Feature

By Abdul Tejan-Cole

On January 23^rd 2020, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered a provisional ruling in the case of the “Application of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (The Gambia v. Myanmar).” Not to be confused with the International Criminal Court (ICC), the ICJ is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations. It only hears disputes between states. It does not focus on individuals or criminal prosecutions.

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

“Welcome to Kenema”, the signpost just after Bandama checkpoint reads. What the signpost doesn’t tell you is how bad and dusty the road network is in the city. You hear or see the complaints through the media, but you don’t know the scale of the problem, until you get here. This city deserves better. But this is a topic for another day.

“Conclusive” and “Successful” are the two words coming out of the Sierra Leone Football Association in describing the Extra Ordinary Congress that was held in the city last weekend.

By Gideon Tucker                      

That President Julius Maada Bio invited heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to a retreat at Bintumani hotel, Aberdeen in Freetown last month, was something to expect of any sitting government. The event obviously got the public interested to know about the deliberations and outcome involving these very senior public sector workers who form the nucleus of the state machinery.

The First Deputy Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) – the second most senior official there – has ended a three-day visit to Sierra Leone. David Lipton’s visit comes at a time when the country is struggling to create jobs, stabilise the currency and fund its ambitious programmes. He spoke to Umaru Fofana.

Umaru Fofana: Why are you in Sierra Leone?

By Mohamed Jaward Nyallay

On Friday delegates and executive members of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) will converge in Kenema for the second congress in less than two months.

The congress itself will hold on Saturday. It is the second of three congresses that is scheduled by the FA to put the country’s football governance back on track.

Football in Sierra Leone has had its fair share of controversy in the last decade.

By Abu Bakarr Jalloh

In 2019 domestic tax and customs duty accounted for 53 and 25 percent, respectively, of the tax revenue of Sierra Leone, according to figures from the National Revenue Authority (NRA). 

Many people wonder why customs duty contributes so little at a time when Sierra Leone import almost everything, from basic staple and textile to fuel and high-tech goods. The country’s merchandise trade balance reached Le8 Trillion ($800 million) in 2018, according to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Sierra Leone’s customs duty misclassification problems

By Abu Bakarr Jalloh

In 2019 domestic tax and customs duty accounted for 53 and 25 percent, respectively, of the tax revenue of Sierra Leone, according to figures from the National Revenue Authority (NRA).