News

By Septimus Senessie in Kono

Minister of Local Government, Diana Konomanyi has reacted angrily to criticisms levelled against her by some descendants of her native Kono district living abroad.

They blame the problems of the district on the political rivalry between her Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana.

She gave her reaction while addressing Paramount Chiefs and other dignitaries from the 14 chiefdoms in Kono district during her donation of Le 35 million and some food items to the Kono District Ebola Task Force.

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

The medical charity, Medecins Sans Frontiers leading the Ebola fight in West Africa, has frowned at the response of the international community towards the outbreak in Sierra Leone, describing it as "still small”.

MSF’S liaison officer, Sharon Ekanbaram, told a conference in Freetown that Ebola was a global problem that required a global response, adding that responses towards it so far did not match the situation on the ground.

By Joseph Lamin Kamara

A new report launched yesterday by the civil society group, Focus 1000 says 97% of the population of Sierra Leone now believe that Ebola exists in the country, urging planners to go beyond  awareness raising activities about the disease.

The report, titled "Study on Public Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Related to EVD Prevention and Medical Care in Sierra Leone", says "people have now moved from the state of denial to the state of fear and stigmatization."

By Umaru Fofana

Weeks after excoriating the international community for what he said was their poor response to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone, President Ernest Bai Koroma has lavished praise on them assuring the end of the outbreak is near.

Speaking to Politico yesterday shortly after holding talks with the visiting Ghanaian president and Chairman of ECOWAS, John Mahama, Koroma said "I see a lot of efforts being put into the fight now. I must commend the international community, they are now coming in".

By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema

The Logistic Manager of OCTEA Mining Company operating in Lower Bambara Chiefdom in Kenema District has disclosed to Politico that the company will not fund a Le 79-million proposal submitted to them by two Members of Parliament in their areas of operation.

Ibrahim Turay said the diamond mining company would only do so after "a proper structure is put in place" for the implementation of the project.

It follows a sometimes acrimonious disagreement between the MPs and the chiefdom authorities.

By Mustapha Kamara

Communications Officer of the UN World Food Programme says her organisation is in full support of the government’s plans to enforce a 3-day lockdown which starts on Friday.

Nyka Alexander told Politico that her agency had been partnering with the government and participating in the development of campaigns to help stop the further spread of the virus in the country.

By Chrispina Cummings

Heal of Police media, Waterloo Division, says Western Area Rural has recorded 44 Ebola quarantined homes.

Inspector Edward Senesie said the situation in his region was alarming and “very challenging to handle”. He said sometimes quarantined people would go without food, complaining that it was difficult to stay at one place.