News

A huge fire has broken out and gutted some 37 makeshift stores containing an unspecified number of bags of rice belonging to farmers of Sengama village, Sorogbema chiefdom in the southern Sierra Leone district of Pujehun.

The incident started when a young man set fire to a farmland just few meters away from the settlement. Residents have blamed it on strong wind.

The local Member of Parliament, Sidi Yayah Tunis of Constituency 91 visited the area on the following day and gave some support to people displaced by the incident. He has launched a formal appeal for assistance.

By Crispina Cummings

Mayor of Freetown, Sam Franklyn Bode Gibson has told journalists in Freetown that Operation WID, meant to clear major streets of traders and unauthorised shacks, is alive, contrary to news of its death.

“It is not dead but very much alive and kicking,” he said.

By Mohamed Vandi in Kenema

Heads of over 160 primary and secondary schools in the Eastern Province were disappointed last week to learn at the treasury office in Kenema that their payment vouchers for March teachers’ salary have been withheld by the Ministry of Education.

According to the Accountant attached to the Sub Treasury office, the vouchers were withheld by the Ministry because the affected schools failed to submit their return vouchers for verification.

By Crispina Cummings

Chairman of the main opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party, John Oponjo Benjamin has described as “an achievement” the meeting between President Ernest Bai Koroma and US President Barack Obama.

Koroma was one of four African leaders invited to a meeting last week at the White House on democracy and good governance on the continent. The others are the presidents of Senegal and Malawi and the Prime Minister of Cape Verde.

The leader of the main opposition SLPP, John Benjamin has expressed “dissatisfaction” and “disappointment” over the “sluggish” manner in which the Sierra Leone judiciary has responded to their challenge to the outcome of the presidential election of November last year.

He told Politico that his party was now of the firm view that the judiciary “is undermining democracy” in the country by “not moving in a manner that is reflective of justice”.