Sheiku Tejan Koroma, former Minister of Health and Sanitation was today convicted by the High Court presided over by Justice Mary M Sey of offences of: Abuse of Office contrary to section Section 42(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 ; Abuse of Position contrary to section Section 43 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008 ; Wilfully failing to comply with laws and procedures and guidelines relating to procurement, tendering of contracts and management of funds, contrary to section 48 of the Anti-Corruption Act 2008.

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The attention of the All People’s Congress Northern UK/Ireland Branch has been drawn to a disturbing and malicious article captioned “APC Snubs Eddie Turay” which appeared on the Global Times Online. Among other things, the article asserts that the APC UK & Ireland Branch had organized a party at the residence of the Sierra Leone Deputy High Commissioner to the UK on Sunday 7th March 2010, from which His Excellency the High Commissioner was excluded, purporting to be an alleged rift and disagreement between the High Commissioner and the Branch of the APC.

PHOTO : THE APC UK BRANCH IS SUPPORTIVE OF ALL GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS , INCLUDING AMBASSADORS : PICTURED HERE WITH MINISTER OF DEFENCE PALO CONTEH (THIRD FROM LEFT - FRONT ROW . THE BRANCH CHAIR MS. KUMBA MOMOH IS NEXT AFTER THE MINISTER)

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You cannot fault the ambition of Sierra Leone politicians who want to see their country as the new China. The Pudong business district of Shanghai was just bare fields in the 1990s; in a decade it has been transformed into a forest of steel and glass. “And we will have that here”, urges Richard Konteh, Sierra Leone's deputy finance minister. “It will be a tough negotiation with the property owners, but we will never move forward with these narrows roads.” The capital, Freetown, is gripped with gridlock every day. With an 1820s road layout designed for horses and carts, it is hard to see how the city will cope with the flood of cars that last year's discovery of offshore oil will inevitably bring.

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A Sierra Leonean doctoral student in the Islamic University of Medinah has joined over 500 qualified students out 5,000 across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in a four-day scientific conference for higher education students held at King Fahad Cultural Center in Riyadh. Speaking shortly after the conference to the Information Bureau of the Sierra Leone Embassy in Riyadh over the weekend, Sheik Ahmad Ramadan Jalloh said the conference was organized under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdallah Ibn Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.

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President Ernest Bai Koroma has arrived in the Federal Republic of Nigeria Tuesday March 9th to join his Colleague Presidents in a bid to endorse the initiative for the development of Agribusiness and Agro-businesses in Africa. He will join his colleagues on the third and final day of a three days conference on Wednesday March 10, 2010 at the congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton Hotel, where other forty four Governments Ministers of Agriculture & Food Security and Ministers of Trade from different parts of Africa including Sierra Leone’s Hon. David Carew and Hon. Sam Sesay who participated on Tuesday, the second day.

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Sierra Leone as you aware went through a devastating brutal civil war that left the whole country in tatters with almost total destruction of the socio economic structures. At the end of that war, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) set up by government and the findings were that GBV is the greatest threat to peace. This sentiment echoed the broad based opinion of Sierra Leone women. One of the key recommendations of the TRC was institutional and legal reforms to address this.

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Vice President Alhaji Samuel Sam-Sumana on Monday March 8 ended a week-long visit to Italy to further strengthen bilateral relations in the areas of energy, water, health, trade and investment. This is in line with the sworn commitment of the government to improve the lives of people in a country which until recently was considered one of the worst places to live in due to among other things, its erratic or non existent electricity supply; its high rate of maternal and infant mortality; poor water supply, food insecurity and dilapidated infrastructure as result of the brutal civil war and neglect.

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Speaker of Parliament Hon. Justice Abel Stronge led Sierra Leone’s delegation to the two-day African Regional Preparatory Meeting on the Review of the Implementation of the Brussels Programme of Action (BPoA) which commenced on Monday at the United Nations Conference Centre in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The delegation also included the Deputy Director of the Development Assistance Coordinating Office (DACO) in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, Mrs. Abie Kamara and the Clerk to the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Foreign Affairs and Youth and Sports, Mr. Mohamed Koroma.

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Nigeria’s Acting President Goodluck Jonathan on Tuesday in Abuja received his Sierra Leonean counterpart Ernest Bai Koroma whom he assured of Nigeria’s readiness to assist to exploit that country’s oil resources. He stressed the need for African countries to cooperate in the area of trade, while exchanging knowledge and ideas. He also congratulated the Sierra Leonean government for the discovery of oil in that country and emphasised the need to encourage indigenous companies to play key roles in its exploitation. “We are ready to assist your country ; Nigerian indigenous companies will be encouraged to invest in oil exploitation in your country,’’ he said.

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The United Nations Peace Building Commission has yesterday 8th March 2010 lauded President Ernest Bai Koroma for the achievements made by his government in governance in a very short time since he assumed office.  Making a statement at State House on a courtesy call on the President, the Executive Representative of the United Nations Secretary General, Michael Schulenburg, thanked President Koroma for the progress made under the ‘Agenda for Change’, thus registering the total commitment and support of the UN Peace Building Commission to Sierra Leone and to the ‘Agenda for Change’.

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President Ernest Bai Koroma, in keeping with his promise to inspect all medical stores across the country before April 27th 2010 (the date that government has set for the abolition of user fees in all hospitals/health centres for children, pregnant women and lactating mothers across Sierra Leone), yesterday 8th June 2010 made his first inspection at the Medical Stores at New England in Freetown. Speaking at a meeting with all major stakeholders at the conference room of the Medical Stores, President Koroma said this was a follow-up to  the last health meeting held at State House where it was discovered that there were still grey areas to be immediately addressed.

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Accompanied by Minister of Information and Communications I. B. Kargbo, Deputy Minister Saidata Sesay, and Chairman of the National Telecommunications Company (NATCOM) Siray Alpha Timbo, the Chief Executive Officer of the London-based Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), Dr. Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, yesterday 8th March 2010 presented President Koroma with a comprehensive report done by the CTO on different telecommunications programmes in African countries and beyond.

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A delegation of the United Nations Peace Building Commission (PBC) led by H.E. Ambassador John McNee, Permanent Representative of Canada to the United Nations, is currently visiting Sierra Leone from 8 to 12 March 2010.  The delegation comprised of some ambassadors of various nationalities will during their   stay in Sierra Leone, engage discussions with the government and other stake holders on ongoing activities of the Peace-building Commission and also assess progress on the Country’s peace consolidation.

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Kumba Momoh has been retained as Chairlady of the All People’s Congress United Kingdom/Northern Ireland Branch for the second time.  Kumba was elected unopposed and glowing tributes of her dedication, maturity and of leadership style were paid on her behalf for her.Popular Sierra Leonean-born Councillor Sheikh Mackie is the new man taking over the seat of Vice Chairman from Yoni Sesay while Tamba Lopel Sam Sumana also retained his position as the branch’s Secretary General. Assisting Sumana is Sheku Ibrahim Sorsor Conteh while Amadu Fofanah retained his position as Finance Officer with Josephine Wilson serving as his deputy.

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Today on the International Women’s Day and United Nations Day for Women’s Rights and International Peace, I would like to congratulate all women of the world for their tremendous achievements in various fields including economic, political and social spheres throughout human history. This day is exclusively dedicated to commemorate the fact that securing peace and social progress and the full enjoyment of human rights and fundamental freedoms require the active participation and progress of women and that women’s role in strengthening international peace and security should be acknowledged.

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Some of the critics of this Column complain that I am “too philosophical”.  Fans of this Column who rave over my articles say they like it because “it is philosophical”.  I get people thinking….  Sometimes, I get informative; a few times, I do unabashed PR for someone I think, objectively, deserve local and international recognition; but, most often, my aim is to be philosophical in this Column. For those who may think that “philosophy” is all about academic abstractions, think again.  

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Mr Kaikai exercised his right to reply on the same programme on the same radio station in which he admitted to visiting Lugbu. He, however, later called both the President of SLAJ and the Coordinator of the IRN taking exception to the journalist’s report. He was advised to report the matter to the Independent Media Commission which he refused to do and chose instead to do what clearly amounts to an attack on the journalist.

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Launched by Reporters Without Borders in 2008, World Day Against Cyber Censorship is intended to rally everyone in support of a single Internet without restrictions and accessible to all. The fight for online freedom of expression is more essential than ever. By creating new spaces for exchanging ideas and information, the Internet is a force for freedom. However, more and more governments have realised this and are reacting by trying to control the Internet.

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Bishop Lucy Anthony was predestined by her Creator to be ordained as Bishop. She is the daughter of one of the greatest philanthropists of Sierra Leone; late Hon. Franklin S. Anthony, former Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He was also the Resident Minister of the Eastern Province, as well as the Proprietor of Leona Secondary School, Bo Now Sadac. Franklin was known to be exceedingly favored and showered by the blessings of God, in his hometown as well as, in the United States of America and would have marveled at the sight of his beloved daughter’s success. On February 28, 2010, Lucy Anthony was ordained as Bishop, at the Our Savior Christ the King Church International, in Harrisburg Pennsylvania, by the presiding Bishop Joseph Edison Bass. This grand occasion marked another milestone in the annals of the nation. It was a most spiritual event, one that agog with anticipation of the Lords blessings. May the Lord continue to protect and guide us all. Her Holiness, Bishop Lucy Sharon-Mae Anthony is the first female Sierra Leonean to be ordained as a Bishop.

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This International Women's Day, March 8, 2010, ONE will launch Women ONE2ONE, a major new campaign designed to save lives and increase opportunities for women who live in extreme poverty.  The initiative, which aims to recruit one million people in the coming years, will conduct awareness-raising events and actions during key political moments, push for policies that effectively transform lives and empower members to advocate through online campaigns and social networks.  "Women ONE2ONE is launching at a critical time when there is growing momentum around the need to invest in the world's women.

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Thursday March 4, 2010 was another day of pride for Sierra Leone  at the United Nations, as the country received tremendous all-round praise from stakeholders and representatives of the International Community  for becoming one of the short-list of  African nations and the 17th in the whole world to showcase the National Action Plan  on the Implementation of UN Security Council Resolutions 1325 and 1820 .

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