News

By Mustapha Sesay

Parliament on Tuesday sent a bill entitled ‘Public Procurement Act 2015’ to the Legislative Committee after a thorough debate on it by members.

The bill was introduced by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Foday Mansaray, who said it was geared towards addressing the many challenges that surrounded procurement activities in the country. The bill, if passed into law, will augment loopholes that were left unaddressed in the National Public Procurement Authority (NPPA) Act of 2004.

By Mustapha Kamara Jr

To educate tax payers on key provisions in the new Financial Act 2105, the National Revenue Authority (NRA) has held a one-day sensitisation engagement with tax payers and stakeholders in the sector within the Western Rural District.

NRA’s Cooperate Affairs Manager, Mohamed Bangura, said the purpose of the meeting was to inform business people and tax payers about amendments made and new policies that were being initiated in the 2014 Financial Act.

By Mohamed T Massaquoi

Breakdown in the network of the telecommunications company Airtel has hit businesses and led to losses of big projects in nongovernmental organizations, residents in the southern district of Pujehun say.

The subscribers say for three consecutive days, beginning from Sunday (14 June), they had a network blackout that prevented them from making mobile phone calls and using the internet service provided by the Indian GSM provider.

By Mustapha Sesay

The protracted delay in approving the budget of the Kenema City Council (KCC) was again extended last Thursday.

The parliamentary oversight Committee on Finance for the third time stood down KCC officials for failing to present a comprehensive financial report for 2014.

The controversy between the committee members and the council on the report centres on the fact that KCC has spent more than what they received as income from both government and other partners.

By Allieu Sahid Tunkara

Counsels for the defence at the Court Martial presided over by Judge Advocate Otto During have tendered written submissions to the judge and board members as their final addresses to the court.

By Mustapha Sesay

The deputy auditor general, Tamba Momoh, Monday told the Public Account Committee (PAC) in parliament that international creditors failed to corporate with Audit Service Sierra Leone during its 2013 audit nationwide exercise.

By Septimus Senessie in Kono

Some aggrieved stakeholders in Kono District in the eastern province of Sierra Leone have questioned the inclusiveness of the ongoing constitutional review process.