TRACE JOENAL

By Martinet Sesay A t a one day conference on land Rights and how traditional leaders would take the lead in instilling sanity into the land sector, Green Scenery; a civil society organization over the weekend engaged sixty five Paramounts Chiefs (PCs) from across the country at the Wusum Hotel in Makeni. from left to right: WHH country Director, Min. Kaikai, PC Bai Sebora II, Ahmed Mustapha, Joe Rahall, Bun Wai In attendance also were officials from line ministries like Local Government, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, local councils, and members of the Action for Large Land Acquisition Transparency (ALLAT) including the Sierra Leone Network on the Right to Food and Centre for Democracy and Human Rights (CDHR) among others. In his opening remarks, the chairman of the occasion who also doubles as the Provincial Secretary of the Northern Region; Ahmed Muctarr Mustapha disclosed that eighty percent of cases reported to his office are land related. ...

Following his escape from a police cell in the middle of the night of 17 th March 2017, Maxwell Williams has been declared wanted by the Sierra Leone Police (SLP). Maxwell Williams declared wanted by the Sierra Leone Police Williams was arrested because he fought somebody whilst visiting a friend at the Mount Aureol Community in Freetown. According to reports, Williams fought because he was teased for being gay; and it is not the first time he has been engaged in fighting as he is sometimes abused or assaulted for LBGT-related issues. Information gathered revealed that prior to his arrest in Freetown, Williams narrowly escaped death after he was mercilessly beaten by friends and relatives of a man he fought with because of Williams’ gay leanings. He was abandoned in the bush and told that he should never return to Mafokoya, a village in the Tonkolili District, Northern Sierra Leone. But he managed to walk eight hours to the highway, eventually arriving in Freetownon 25 th ...

The Youth Empowerment Synergy (YES) summit that was organized by My Father's House Foundation (MFHF) with support from Africell ended with an extra ordinary rewarding excellence YES 2017 awards and cocktail.  The summit which started from the 3rd April ends on the 7th April 2017 at the Miatta Conference Hall in Freetown. The week long event saw different stakeholders in the youth business such as the Minister of Youth Affairs, National Youth Commissioner among others gracing the event. MFHF Co-Founder and Head of Strategy, Ninie Unachuku described the summit as one that is in line with their dreams and vision for the youth.  She said MFHF started their mentoring program for young people between the ages of 16 to 25 few months back as a way of empowering them for a brighter future not only for themselves but the nation as a whole. MFHF is a non-profit community initiative set up in Sierra Leone to assist in the regeneration effort of the nation. She mentioned...

Residents on Gorama Mende in Kenema District have endorsed the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) report for Seawright Mining Company to go ahead with their proposed Diamond and Gold exploration project. The report which was prepared by one of a renowned environmental consulting firm ECOSYS Sierra Leone Limited is in line with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Act of 2008 and amended in 2010. The events took place at Pondoru School –Gorama Mende Chiefdoms, Kenema Districts on the 7 th April, 2017. Gorama Mende Chiefdom Speaker, Jeseph S. Koroma said they have agreed for Seawright to operate in their chiefdom. “I am very much happy about this gathering. We have given you the green light to operate as a mining company in our chiefdom.” Representing the Environmental Protections Agency (EPA) Sierra Leone Aiah Wurie Kembay said EPA is not against mining but the agency is here to protect the environment for the next generation through that the environme...

The drive of Sierra Leone’s Energy Revolution continues this year with series of solar fairs and activities across the country. The ‘Solar Road Show’ has touched Gbangbatoke and Rutile in the South of Sierra Leone. The road show which started in 2016 is a way of raising awareness of the power of decentralized solar energy as part of the Sierra Leone Energy Revolution.   Activities included fairs and events in Gbangbatoke and Rutile and radio discussion and messages that highlight the benefits of solar power. A key focus of each solar fair was a “solar truck”, used to play music, and to power TVs, fans and fridges. A variety of solar powered lanterns, rooftop systems and phone charging equipment were also on display. The road show took place across the Southern Province of Sierra Leone. The events enabled hundreds of people to interact with, and learn about, solar products and to meet members of the Renewable Energy Association of Sierra Leone (REASL). Radio discu...