SIERRA LEONE PRINT MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS- FRIDAY 21STMARCH, 2014 AWOKO Government and UN sign Development Assistant Framework The Minister of Finance, Dr Kailfala Marah on 19th March 2014 signed the United Nations Development Assistant Framework (UNDAF) on behalf of Government alongside the outgoing Executive Representative of the United Nations Secretary General in Sierra Leone, Mr Jens Anders Toyberg-Frandzen, at the conference room of the Ministry of Finance. The paper informs that the UNDAF is the comprehensive development agenda of the UN encompassing every sector of development for Sierra Leone to be implemented over a four-year period costing $532,820 and that it incorporates the intervention of most of the UN Agencies. IMF slams Central Bank over transparency A team from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has in its report dated February 2014 called on the Central Bank of Sierra Leone “to improve on transparency and follow best practices regarding transparency.” According to the paper, the report also pointed out that “transparency is a very important aspect of building confidence in the Central Bank and advised the Bank to regularly publish on its website different data, its regulatory framework and the rules guiding its operations. 8,700 metric tons of fuel arrives 8,700 metric tons of petroleum products have arrived to help cushion the apparent rationing of fuel over the past few days. The paper further quotes the Director of the Petroleum Unit in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, Mr Dan Mason as revealing that 4,000 of the 8,700 metric tons of fuel have already been offloaded. CONCORD TIMES CSOs want ex-President buried at Parliament The Chairman of the Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, Mr Charles Mambu on 20th March 2014 called on Government to bury erstwhile President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah at the forecourt of Parliament Building in Freetown or at the Ascension Town Cemetery where his first wife was buried. The paper quotes Mr Mambu as revealing that the former President did a lot for the country, including presiding over a peaceful resolution of the civil conflict and entrenching democracy. In a related development, the paper reports that the SLPP Minority Leader, Hon Ansumana Kaikai has asserted that the former President deserves the honor to be buried at Parliament Building because “he dedicated his life to the country.” The paper also informs that the SLPP presidential candidate for the 2012 elections, Mr Julius Maada Bio, who handed over power to former President Tejan Kabbah in 1996, will arrive in the country from the United Kingdom on 21st March 2014 to attend the funeral. New Vision reports that several foreign dignitaries, including the Presidents of Nigeria, Guinea and Liberia, will attend the funeral. $50 million to facilitate 5-year Youth Program A local consultant for the United Nations Development Program, Dr Dennis Sandy has told Members of Parliament that $50 million will be needed from the Government of Sierra Leone and UNDP to facilitate youth employment programs spanning five years. According to some of the papers, Dr Dennis Sandy made the statement during a presentation on the National Youth Program Document for Sierra Leone 2014-2018 (UNDP Draft National Document) to the Parliamentary Committee on Youth Affairs and went on to enlighten that the document is the blueprint for the implementation of activities and programs on youth issues and how to transform their lives, expected results and resources required. NEW VISION Housing Corporation lobbies Parliament The General Manager of the Sierra Leone Housing Corporation (SALHOC), Mr Magnus Coker has appealed to Parliament to review the Tenancy Act that will empower the institution to indict defaulters for failure to pay their rents. The paper further quotes Mr Coker as revealing that in-spite of several efforts made by the Corporation for tenants to honor their financial commitments it has not yielded dividends, and revealing that most of the defaulters are Government officials. AWARENESS TIMES Constitutional Review Committee making progress An article in the paper commends the progress made so far by the Constitutional Review Committee and quotes the Executive Secretary of the Committee, Mr Augustine Sheku as informing the media on 11th March 2014 that the Secretariat is now fully equipped, functional, provided with mobility and initial funding and that progress so far made is encouraging. The paper further reveals that at least the ten political parties account for more than 50% of members of the Committee with the two main political parties, the APC and SLPP, having six representatives each. However, the article quotes some people as seeing nothing good in the process as it will end up to be business as usual, with Government having its way, the voice of the people sidelined and underscored that the problem in Sierra Leone is not that the country lacks good laws but that implementation has always been difficult. In a related development, Africa Young Voices reports that Civil Society Organizations have called on Government to abolish the death penalty. The paper went on to state that irrespective of the pressure mounted on Government to abolish the death penalty that contravenes human rights conventions and other international protocols that Sierra Leone is a signatory to, Government has only imposed a moratorium on the death penalty “that can be lifted at will.” ACC solicits support of soldiers in the fight against corruption The Northern Region Office of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has engaged officers of the 4th Infantry Brigade and 4th Battalion of the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces at Teko Barracks in Makeni, Bombali District. The forum was for the Commission to solicit the support of soldiers in the fight against corruption and to also encourage them to desist from corruption in the discharge of their duties. The story is carried in other dailies. THE DEMOCRATS Criminals on the loose in Moyamba District Police officers manning various checkpoints in Moyamba District have arrested some criminals, including a driver, carrying diesel and other lubricants believed to have been stolen from Sierra Rutile Mining Company. The paper continues that the police have also arrested thieves with large number of animals and a stolen vehicle heading for Sierra Rutile suspected to be a lucrative center for the sale of unlicensed and unregistered vehicles while another man was arrested with a single barrel gun. In a related development, the Voice quotes the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, East, Mr Alfred Karrow-Kamara as disclosing that the smoking of marijuana in public places, operations of cliques in schools, thieving at night and the common assembly of perceived criminals, among other crimes, have threatened and undermined the once peaceful and law-abiding Kenema City, East of the country. PREMIER NEWS OGI to sensitise the public on OGP The Open Government Initiative (OGI) is to commence a three-day nationwide sensitisation campaign, commencing in the Western Area on 22nd March 2014, on the importance of Sierra Leone joining the Open Government Partnership (OGP). The paper enlightens that the OGP was founded in 2011 in the United States to enhance accountability and transparency in the governance of member-countries and went on to state that during the sensitization campaign, the public will be encouraged to make inputs into the process as well as challenges confronting them like improving public services, increasing public integrity and managing public resources in the country. THE EXCLUSIVE President Koroma visits British warship President Ernest Koroma on 14th March 2014 visited the British HMS Portland warship berthed at the Freetown harbor. The paper adds that the visit is for the President to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Governments of Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom to among others provide coastal security against pirates and adds that the President also inspected a guard of honor and was taken on a conducted tour of the warship. THE SPECTATOR Peace and Liberation Party to be revived The paper reports that members of the Peace and Liberation Party (PLP) are planning a comeback to contest in the next elections. The paper adds that members of the party have been meeting for the past two weeks not only to revive the party but to give the APC and SLPP a good run for their money. In a related development, the paper alleges that the former Director-General of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, Dr KandehYumkella, widely believed to be the successor to President Ernest Koroma, will arrive in the country on 21st March 2014 to attend the funeral of former President Ahmad Tejan-Kabbah. The paper adds that Dr Kandeh Yumkella, who is a presidential material for the APC and SLPP, is yet to comment on his political ambition. THE NEW CITIZEN Deputy Minister cautions bogus Ambassadors The Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Mr Mustapha Bai Attila has warned people who go around claiming to be Special Ambassadors for the physically challenged in Sierra Leone to desist from the practice clarifying that Government has not accredited any person to represent the disables abroad. The papers reviewed today are: Africa Young Voices, The Spectator, The Voice, The Democrat, Premier News, The New Citizen, Global Times, Awareness Times, Awoko, Concord Times and New Vision. The above summary of news reports reflects the views of the papers reviewed today not that of the United Nations.
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 21:18:55 +0000
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