Finance Minister Sheku Fantamadi Bangura has announced a 23.2% rise in Sierra Leone’s public debt, now standing at SLE 63.69 billion as of December 2023. This increase stems from new domestic borrowing and external disbursements for donor-financed projects. In the latest Public Debt Statistical Bulletin, Minister Bangura reaffirmed the government’s dedication to transparent financial management….
Acting Auditor General Abdul Aziz participated in a key workshop last week in Nairobi, Kenya, aimed at strengthening efforts to combat money laundering in Africa. The event, organized by AFROSAI-E (African Organisation of English-speaking Supreme Audit Institutions), ran from September 10-12, 2024, and focused on enhancing performance audits to address illicit financial flows. Auditors from…
Indian exporters are facing uncertainty as the mpox outbreak threatens trade with Africa, a key market for Indian goods, particularly crude oil and pharmaceuticals, reports Maritime Gateway. Though the spread is currently contained, exporters remain cautious about potential escalation. Ajay Sahai, Director General of FIEO, emphasized the need for vigilance, noting that there have been no…
Three members of Sierra Leone’s U-20 football team attended a one-day safeguarding workshop organized by WAFU Zone A in Monrovia, Liberia, on September 17, 2024. The event, held at the Boulevard Palace Hotel, was part of CAF’s directive during the U-20 AFCON qualifiers. The SLFA delegation, led by Technical Director Ibrahim Bah, included Shooting Stars…
Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group, has accused Israel of orchestrating a series of pager detonations across Lebanon, resulting in several deaths and numerous injuries, including Hezbollah members and Tehran’s ambassador. According to the Lebanese health ministry, a child was among the fatalities. The Israeli military has refrained from commenting on the incident. In response, Hezbollah…
Zimbabwe’s wildlife authority has announced plans to cull approximately 200 elephants as part of efforts to address food shortages caused by severe drought. The El Nino-driven drought has ravaged crops across southern Africa, with the World Food Programme projecting that 7.6 million Zimbabweans will face food insecurity from January to April next year. The culling…
Nigeria is launching a new code of standards this week to fortify stock cubes with four essential micronutrients—iron, zinc, folic acid, and vitamin B12. This initiative aims to address widespread malnutrition and “hidden hunger” by enhancing the nutritional value of a commonly used seasoning. Dr. Augustine Okoruwa of Hellen Keller International emphasizes that fortification is…
In a bid to tackle unemployment and close skill gaps in Sierra Leone, 50 youths have been certified in Heating, Ventilation, and Air-Conditioning (HVAC) training. The certification ceremony, held on September 13, 2024, at Eastern Polytechnic, Freetown, marked a milestone in an initiative funded by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) aimed at boosting youth…
On September 13, 2024, Sierra Leone’s Arms and Ammunition Commission, in partnership with the Small Arms Survey, officially validated the National Action Plan (NAP) on Weapons and Ammunition Management. The event, held at Swiss Hotel in Freetown, marks a major step in strengthening the country’s security through improved control of weapons. The NAP, developed since…
The Institute of Governance Reforms (IGR), in partnership with the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development (MoPED) and several Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), hosted a stakeholder engagement on Friday to validate draft development plans for four local councils in Sierra Leone. The goal was to engage MDAs and the private sector in shaping local…
