SIERRA LEONE PRINT MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS-Monday 3rd February, 2014 AWOKO Funding gap of Le9.36 billion for census With the National Population and Housing Census expected to commence on 6th December this year, the management of Statistics Sierra Leone is currently battling with a funding gap of Le9.36 billion to meet the deadline set to complete its activities. According to the papers, the management informed journalists on 31st January 2014 that Government donation to the census is expected to be Le16.07 billion, UNFPA Le1.66 billion, DFID Le6.44 and UNDP Le.1.29 adding that despite the challenges the institution is still on track to conduct a reliable census of international standard. Stakeholders to protest against slow pace of road construction Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), political parties and other stakeholders in Kono District have in a meeting on 29th January 2014 condemned the slow pace of the construction work on the 20 kilometer road project in the township. According to the paper, the stakeholders lamented that the project that was supposed to last for 14 months has taken over three years and has changed hands between four companies for which they threatened to protest. The paper continues that the meeting also observed that non-payment of the contractors by Government is one of the factors for the delay of the project. CONCORD TIMES Minority Leader reacts to critics The embattled SLPP Minority Leader in Parliament, Dr. Bernadette Lahai has asserted that she is “amicable but principled,” the reason she claims 26 out of the 42 SLPP Members of Parliament want to replace her on allegations that she is pro-APC, and dismissed the MPs demand for her to step down as “irrelevant and irresponsible.” The papers went on to quote Dr. Bernadette Lahai as accusing the 26 MPs of not attending parliamentary proceedings, but only interested in seating fees and traveling abroad. She further stressed on the incompetence of the MPs and their action to walk out of Parliament whenever she stands up to talk will not help the situation and concludes that she will not relinquish the position until the court rules in the matter. The story is carried in other dailies with the Satellite reporting that the infighting within the party will give the APC leeway to win the next polls. The paper calls on the Minority Leader to relinquish the position. MP calls for repeal of banking and finance laws The Paramount Chief Member of Parliament for Tonkolili District, BaiKurr Kanagbaro Sanka III has called on Parliament to repeal laws relating to banking and finance because most of them are obsolete. The paper further quotes the Paramount Chief as informing that the laws regulating the acquisition of loans from local banks are archaic with restrictive rules which undermine the growth and development potentials in indigenous businesses. In a related development, the paper reports that the Acting Chief Registrar of the Office of Births and Deaths in the Ministry of Health, Mr. Richard Konnie has appealed to Government to fast-track the review of the 1983 Act that established the office. According to the paper, Richard Konnie revealed that the outdated laws in the Act are adversely affecting the operations of the office, citing that all registrations are done on paper even with the advent of digital recording system. NEW VISION Experts discuss public financial management The Public Financial Management Reform Unit in the Ministry of Finance on 23rd January 2014 held its second Public Financial Management Technical Committee Meeting at the Ministry’s conference room in Freetown to assess the performance of public financial management institutions. According to some of the papers; various methodologies were used in the exercise to determine the progress made in public financial management institutions. THE NEW STORM SLPP MP accuses Government of corruption The SLPP Member of Parliament representing Constituency 001, Kailahun District, Hon. Patrick Foyia has accused Government of corruption, having sacred cows and favoritism. However, the paper quotes Hon. Patrick Foyia as accrediting Government for the infrastructural developments and the free healthcare scheme. Magistrate indicts police Magistrate Komba Kamanda of Freetown Magistrate Court No. 2 has criticized the police for not thoroughly investigating cases before they are charged to court. The paper continues that the magistrates described the police as “armchair researchers” alleging that the police obtain statements from suspects/complainants and charge them to court without crosschecking their facts. GLOBAL TIMES Paramount Chiefs to receive backlog salaries The Minister of Local Government, Madam Diana Konomanyi-Kabbah has informed Paramount Chiefs nationwide that Government will pay their outstanding salaries at the end of February this year. The paper further quotes the Minister as revealing that the Ministry is now formulating a policy for successive Governments to implement the salary payment for Paramount Chiefs. Police warns against violence The Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Eastern Region, Mr. Alfred Karrow Kamara has warned that the police will take firm action against those found guilty of perpetrating violence and other forms of lawlessness in the region. According to the paper, Mr. Alfred Karrow Kamara also condemned the notion of strongholds of political parties which he opined is the cause of violence in most parts of the country. PREMIER NEWS 10 commercial motorbike riders killed in Makeni Commercial motorbike riders in Makeni, Bombali District, North of the country, have protested over the rampant killing of this colleagues by unknown attackers. The paper further informs that over ten commercial motorbike riders have been killed, 50 hospitalized and 100 motorbikes stolen due to the frequent attacks on them with the police doing little or nothing to bring the perpetrators to book. THE EXCLUSIVE Deputy Minister accused of sycophancy According to the paper, even with the repeated public statements made by the President assuring the public and the international community that he will not contest for a third term, the Deputy Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs, Mr. Mustapha Bai Atilla disclosed recently that he will champion a million women’s march to endorse a referendum for the President to contest for a third term. The paper ends that the Deputy Minister made the statement in a public meeting in Constituency 109 in Freetown. SALONE TIMES Sierra Leone rated among 26 fragile states The Institute of Security Studies in South Africa has ranked Sierra Leone among the 26 fragile states in the world that will sink into conflict again if certain measures are not put in place. The paper enlightens that the list of fragile states consists of 19 African countries that have benefitted from the financial support of the African Development Bank since 2008. The institute expressed that poor governance, high level of inequality; exclusion; conflict and violence are the causes for the fragile state of these countries. In conclusion, the report recommends improvements in governance, new approaches to wealth sharing as well as social safety nets for the poor. SIERRA LEONENEWS HUNTERS MCC team explores areas of support to Sierra Leone A four-member team from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in America has held discussions with the Minister of Health and Sanitation, Madam Miatta Kargbo to explore potential water and sanitation projects to be sponsored in Sierra Leone. The paper quotes Mr. Christopher Dunn, the MCC Director of Compact Operations for West Africa as revealing that the team will assess infrastructure, roads, policies and the identification of diagnostic tools binding the health and wellbeing of the population on the country’s economy. P.S. The papers reviewed today are: Salone Times, Premier News, Sierra Express Media, The Exclusive, The Satellite, The New Storm, Global Times, Awoko, Concord Timesand Sierra Leone News Hunters. The above summary of news reports reflects the views of the papers reviewed today not that of the United Nations.
Posted on: Wed, 05 Feb 2014 01:21:51 +0000
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