le278.0 allocation includes salaries for staff, procurement and distribution of agricultural tools and equipment, rehabilitation of inland valley swamps, agricultural extension services, procurement of animal vaccines and other expenditures.

According to the Minister, the 2022 budget is fully financed with no financing gap and that strict administrative measures and implementation of the revenue policy will improve domestic revenue collection in 2022.

The total expenditure and net lending for the next financial year, including arrears pay down will rise toLe11.81 trillion (23.3 percent of GDP) compared to Le10.97 trillion for 2021.

“Part of it is the recurrent expenditures which will hit Le8.17 trillion (16.1 percent of GDP) and the capital expenditures will amount to Le3.64 trillion (7.2 percent of GDP), of which, domestic financed capital expenditures will summed up to Le1.19 trillion. Foreign-financed capital expenditures are projected at Le2.45 trillion. An amount of Le100 billion is allocated for the payment of pre-April 2018 arrears.”

The minister said Debt Service Payments total interest payments are projected at Le1.44 trillion (2.8 percent of GDP) for 2022. Of this, interest payments on domestic debt will amount to Le1.26 trillion and interest on foreign debt, Le178.7 billion.

He said of the Le9.94 trillion budget, Government has allocated Le1.7 trillion to the education sector, maintaining the 22 percent apportioned to the sector in the previous budget.

He said the amount includes salaries of teachers and employees of tertiary education institutions and other expenditures.

He said the health sector will receive Le896.7 billion, accounting for another 11 percent of the total budget expenditure and that the allocation includes salaries for health workers; recurrent expenditures for primary and secondary health care services, Le174.0 billion as transfers to NACOVERC, Le75.0 billion for procurement of Free Health Care Drugs, other essential drugs and medical supplies; Le41.2 billion allocated for the monthly cleaning exercise.

“The allocation also includes Le30.9 billion from the domestic capital budget, of which, Le4.9 billion is meant for the construction of a Diagnostic Medical Centre and Le3.5 billion for the rehabilitation and expansion of PHUs.”

He said to the security sector, the Ministry of Defence is set to receive Le341.3 billion and the Police Le396.3 billion.

“The correctional services have been assigned Le102.6 billion. While Le14.8 billion will go to the National Fire Force. Office of National Security will earn Le26.8 billion and Le22.4 billion is set aside for the Central Intelligence and Security Unit and Le14.4 billion is going to the Immigration Department.”

Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is allocated Le400.4 billion followed by the National Electoral Commission which receives Le336.8 billion; Le53.1 billion is specified to the Anti-Corruption Commission; while Parliamentary Service Commission gets Le69.8 billion. The National Monitoring and Evaluation Department is allocated Le5.9 billion.

An amount of Le199.7 billion goes to the Ministry of Finance and Le39.9 billion is allocated to the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development. NRA will receive Le207.7 billion.

Africa

News

‘We Wasted $68 Million to Bribe People Hoarding the Leones’ -Bank Governor Confesses

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 23:40:01 +0000

‘We Wasted $68 Million to Bribe People Hoarding the Leones’ -Bank Governor Confesses

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__10253.jpg

admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 23:40

Tuesday, November 23, 2021

Original Publisher

Local – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

‘We Wasted $68 Million to Bribe People Hoarding the Leones’ -Bank Governor Con…

November 23, 2021

By Alfred Koroma

Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone, Prof. Kelfala M. Kallon, yesterday disclosed in the Well of Parliament that, the Bank of Sierra Leone wasted $68 million to ‘bribe’ people who were hoarding the country’s currency, so that they could bring it back to the banking system.

“We wasted $68 million to bribe people who were hoarding Leones to bring it into the banking system. I asked myself: we have worked so hard during the past two years to build reserve for this country, is it going to be sustainable for us to keep bribing people to take Leones, and when we bribe them, they bring the Leones then they take it back; then we have to bribe them again?’’

According to the Governor, they made an emergency order for money at the start of COVID-19, to meet the increase demand for money and for government spending, but those monies came and just vanished out of the system.

He said unlike other countries, Sierra Leone pays hard currency to print money not worth the value of the money that comes.

He stated that government spend huge amount to order for money, and charter plane to bring monies, but at the of the day disappear when put into the banking system. He continued that when the central bank put out money, out of each Le 1000 they put out, they expect to get Le800 back to the bank.’’

To combat the situation, he said they made a decision to reverse an order against holding dollars so that he can sell dollars to people who were hoarding the Leones to bring them back into the banking system which cost the bank $68 million.

The Governor was speaking to MPs on the redenomination of the currency the country is about to experience, following a motion that was moved in the Well of Parliament to educate MPs on the redenomination exercise.

While speaking, the Governor said that regardless of anything else, all the economic analysis is that one should redenominate under certain circumstances. He said the situation the country faced in 2020, even if everything else had worked well, gave him the reason to redenominate.

He noted that even before he was approved by the House to take the job, he had thought of redenominating the country’s currency because of the huge transaction cost of daily business in the country.

“People are running around with huge sacks of money, there is great lose on the economy, therefore we need to redenominate,’’ he said.

Sierra Leone

Africa

News

MPPA engages MDAs on the Pre-launch of the Citizens Portal

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 23:40:01 +0000

MPPA engages MDAs on the Pre-launch of the Citizens Portal

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__10252.jpg

admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 23:40

Tuesday, November 30, 2021

Original Publisher

Local – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

MPPA engages MDAs on the Pre-launch of the Citizens Portal

November 30, 2021

The Ministry of Political and Public Affairs (MPPA) has on Tuesday 23rd November 2021, engaged Ministries Departments and Agencies (MDAs) on its Pre-launch of the Government’s Citizens Portal- a one stop shop for the public to tap on, for relevant and trustworthy information that have to do with governance and accountability.

The pre-launch dialogue session is a continuation of the Ministry’s effort in ensuring that relevant stakeholders are well informed about the Citizens Portal. It is worth noting that on previous engagement on the Citizens Portal, MPPA had discussions with the mainstream media through its body- Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) and also with Civil Society Organizations (CSOs).

In his statements, Minister of Political and Public Affairs, Ambassador Mohamed Foday Yumkella underscored the relevance of the Citizens Portal in present day Sierra Leone, and went on to state that the Citizens Portal would help in information dissemination between the Government and its Citizen (in the form of complaints, suggestions and comments) as the public would be able to discussed freely in the governance process.

Ambassador Yumkella assured all that the Citizens Portal would be a complete interactive session that is expected to address issues of misinformation, amongst other ills in society.

Historically, he mentioned that the concept of governance has been mismanaged over the years and the civil war stands out as one of the factors of such mismanagement.

In his remarks, Permanent Secretary MPPA, Mohamed A. Jalloh reiterated that, the mandate of the Ministry of Political and Public Affairs falls under Cluster 4 of the Medium Term National Development Plan (MTNDP) – which speaks on governance and accountability for results. He mentioned that the Ministry as part of its obligations- is to interface with the public on governance issues through town halls meetings, focus group discussions, and now, using the Citizens Portal- to meet with the public.

In a brief synopsis about the Ministry, Director Ministry of Political and Public Affairs, James Bonghor Sesay, said that MPPA was established in 1996 with name, Ministry of Political and Presidential Affairs- to channel complaints, appeals and representations for the Office of the President. As time elapsed, the Ministry was renamed, Ministry of Political and Parliamentary Affairs, with mandate- to serve as a liaison between the Executive and Parliament, and to also monitor progress in Parliament.

He went on to state that in 2010, the Ministry was renamed- Ministry of Political and Public Affairs, bent on maintaining contact with the general public, traditional leaders, civil society organizations and other pressure groups. He emphasized that with the Citizens Portal, it would serve as a channel of communication thereby, widening the space between government and the people by identifying issues of national concern and monitor public opinion on political and other related matters.

On the design of the Citizens Portal, Mohamed Wusha-Conteh who is the Senior ICT Officer- MPPA explained that the Portal is designed for the citizen to raise their voices online and the MDA’S and offices concerned will be bound to respond in specific timeline to address their complaints and this will seamlessly integrate the system to provide important information to citizen through a secure data connection.

Mr. Wusha revealed that to participate on the discussion forum of the citizen portal one need to register, as this is will reduce the risk of misuse and maintain data integrity for statistical purpose. He disclosed that citizens need to register with their emails, dates of birth etc., and once one they are registered they can participate freely by sending comment or complaint on the platform and noted that the complaint section is restricted in order to protect the identity of whistle blowers.

He called for a tight collaboration with MDAs in ensuring, issues such as complaints directed to the Portal- are swiftly addressed in order to win public confidence.

The program was climaxed with questions, contributions and suggestions from the various Ministry, Department and Agencies.

Sierra Leone

Africa

News

Mercury International Goes Six Draws A-Day

admin — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 23:00:01 +0000

Mercury International Goes Six Draws A-Day

/sites/default/files/imported_articles_images/node__10237.jpg

admin Fri, 12/10/2021 - 23:00

Wednesday, October 13, 2021

Original Publisher

Business – Sierra Leone Concord Times

Original Article

Mercury International Goes Six Draws A-Day

October 13, 2021

Sierra Leone’s leading and unchallenged Sports Betting and Lottery Company, Mercury International in fulfilment and commitment towards the demands of its valuable customers, has increased its daily draws from five draws a day to six draws and 41draws weekly.

The increase in the 5/90 draws and the newly introduced draws are; the ROKEL RIVER which comes up every Monday at 9:00am, TONKOLILI SPECIAL on Tuesday, KOINADUGU SPECIAL on Wednesday, whiles DARU draw comes up every Thursday, followed by BINTUMANI on Friday and ABACHA STREET SPECIAL on Saturday. Meanwhile, all the newly introduced draws are done at 9:00am of every day.

To complete the additional newly introduce draws; the Company made further increase from two to five draws on Sunday bringing in the; LEICESTER PEAK as the first on Sunday at 12:00pm, the MAMBO FALLS as the third draw of the day and it comes up at 3:00pm, whiles the DOVE COURT SPECIAL is the final of the day and it comes up at 6:00pm.

The 5/90 Lottery draws will continue to run seven days a week; Monday to Sunday and will now be held daily at 9:00am, 11:0am, 2:0pm, 4:0pm, 6: 00 pm, 8:0pm respectively, whiles, Sunday draws will run from 12:00pm, 1:30pm, 3:00pm, 4:30pm and 6:00pm respectively. Meanwhile, the minimum stake of these draws still remains Le1, 000.

Throwing more light on the new changes, the Deputy Operations Manager, Mercury International, Burnce Coker said, this is in fulfilment of the company’s promise to get new machines and also increase the number of daily draws in response to the high demands of customers.

“Our customers have been asking through text messages, phone calls on the different radio mercury programs to increase our game draws. This is a direct response to their concerns”. Coker Stated.

“We’ll always listen to the concerns of our valued customers, as they are the reason why we are operating as a Company and we’ll always cherish them,” the Deputy Operations Manager.

Sierra Leone

Africa

Business