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The United States Congress has reportedly approved a $480 million compact grant through the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to support Sierra Leone's development. This significant milestone comes after the MCC Board of Directors reselected Sierra Leone for compact development in December 2023, subject to meeting certain conditions related to the country’s 2023 general elections. The compact is expected to be formally signed on Friday between the MCC and the Government of Sierra Leone. U.S. Senators Jim Risch and Chris Coons have emphasized that, despite the progress made by Sierra Leone, the nation must continue to meet eligibility criteria outlined by the US. In a joint statement, they noted, “After the flawed elections in June, Sierra Leone’s government and the primary opposition party have made significant commitments that are essential but initial steps in a much longer process to restore confidence in Sierra Leone for a potential future compact agreement.” A key factor ...

President Julius Maada Bio recently held a highly productive meeting with world-renowned economist and sustainable development advocate, Jeffrey D. Sachs. The discussions focused on Sierra Leone’s progress in expanding access to education and explored opportunities to strengthen this momentum through international collaborations. President Bio expressed optimism about the potential impact of this partnership, emphasizing the mutual acknowledgment of Sierra Leone’s achievements in education. "We recognized the great progress Sierra Leone has made in increasing access to education," President Bio noted, underscoring Sachs' commitment to assisting the country in fostering global relationships and partnerships with multilateral institutions. “This is a solid gain for Sierra Leone, and we look forward to deepening this relationship,” President Bio remarked, signaling the significance of this collaboration for the country’s development agenda. Sachs, known for his bold and effe...

A Sierra Leone Police officer is facing widespread criticism after allegedly attempting to plant illegal drugs in a shop on Free Street, Central Freetown. The incident, which occurred on Friday, September 20, has ignited public outrage following the release of a viral video that captured the encounter. In the video, the officer is seen requesting to search a shop. However, the shop owner, suspicious of the officer’s intentions, insisted that the officer search himself before inspecting the premises. In a surprising turn of events, the video allegedly shows the officer removing packets of tramadol from his own pocket. The narrator, a male voice, claims that the officer intended to plant the drugs in the shop to falsely incriminate the owner. Tramadol, a controlled substance in Sierra Leone, is known for its widespread abuse and illegal trafficking. If the allegations are verified, this incident represents a serious breach of trust by a law enforcement officer. The unidentified shop owne...

Since the announcement of President Julius Maada Bio’s victory in the June 24, 2023 presidential election, the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) has experienced internal turmoil. The APC vehemently rejected the election results, citing numerous discrepancies and lack of transparency, an issue echoed by several Civil Society Organizations. The party vowed to disengage from governance until, in their view, the “right thing” was done to address the alleged electoral malpractices. Despite the formation of a Tripartite Committee to examine the irregularities, the APC saw no favorable outcome. Many within the party and the public viewed this as a sign that the opposition had been unable to withstand the pressure to challenge President Bio’s second term effectively. As a result, President Bio has continued his leadership, and many believe he will complete his second term until the constitutional handover in 2028. The APC executive has long held that Bio’s government was illegitimate...

President Julius Maada Bio recently announced on his X (formerly Twitter) page that he held a highly productive bilateral meeting with H.E. Denis Bećirović, Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The discussion centered on pressing global issues related to peace and security, reflecting both leaders’ commitment to fostering international stability. During the meeting, President Bio and Chairman Bećirović shared valuable insights from their respective nations’ experiences in peace-building. They stressed the critical role of dialogue and peaceful resolutions in addressing conflicts. President Bio, in particular, highlighted Sierra Leone’s leadership within the United Nations Security Council, reaffirming the country’s commitment to promoting international cooperation and conflict resolution. “Sierra Leone remains dedicated to being a bridge-builder and a voice of reason within the UN Security Council,” President Bio stated, underscoring the country’s proactive engagement ...

The Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education (MBSSE) has expressed serious concern over the slow pace of uploading Continuous Assessment Scores (CASS) for Senior Secondary School Year One (SSS1) students onto the West African Examination Council (WAEC) portal. These students are scheduled to sit for the 2025 West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE). During a press briefing, Deputy Minister of Education, Ms. Mamusu Massaquoi, revealed that despite the September 30, 2024 deadline for completing the CASS uploads, only 60 out of 784 schools had successfully uploaded their students' scores. The delay led Foday Kuyateh, Western Regional Secretary for the Sierra Leone Teachers Union (SLTU), to call for an extension of the deadline to ensure that no student or school is disadvantaged. The MBSSE reiterated that submitting “CASS One” is essential for students to be eligible to sit for the 2025 WASSCE. Principals have been instructed to upload only vetted and min...

Reliable sources within the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) have disclosed that members of the party’s National Advisory Committee (NAC) are secretly rallying behind a handpicked presidential candidate, sidelining the former presidential candidate, Dr. Samura Mathew Wilson Kamara. This clandestine maneuver, allegedly orchestrated by former President Ernest Bai Koroma, has sparked concerns within the party about the transparency of the selection process for the 2028 national elections. According to insiders who requested anonymity due to fear of reprisal, former President Koroma, despite being in Nigeria on medical grounds, has maintained significant influence over the NAC. He is reported to have recommended Dr. Ibrahim Bangura, a lecturer at Fourah Bay College in Freetown, as his preferred candidate. NAC members, many of whom are loyal to the former president, are said to have discreetly endorsed Dr. Bangura and committed to ensuring his nomination as the party’s flagbearer...

The Sierra Leone Public Transport Authority (SLPTA) has announced that the government’s Waka Fine Buses have been loaned to the Metro Company at a 50% discount, with no interest, as part of an initiative to strengthen the country’s public transportation system. This was disclosed by Isaac Ken-Green, Acting Director General of SLPTA, during the Ministry of Information and Communications' (MOIC) weekly press briefing. Ken-Green explained that the Metro Company, an organization comprising members of the informal transport sector, including drivers of poda-podas, buses, and tricycles, was selected as the beneficiary of this initiative. The discounted Waka Fine Buses are intended to enhance the company's service capacity and improve the quality of transportation for the general public. Established by parliamentary enactment in 2023, the SLPTA now regulates public transport operations across Sierra Leone. Since its launch, the Waka Fine Bus service has become an essential resource, t...

The Deputy Minister of Information and Civic Education, Abdel Aziz Bawoh, has affirmed President Julius Maada Bio's commitment to decongesting Freetown and improving the livelihoods of Sierra Leoneans. Speaking on the much-anticipated Lungi Bridge project, Bawoh emphasized the President's strategic vision to transform the nation's capital and decentralize key services. Addressing the relocation of certain Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to Lungi, Bawoh highlighted this initiative as a crucial step towards decentralization. He described it as an extension of the government’s efforts to distribute administrative and economic activities more evenly across the country, reducing the burden on Freetown.  Bawoh further noted that the Lungi Bridge, once constructed, will establish a direct link between Freetown and the northern town of Lungi, facilitating seamless transportation to and from the capital city and its international airport. This infrastructure will not on...

On September 12th, 2024, Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGP) Aiah Edward Samadia was presented with a comprehensive report from an African Union (AU) delegation following a four-day oversight mission to the Sierra Leone Police (SLP). The mission focused on the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concerning the Sierra Leone Formed Police Unit (SLFPU) deployed in Somalia for peacekeeping operations. The three-member delegation, led by Jonathan Ndeto, Head of Peace Support Operations and Field Mission Unit in the AU’s Peace & Security Finance Division, and supported by Noufou Ouedraogo, Assistant Accountant in the same division, and Assistant Commissioner of Police Nancy Obekpa, reviewed key operational and financial components of the mission. Their focus included Contingent Owned Equipment (COE) reimbursements, payroll reconciliation for SLFPU personnel, and ensuring the timely submission of accountability documents. During the report handover, Ndeto expressed gratitude to the SL...