News

A witness to the respondents in the ongoing tribunal set up to investigate the suspended Auditor General, Lara Taylor-Pearce, and her deputy for alleged misconduct, has told the tribunal that in an auditing process, the auditor need not seek the consent of the auditee before contacting a third party for confirmation of evidence.

Aina Vivian Bell, an expert witness with over 25 years experience as an auditor and 40 in accounting testified before the tribunal in Freetown on Tuesday 12^th December 2023.

By Nasratu Kargbo

Institute for Governance Reform’s (IGR) Executive Director, Andrew Lavalie  has recommended that the government strengthens and reform the country’s security sector; he made this recommendation whilst presenting their report on the November 26^th attempted coup.

By Politico Staff Writer

Minister of Environment, Jiwoh Emmanuel Abdulai has told a forum that Sierra Leone is looking for partnerships that provide opportunities for knowledge sharing, technology transfer, technical assistance, and investment into the country’s natural assets.

He was making a statement at the COP28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates on the 10th December, 2023.

By Saio Marrah

The Gender Analyst of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to Sierra Leone, Kadiatu Bachalle-Taylor during the institution’s commemoration of the 16 days of activism against Sexual and Gender Based Violence (SGBV), solicited action to prevent violence against women and girls.

Ms. Bachalle-Taylor was speaking at the UN agency’s country office in Freetown on Friday 8^th December, 2023.

According to her, there are many women and girls in Sierra Leone that are suffering from all forms of SGBV.

By Nasratu Kargbo

Whip from the Government Bench, Ibrahim Tawa Conteh says arrears and debts that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) owe certain institutions such as Guma Valley, Electricity Distribution and Supply Authority (EDSA) and Audit Service should be deducted from their budget.

Conteh who is a Committee Chairman for one of the sub-appropriation committees in parliament said he has observed that most of the MDAs that appeared before his committee have debts and arrears to pay these institutions.

By Politico Staff Writer

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Dr. Henry Musa Kpaka has said that the ambitious ‘Feed Salone’ programme launched by President Julius Maada Bio will transform food systems, create jobs for women and youth, and boost economic growth in the West-African nation.

By Prince J Musa in Kenema

The Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs through the Decentralization Secretariat and support from UNDP has on the 12th December, 2023 conducted a day’s popularization of the newly reviewed decentralization policy in Kenema.

In his statement, the Director of Decentralization Secretariat, Alex Bonapha Esq. said reviewing of the policy got underway in 2022 for the running of the local councils based on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission recommendation.