“If we were going to say no, our success was going to be at stake, and if we were going to say yes, which some of us were forced to do, we were going to lose our respect and dignity as women,” says Female Student of the Milton Margai Technical University (MMTU).
They narrated their ordeals in the hands of their lecturers, and they said a considerable number of them were caught between the line of whether to be unsuccessful or fail honorably.
They noted that the action of the Vice Chancellor and Principal Professor Philip John Kanu (Ph.D.) a month ago by publicly exposing lecturers who have been using their position to oppress female students have left the students celebrating the no-nonsense Principal, adding that they are safe and protected under his reign.
It has become evident that women seeking higher education are being subjected to sexual harassment and demeaning remarks by their lecturers/ supervisors. Such an environment brutally reminds them that all of their intelligence, efforts, and creativity count less than their sexual attributes.
For restoring their dignity, peace, and protection, they thanked the industrious and hard-working Vice Chancellor for giving them a breath of fresh air to achieve their full potential in society, by creating an enabling environment for them to strive!
New Freetown City Council Building.. a free gift by South Korea
The Korean Embassy in close cooperation with the government of Sierra Leone and Freetown City Council has officially opened week-long activities marking the 60th Anniversary of the Korean – Sierra Leone diplomatic ties. The celebration events will run until Friday 2 December with colorful programs such as a public policy seminar and a Korean film screening. Particularly, the famous Korean group, LEENALCHI band, will visit Freetown to hold a joint cultural performance with the Sierra Leone Jazz Team which is expected to serve as an opportunity to showcase the cultural diversity of the two countries.
The two countries have built friendly relations over the last 60 years, by helping each other in times of need and working together in the international arena such as the United Nations and the African Union. The two countries’ leaders, President Yoon and President Bio are expected to exchange goodwill messages with each other and to the people of both countries.
The symbol of deepening relations is the reconstruction of Freetown City Hall, and the Korean government will further deepen its development cooperation with Sierra Leone in the coming years. The President of KOICA, the major Korean government development agency, will sign an MOU with the Minister of Planning and Economic Development, during the 60th anniversary celebration week, which will be another meaningful milestone in bilateral relations.
Against this backdrop, the Republic of Korea cultural exhibition was officially opened on Monday 28th November 2022 at the New Freetown City Council Ground Floor, an event that marked the celebrations of the 60th anniversary of the Korea-Sierra Leone diplomatic relationship, which has brought so many benefits and opportunities.
The Korean Ambassador assigned to Sierra Leone, His Excellency Kim Young Chae remarked that the week-long celebration would feature activities like a Korean Performing Arts screening, a Public Policy Seminar, Singing of a memorandum of understanding between the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and KCCN, Opening ceremony of Honorary Consul’s Office, singing of a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development and KOICA, Joint Cultural Performance, handing over of vehicles to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, etc. He praised the construction of the new City Council Building, which is a symbol of a good relationship between the two countries, and went on to thank the government of Sierra Leone for supporting the 60th-anniversary events. The Ambassador commended the newly appointed the Republic of Korean Consul in Sierra Leone, His Excellency Mahesh Nandwani for mobilizing his family and team to support the celebrations, and went on to commend his Korean Team for helping the process. Ambassador Kim commended LG Electronics Company for coming to Sierra Leone to showcase its items. He pledged his country’s further commitment in strengthening the bilateral ties.
The Mayor of Freetown, Yvonne Aki-Sawyarr said celebrating trade and cultural opportunities is an excellent idea, which demonstrates a true relationship between the two countries, and added that the construction of the City Council Building is a power of partnership between the sister countries. She praised the Korean Republic for growing from a developing nation to an industrialized country. “This is an opportunity for a more industrial relationship and I look forward to stronger ties,” she said.
Sierra Leone’s Foreign Minister, Professor David Francis congratulated the government and people of Korea for maintaining a strong relationship with Sierra Leone, which started on 25th June 1962. “The relationship has gravitated to a very strong tie with an unbroken record in a very challenging competition amongst states,” the Minister said and continued that the New City Council Building is a shining example of a good relationship. “We have so Sierra Leoneans that have studied in Korea and the two countries have shared so many opportunities,” the Minister remarked and furthered that the Korean private sector is key in taking forward a stronger partnership in the next sixty years. “We are now moving to economic diplomacy that will help Sierra Leone grow to an industrialized country,” he said and revealed that there will be a 20% increase in Korean Private Sector investment in Sierra Leone in the coming years. “No country has ever developed through aid. We now want to focus on trade and investment,” Prof. Francis said and went on to appeal to Korean Private Sector Investors to support the process. He praised the newly appointed Korean Consul, Mahesh Nandwani for taking the lead in facilitating the process. “We look forward to celebrating a solid relationship in the next sixty years,” he noted.
Present at the occasion was the Minister of Trade, some government and private sector officials, Korean Officials, and invited dignitaries.
The Barefoot College has, over the years, been complementing the government’s efforts in the area of improving access to electricity supply in rural areas and with support from the government of Sierra Leone, over seven thousand households in remote areas now have access to electricity.
However, the training of women and young girls in Solar Electrification has been greatly affected by the COVID-19 outbreak and its attendant consequences, as the public gathering was prohibited, among other restrictions that stalled the laudable venture. Also, access to funding to continue the training was another serious challenge as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. Meanwhile, the college has trained over five hundred women across the country who are today in a better position as a result of the skills they have acquired from the College that has, to a large extent, helped them to be financially self-reliant.
According to the Chief Solar Engineer of the college, Haja Nancy Kanu, the college last received support from the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) led government of President Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio 2018 trained only one hundred (100) women, which was below the target of trainees per year. However, a year later, the outbreak of the pandemic slowed the entire process as according to Ing. Nancy Kanu their target was to train two hundred women every year in solar electrification. “After successful completion, the graduates are provided with equipment to electrify their homes, install indoor solar lights and solar PV-powered water pumps are also provided to them to install in other homes in their communities,” Ing. Nancy Kanu stated.
“We knew government has other pressing commitments to address, including combating the pandemic which affected all fabric of society, and therefore could not meet our target at the time, but we were very hopeful that it would come to our aid now that the outbreak has subsided,” she further stated, adding that they would have done more if it were not for the COVID-19 outbreak, as according to her, they had to stop all engagements as everyone was focused on curbing the disease.
She further disclosed that schools and community clinics have benefited from the facility, noting that communities pay a minimal fee for repair and maintenance of the solar units, through the Village Solar Committees in their respective villages. According to Ing. Haja Nancy Kanu, the women they trained never went to school and were all drawn from remote and deprived communities as they are mostly their targets during enrolment; especially those in areas without access to electricity.
“Illiteracy does not in any way deter anyone from enrolling. I have never been to school, but today, I am proud to be the Chief Solar Engineer, looking back on where I came from, my life has been transformed greatly. Before I had the opportunity of going to India for the training, my only source of livelihood was selling soap which was not making much profit to take care of my family. My story changed immediately when I met the founder of the Barefoot College in India, Bunker Roy. He was very inspiring and motivated us to take advantage of the opportunity and learn about solar installation despite the fact that we have never been to school. I was among the first batch of women that went for the training in India,” she narrated her success story.
It could be recalled that the Indian Government supported the training of 10 Sierra Leonean women to travel to India for basic solar technology training and rural solar electrification for a period of six months in 2018.
“We traveled 6,000 miles to train at the Barefoot College in Tilonia, Rajasthan, in Western India. After six months of training, we returned and establish the Barefoot Women Solar Engineers Association of Sierra Leone, known as the Barefoot College located in Konta Line, Lower Koya in Port Loko District,” she further explained.
Highlighting challenges her workers are facing, she said, they are currently not officially contributors to the National Insurance and Social Security Trust (NASSIT) scheme and are also not on the government’s payroll. “We only receive a monthly stipend from the government through the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education. Even that is not forthcoming as we are yet to receive our 2021 stipend,” she stated.
She furthered that they also lack requisite material tools, and equipment, among other challenges.
It goes without saying that no country in the world can develop without an adequate supply of electricity as the opposite attracts investors and enables businesses to thrive.
Sierra Leone still has one of the world’s lowest rates of modern energy access, which has immensely contributed to the slow rate of development in the country.
According to the World Bank 2021 Report, only 23% of Sierra Leoneans have access to electricity, which is below the Sub-Saharan average of 30%. Improving access to electricity has been a daunting task, and therefore, a possible alternative required to improve energy access is Solar Energy.
It could also be recalled that in April 2019, Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Fatima Bio, graciously launched the Women Increasing Sustainable Energy and Use (WISE) project at the Lagoonda Complex in Freetown, in her capacity as WISE Ambassador. The €5.5 million projects was expected to help women a business in the sustainable energy sector value chain which gave hope to thousands of vulnerable women who were supposed to benefit from the said project which was expected to span over a five-year period.
The WISE project by then was supposed to be implemented in Kenya, Uganda, and Sierra Leone to support women build sustainable energy businesses through incubator hubs and also access affordable finance and in addition, be imparted with energy-based technical and entrepreneurial skills.
The positive impact of the project was to create 5,550 women-owned income-generating enterprises in sustainable energy, 229 sustainable energy incubator hubs to impact 95,000 women, build an ecosystem of mentors, trainers, and advocates, and will partner with financial institutions to provide perpetual trade and working capital finance for the proposed targeted beneficiaries in all three countries.
What went wrong along the line is yet to be ascertained but since the launch of this laudable project, there has been no implementation as the college has somewhat been neglected without no continued support.
WISE Project would have contributed to improving gender equality – SDG5 and SDG7 – ensuring access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all.
The Barefoot College is, through the media, calling on the government of Sierra Leone, the Wise Ambassador, First Lady Mrs. Fatima Bio and other donor partners to come to their aid as government and donors have now been able to control the COVID-19 Outbreak.
This story was put together with support from Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Human Rights Fellowship.
Princess Kamara a mother of a ten-year-old girl child who was among those who received the HPV Vaccine has said that despite the long delay in administering the HPV Vaccines as a result of COVID-19, the decision taken by the government to introduce the HPV Vaccine to prevent the girl child against Cervical Cancer is a great step, considering the country’s weak health system.
In an exclusive interview, she disclosed that as a mother, protecting her daughter against the disease is one of her utmost priorities, due to the fact that her grandmother died of the disease, and therefore will not want any of her family members to be a victim.
She added that the intervention by the government of saving the lives of the future generation has greatly helped to reduce the risk of contracting the disease and also removed huge financial burden on families.
The financial cost is huge and most people cannot afford it, as parents, we are very confident that all the girls that have been vaccinated will live free from the disease.
She further noted that the Ministry of Health has been able to considerably roll out the COVID-19 vaccine on an encouraging scale, which has made it possible for them to adequately roll out the HPV Vaccine for the safety of their daughters.
The Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) with support from Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance (Gavi), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in October this year rolled out the campaign to administer HPV vaccines nationwide through schools, targeting 153,991 10-year-old girls, who received two doses over a six-month period.
According to Harold William, despite the HPV vaccine proving to be a safe tool to protect women and girls against HPV and the risk of cervical cancer, global coverage rates among 15-year-old girls remain low at 15 percent with two doses on average, adding that the latest global immunization coverage data shows that just 12% of girls globally are receiving the crucial vaccine with immunization campaigns particularly disrupted by lockdowns and school closures.
According to the Sierra Leone Cancer Registry, cervical cancer is the second most common and number one killer disease, of all cancers among women, aged between 14 and 44 years old, and in 2021, approximately 504 new cases of this deadly cancer were diagnosed.
Globally, cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer among women with an estimated 266,000 deaths and 528,000 new cases each year. Around 85 percent of the global burden of cervical cancer occurs in lower-income countries.
According to the Managing Director of Country Programmes at Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Thabani Maphosa, the rollout of the HPV vaccine was the first step towards protecting girls in Sierra Leone from cervical cancer and providing them with a better chance of living longer, healthier lives and reaching their full potential.
The introduction of the HPV vaccine in Sierra Leone comes after several months of thorough planning led by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation’s National Immunizations Programme. In 2014, a Gavi-supported HPV vaccine pilot project was undertaken in Bo District.
This pilot demonstrated the country’s ability and readiness to implement a school-based vaccination programme nationwide. However, due to the Ebola Virus Disease and COVID-19 outbreaks, the MoHS had to postpone the introduction of the nationwide vaccine.
“The introduction of the HPV vaccine is a welcome demonstration of the collaborative efforts in Sierra Leone to support the good health of every child. Good health is a basic human right, which every child in Sierra Leone should enjoy, regardless of where they are in the country,” said UNICEF Representative, Dr. Suleiman Braimoh.
More than 55 percent of the 194 WHO Member States have introduced HPV vaccination, however in West and Central Africa, the HPV vaccine has been introduced in only eight countries
In March 2021, Sierra Leone started its COVID-19 vaccination campaign just one year after the country recorded its first case of the viral pandemic.
A year after rolling out, the vaccine data from the Ministry of Health and Sanitation (MoHS) showed that only 16% of the targeted population had received at least a dose of it, representing 11% of the total population.
As a result of the unsatisfactory turnout, MoHS brought on board other key players in the health sector, early this year, for a five-day planning meeting and during the said meeting, an ambitious target was set by the authorities to reach at least 70 percent of the population by the end of the year.
The Director of Health Security and Emergencies, Dr. Mohamed Vandi noted that the biggest challenge the ministry faced was how to possibly convince the people to be vaccinated owing to the fact that there have been lots of misinformation surrounding the entire exercise. However, he said with the involvement of key players they were able to reach out to a good number of Sierra Leoneans through a sustained sensitization campaign, emphasizing that “COVID-19 vaccination was the best option to prevent the disease from spreading.
He furthered that the Government of Sierra Leone saw it fit to work with other partners, particularly the United States, and that they have worked tirelessly to prevent COVID-19 infections in the country, by ensuring that sufficient vaccines were available for people to be vaccinated in the country.
Meanwhile, he said, a total of over one million vaccine doses have been donated to the government of Sierra Leone by the US government, which is the largest donation received so far from any country.
Vaccination coverage, he added, has grown rapidly in the country, as already more than 50% of Sierra Leoneans over the age of 12 years are fully vaccinated.
In a Facebook post, the United States Embassy in Freetown noted that the vaccine donations and technical support provided by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to immunization programs aim at helping Sierra Leone meet the ambitious WHO target of 70% COVID-19 vaccination by the end of 2022. Adding that clearly signifies that the partnership is producing meaningful results.
It further noted that the CDC also provided technical guidance on the roll-out of the HPV vaccine to prevent cervical cancer–the 2nd most frequent cancer among women in Sierra Leone.
This story was put together with support from Journalists for Human Rights (JHR) and the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ) Human Rights Fellowship.
Former President of Sierra Leone, Ernest Bai Koroma, is participating in the second Strategy Meeting of the West African Elders’ Forum (WAEF) being held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The Meeting opened with an interaction with the host vice president, Tiemoko Kone (In warm handshake with Fmr President Koroma).
Welcoming participants to the meeting, the Executive Director of the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation, Ann Iyone, highlighted some of the challenges to democracy:
“No country can claim to be democratic or to run a representative system of government that does not have elections as one of the permanent features of its political calendar.
Alarmingly, there has, on aggregate, been a deterioration of the quality of elections in a growing number of West African countries.”
She also acknowledged that : “the integrity of the vote has been negatively impacted by incidence of electoral violence, the abridgment of the autonomy of elections management bodies, the “securitisation” of the electoral process, and the “judicialisation” of the election outcomes.” Iyone expressed concern that the implications of the decline in the quality of elections witnessed in several countries are many but of particular importance is the growing risk that sections of the populace might conclude that elections no longer offer a viable path for peacefully and legally changing governments and voting out incumbents”.
Chairman of the WAEF, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, expressed the organization’s belief in preventive diplomacy and noted that one of the objectives of the Forum is to shore up the democratic gains of the West African region by meaningfully engaging different stakeholders, in a pragmatic and responsible manner.
President Jonathan added that: “Meetings like these serve as an opportunity to review the gains, challenges and threats to peace and democracy in our sub-region and help us strategize on how to mediate, so that threats do not degenerate into conflicts.”
The former Nigerian leader reiterated Iyone’s sentiments that elections are the cornerstone of democracy, and the activities surrounding the process could either make or mar the developmental aspirations of a nation. He also noted that Elections afford citizens the opportunity to have a say in their nation and give them the opportunity to participate in the leadership recruitment process of their country.
“From recent events in Africa, we can draw a lesson on the relationship between peaceful elections, democratic sustenance, and national stability. This is why every process leading to an election is very important to the outcome of the poll,” said former President Jonathan.
The WAEF chairman concluded that it is the responsibility of the ‘Elders’ to identify threats to the transition programmes in the sub-region and seek ways of proactively engaging relevant stakeholders towards resolving such challenges.
Speaking to the Ivorian state television, Sierra Leone’s former President Ernest Bai Koroma, acknowledged the democratic strives being made on the continent but lamented the increasing decline in the quality of democracy across Africa. He pointed out that the resurgence of military coups in Africa is an indication that Democracy in West Africa is in crisis, which he associated to the absence of the democratic dividend and the manipulation of the electoral process.
President Koroma drew attention to the fact that three West African states are due to hold multi-tier elections next year, noting that the WAEF Strategy Meeting is timely especially also in view of the fact that several legislative elections are slated for 2023.
The Sierra Leonean statesman, like his peers in the Forum, gracefully handed over power after completing his constitutional two terms from 2007-2018.
The Electoral Commission of Sierra Leone on Thursday 17th November 2022 released its long-awaited analysis of Provisional Registration Data, which shows a total of 3,268,855 voters that are registered for the June 2023 general elections. The results so far show a difference of 623, 568 difference between the South-east combined and the North-west. Some political annalists are of the view that the current results do not favor the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), which stronghold registered (south and east) recorded lesser registration as compared to other regions considered to be the strongholds of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party.
The results per region show as follows: Eastern Region records a total of 677,774; Southern Region has 645,173; the Northeast has 540,715, the northwest has 478,017; whilst the Western Rural and Western Urban Districts have 927,783.
Meanwhile, the results so far recorded a total of 607 Under Age registration, an act that is considered as a crime according to the electoral laws of the country.
The total duplicated data results stand at 257,123, whilst the total captured data is 3,525,843.
However, in a letter addressed to the Government Printing Department, on the submission of public notices on the holding of public hearings on claims to the provisional list of voters, the Electoral Commission stated that “With reference to the above subject, please find the attached Public Notices on the holding of Public Inquiries on Claims relating to the Provisional List of Voters (PW) to be held from 4th to 5th December 2022. The Commission would be most grateful if you gazette the said Public Notices at your earliest convenience.” This said inquiries will come after the exhibition of the provisional list of voters.
“In exercise of the powers conferred on it by Section 33 of the Constitution of Sierra Leone, 1991 (Act No. 6 of 1991); pursuant to Sections 7 and 27(3) of the Public Elections Act, 2022 (Act No. 17 of 2022), the Electoral Commission for Sierra Leone (ECSL) hereby publishes the List of Exhibition Centres for the exhibition of the Provisional List of Voters (PLV) from 24th to 28th November 2022…”
President Julius Maada Bio has rolled out lots of programs/projects to fully realize the benefits of agriculture in the country. One such is the Islamic Development Bank, the Government of Sierra Leone, and the Government of Malaysia, which are bankrolling the Palm Oil Production Project with a cost of $ 15.94 million and is based in Bonthe District. This Project is expected to focus on increased production of Palm Oil and improving Rural, Social, and Market Infrastructure. It is expected to boost palm oil production in the country and help both illiterate and semi-illiterate Sierra Leoneans to access jobs and improve their livelihoods.
The 7,008 Acres of oil palm plantation is part of an initial US$ 12.79m Islamic Development Bank and Government of Sierra Leone funded Matru Jong Palm Oil Production Project, which is not yielding the expected dividend especially after the current government turned the sod for the construction of a standard cooking oil refinery plant. Local Authorities in the Jong and Sogbini Chiefdoms, Bonthe District, are now urging the government to hand over the said project to existing local companies that have the capacity to develop the oil palm refinery and processing plant in fulfillment of the country’s Local Content Policy. “We already have companies that are manufacturing vegetable cooking oil and related products for local consumption and export. Instead of the Oil Palm project continuing to languish the government of Sierra Leone through the Agriculture Ministry should consider handing it over to any of our local companies that will create more jobs and contribute directly and indirectly to building the country’s economy,” says James Sallia Lahai, one of the Bonthe District Stakeholders and furthered that there are serious local private manufacturing companies, which the government should consider in handing over such a massive project for landowners and communities in the two chiefdoms to benefit.
The project is to build a factory capable of processing 10 Metric Ton of palm oil per hour in Matru Jong, build 3 schools, 3 health centers, 2 markets, 3 water points, and 60 kilometers of feeder road as well as 10 staff quarters, and 2 office complexes in the host communities. Some components of the projects, according to local authorities, have been fulfilled, and only the construction of the factory was handed over to two contractors, JV Wingin Heavy Duty Machinery Company Sierra Leone Limited and HIA Union Engineering SDN. BHD (Malaysia), is hindering the process of designing, constructing, supplying, installing, testing and commissioning, and handing over of 10 tons FFB/HR Palm Oil Mill.
Willie Parker, Deputy Chairman of Bonthe District Council, recalled that he was part of the turning of the sod ceremony for the construction of the factory some two years ago, and the construction work was handed over to the Chinese and Malaysian Companies. “We have not seen any work done since the contract was handed over to the contractors and we have not been seeing them on the ground,” he said and added that they are planning to hold the next Council meeting at Project Site, Tisana Village, to get an update on the project and chat the way forward.
A Local source remarked that some of the equipment has been brought by the Chinese to kick-start to continue with the construction of the processing plant and other facilities like storage tanks, car park, overhead water supply, industrial boreholes, landing point for vehicles, offices, access roads, etc. The source suggested that the facility should be handed over to a local company under a public-private partnership agreement so that the nation will benefit from the project.
“This will be a unique offering for private investors in Sierra Leone, allowing a local company to participate directly in possibly the biggest agricultural growth story on the planet. With support and approval from the local community the government is assured that investment opportunity that will be given to a local company will have a truly positive impact on local lives and economic growth,” says Musu Johnny, a Business Woman and stakeholder in Mattru Jong.
An Agricultural Expert is of the view that Sierra Leone is keen to avoid the rampant land grab by major multinationals which has occurred in neighboring Liberia in recent years, which is why the Oil Plantation complex in Mattru Jong should stand out.
Palm oil is one of the most important food commodities in the world. It is used for cooking in many developing countries, and in food processing and production (of vegetable cooking oil, chocolate, biscuits, ice cream etc) across the developed world, and in a wide range of consumer goods including shampoo and cosmetics.
However, the government of Sierra Leone has been urged to take a more cautious and selective approach to palm oil investments than Liberia is deemed to have done so far.
Officials in the Strategic Communications Unit of the Information Ministry are of the view that agriculture occupies huge and strategic space in President Bio’s administration. “The President wants to use Agriculture as one of the major tools in diversifying the economy and eventually transforming Sierra Leone. When agricultural projects are successfully implemented throughout the country, there will be enough food that will lead to the attainment of food security, greater job opportunities, strong economic growth, increased capacity for local and regional food systems, and provision of fresh, and nutritious food to communities nationwide,” they stated. Excerpts in one of the President’s Addresses on Agriculture at the State Opening of Parliament reads thus: “…Over 60 – 70% of our people depend on some sort of Agriculture for their livelihoods. We are therefore aware that if we get agriculture right, we will see an immediate multiplier effect in almost every other facet of our development nexus…”
The President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Dr. Julius Maada Bio was highly impressed at the major strides made by local companies like Pee Cee and Sons, and Jolaks Manufacturing Company, which are contributing to the economic development of Sierra Leone. The President who was taken on a conducted tour of exhibited local products of Pee Cee and Sons and Jolaks Company at the National Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Fair (NYEEF), commended the Chief Executive Officer and Proprietor of the two companies, Mahesh Nandwani for taking the lead in private sector development and being a champion for the country’s local content policy implementation.
On Tuesday 15th November 2022, the Government of Sierra Leone, through the Office of the Vice President, hosted over 500 promising young Sierra Leoneans, aged 18-35 years, from across the country during the country’s first National Youth Employment and Entrepreneurship Fair (NYEEF).
The Pee Cee and Sons Boss who was representing the manufacturing, food production, and distribution sector in the country at the event has his company as one of the partners that organized the job fair. He was thankful to His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio and the Government for availing them the opportunity to be part of such an important program.
Nandwani stated that the sector is an important job creation entity and that they are pleased to be part of the event, which brings together young people that are seeking employment opportunities.
“This National Youth Employment and Entrepreneur Fair allow us to direct them and more importantly explain to them the various competencies and skills that we need to boost the manufacturing and agricultural business sector,” he said and added that with over forty years of experience in the sector, the food production sector holds the key in job creation in the country.
The food production and supply chain, he said, creates numerous opportunities for young people, from low schemes, processing, and marketing, adding that the potentials are enormous.
“Since 2018, many industries have been established in the sector, including Jolaks Manufacturing Company Limited, which consists of a palm refinery and a sophisticated manufacturing plant, after fulfilling local demands, we are now exporting vegetable cooking oil and soap to Senegal, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Guinea,” the CEO said and furthered that these developments have led to the establishment of new partnerships with successful companies in West African Countries like Sunuku Group in Guinea that graced the event at the Bintumani Conference Hall.
“We are also welcoming them to Sierra Leone as partners to create employment opportunities and skills transfer for young people,” he said and went on to thank the government for the enormous strides taken to make the sector competitive, such as the expansion of energy access, which has enabled them to reduce overall cost. “Such kinds of support will continue to serve at the center of expanding production and creating more jobs. The government can count on us and we want to appeal that the event becomes an annual event and continue to engage with the government on job creation,” the Pee Cee and Sons Boss said.
Afrimoney was established in 2016 as an answer to the clarion call made by the government, to develop a mobile platform that would disburse funds to Ebola victims and survivors as quickly as possible during the Ebola period.
Initially, people had to travel from the provinces to Freetown to get funds sent by their relatives or loved ones. With the introduction of digital financial services using Afrimoney, people can now sit in their various comfort zones and collect money from Afrimoney service, thereby saving cost, lives and risk among others.
Quite recently, the Director of Afrimoney, Martison Obeng-Ageyei called on the people of Sierra Leone to embrace digital financial service.
“It is the way to go and the future of this country. Things have change in the world and handling cash is not fancy anymore. Doing digital financial service on your own is the best as it has lots of benefits,” Martison told this medium recently.
Afrimoney service has been making life comfortable for the people since it was launched especially when it comes to transacting business like paying bills, money transactions, top-up, bank to Wallet and Wallet to Bank among others.
It must be emphasized that Africell subscribers can purchase items at either Supermarkets, Restaurants etc without holding cash. People are accepting mobile money because it is a legal tender in the country. This is the time for every Sierra Leonean to switch to mobile financial service. Use Afrimoney to reduce the pressure on the economy as it is the best in Sierra Leone.
It must be noted that the Company has lots of international partners that are helping them to reach several customers and drive financial inclusion.
Payment of utility bills like EDSA, DsTV and payment of fees for university students and disbursement of salaries to some workers are ongoing on a weekly basis.
The Company is working hard to reduce activities that helps to reduce the amount of cash in the system because they have been able to translate mobile money service easily for their customers.
It is on record that Afrimoney has partnered with several commercial banks including the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and FBN Bank and Bank of Sierra Leone in addition to other utility service institutions in driving financial services. For those who don’t have Afrimoney service, please try as best as possible to secure Africell sim and register for Afrimoney using *161# to subscribe and begin to benefit from their services.
It is no longer a secret that Afrimoney has made significant inroads into the space and intends to build on those gains to ensure the realization of their aspirations. It is for this reason that Sierra Leoneans should join the service to drive digital financial service using Afrimoney.
Since the introduction of this service, the Company has been rated as one of the best in terms of their compliance on government policies in deepening, strengthening and expanding digital financial services nationwide. The service works on a twenty four hours a day with over six thousand agents across the country ready to provide the customers the reliable, safe and secured service.
With slightly above six thousand agents, branches and customers across the country people can transact their businesses without ant hitch thereby deepening, strengthening and expanding digital financial service in the country.
The section occupied by Guoji Construction and Investment Company at the National Workshop Compound at Cline Town continues to be an eyesore to the extent that it is now serving as a hideout for criminals wreaking havoc within Cline Town and other immediate communities. The high crime rate committed mostly at night has become a cause for concern for the Sierra Leone Police and peaceful community people, who are calling on the government to either relocate the company or hand over the entire compound to a local company called Pee Cee and Sons, which is occupying some parts of the same compound.
Community Stakeholders are of the view that since the Chinese Company occupied the National Workshop Compound their communities have never benefited from it, noting that the section where the Chinese are occupying is not only filthy but serving as a brothel for criminals.
The Chinese company called Guoji gained a lease of the government-owned National Workshop compound, Cline Town east of Freetown on the pretext that it was going to open numerous factories at the place and thereby create jobs for Sierra Leoneans.
It became clear within a short time after that lease that Guoji was all along deceptive as it had no plans to open any factory on the land but rather to use the place as a super store to be storing its imports from China and sublet over 90% of it to other entities.
In other words, sources say Guoji deceived the Government of Sierra Leone right there from the beginning which means that the original arrangement was null and void and must therefore be terminated.
“Instead of Guoji creating jobs, it rather chose to sublet National Workshop to various other entities making huge profits from land that it does not own which is very unfair to the government and people of Sierra Leone,” a source said.
The current government was to take an action a couple of years ago for Guoji to hand over most parts of the National Workshop to Pee Cee and Sons which is going to open factories there and add to the thousands of jobs it has already created for Sierra Leoneans.
Guoji is now cheekily using its own share to lease out the government-owned property and make profits for itself for doing nothing.
Pee Cee and Sons need the space Guoji is illegally occupying to expand but Guoji has stubbornly refused to give it up and is continuing to rent government property, something it will not dare do in China but is taking the piss on the government and people of Sierra Leone because it sees this country as over lenient.
Sources remarked that the company is not only bringing the required income to the government and community people, but the area it is occupying is also a total mess covered in filth with other illegal activities taking place there.
“Government must now take action and drive Guoji completely out of National Workshop and give chance for Pee Cee and Sons to expand,” says another community stakeholder, John P. Kamara.
Efforts made to get the side of the Chinese Company proved unsuccessful. What has now come to the limelight is that the community people are yearning for a serious investor like Pee Cee and Sons to take over the whole compound so that the country and its people benefit from its massive investments.
SIERRA LEONE NEWS 