News

By Fasalie S. Kamara.

The immunization specialist in Sierra Leone for the UN children’s agency, UNICEF says the country has not reported a single case of polio since February 2010. Dr. Nuhu Maksha was however quick to add that that did not mean the country was polio-free.

Six people, including a former member of parliament, have been remanded in prison by a magistrate in Bo after making a brief appearance.

They were charged with destroying economic trees worth Le 200 million belonging to an agribusiness company SOCFIN, incitement and conspiracy.

The accused, all members of the land rights campaign group called Malen Affected Land Owners Association (MALOA), were refused bail.

By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema

Police in Kenema are investigating a case of defamation reported by the Paramount Chief of Small Bo Chiefdom, Dafie Benya against a Paramount Chief Member of Parliament of Langurama Chiefdom, Prince Pewe. It followed accusations, counter-accusations and even recriminations between the two traditional leaders and their supporters over the alleged attempted killing by juju means of one of them by the other.

By Septimus Senessie in Kono

Teachers and pupils of OCTEA’s relocated United Methodist Church Secondary School for Girls at the resettlement camp have threatened to “go slow” if their concerns to use the 50-seater school bus were not addressed.

The pupils have also threatened to “go on the rampage” if the company’s head of community development, Henry Vard, continue to subject their teachers to “public molestation and disgrace.”

By Mathew Kanu

A high profile delegation from the United States of America was in Sierra Leone over the weekend to inspect the facilities available for the new paramedical school in Makeni.

Head of the team, a New York-based medical doctor, Julius Garvey said they were here to support the initiative of the Ministry of Health and the Bombali District Council to establish a paramedical school that would develop the healthcare delivery workforce in the northern district.

By Septimus Senessie in Kono

Street Child Sierra Leone has assisted 70 street and vulnerable children in over 15 primary schools with a year tuition fees each, learning materials and uniforms at their Kono district office in Koidu Town.

District coordinator of the charitable nongovernment organisation, Rebecca Tida Sesay, told Politico that the package was meant for 50 girls and 20 boys in the district.

By Crispina Cummings

Parliamentary committee on labour has summoned mining companies, their subsidiaries and sub-contractors to answer to questions around “serious” industrial and safety issues affecting Sierra Leonean workers in the “risk-prone industry”.

Sub-contractors of the biggest diamond miner, OCTEA include BME, Consumet Company, PW mining international company, G4S security agency and Ispeck Company.