AWE Media Sierra Leone

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson – (AR-Wilson) Sierra Leone’s staple food is rice and for several years now its production in the country has been limited to small scale and subsistence farming across the country with only few individuals and groups engaging on commercial farming which had cost successive governments to have spent a whooping sum of 200 Billion dollars yearly to import rice from other countries. It is on this backdrop that the country’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has hosted the first ever Rice Conference in the Northern Region for stakeholders in the Agricultural and Forestry sector on the theme: “Getting Rice Right”. The conference brought together various farmers, heads of ministries, agencies and departments from all districts and major towns in the Northern Region for two days (17 th -18 th December, 2019) to dialogue and contribute positively in the development process of putting together a National document on Rice for the very first time in the his...

By: Ibrahim Jalloh – (Jallomy In loving memory of the late Bishop Augustus F. Azzolini and in recognition of his pioneering leadership in establishing the Catholic Church in the Northern region of Sierra Leone, the current generation of the Catholic Church leadership and membership through the University of Makeni conceptualized and established the late Bishop Augustus F. Azzolini memorial lecture. Among several, this is an initiative that captures the admiration and appreciation of not only the faithful and laity of the Catholic Church in northern Sierra Leone but the mass of direct and indirect beneficiaries of the Catholic Church. This year's lecture series were scheduled and thematically focused on national cohesion. The theme is not only timely and appropriate but bears the hallmarks of putting into context a major national deficit: a cohesive state. The current polarized nature of the state along the narrow lines of tribe, region and political party has constituted ...

By: Abdul Mansaray While some will see journalism as “organized gossip”, the majority will agree that it’s a force for progressive social change that maintains democracy. The role of journalism in any given society is so central that, it is often fondly described as the 4 th Estate. Many see its role as the barometer of society and thermometer of opinion. It occupies the vacuum of alternative opinion to governments and seen as voice of the voiceless and downtrodden people. Although we cannot overemphasize the role of journalism in our society, it is equally nauseating that where an issue of public interest is concerned; there is the temptation of trial by media; even before due process of the law. Guilty as charged. In other cases, it is the pursuance of truth and truth to power, without fear or favours that separate the patriot from the jingoist or nationalist. It is the sacred duty of journalists to inform, educate and entertain. As a call of duty, one of its roles is to ...

Alusine Rehme Wilson – (AR-Wilson) Sierra Leone striker Suffian Kalokoh is proving to be one of the most prolific strikers in the region after finishing top scorer in the West African Football Union (WAFU) Zone-A, Under-20 Championship in Guinea. Kalokoh scored six goals, including a hat-trick against Mauritania in the group stages. His two goals against Guinea sealed Sierra Leone’s passage into the semi-finals in a must win game. Playing in goal after the goalkeeper was sent off against Senegal, Kalokoh scored from the spot as Sierra Leone lost 4-1. He was named man of the match in both games against Mauritania and Guinea respectively scoring a total of six goals for Shooting Stars of Sierra Leone ahead of all strikers from the eight representing countries in this year’s campaign. Kalokoh is due to join his new club Bo Rangers to help in their campaign for the Sierra Leone Premier League title. He is a key member of a star-studded squad including Prince Barrie whic...

By: Sahr J. Bangah A four years old minor is expected to testify today at the Makeni Magistrate court presided over by Peter Gogra on how the accused sexually fidgeted her in an unfinished house that resulted to blood oozing out from her two legs. According to the minor’s grandmother, she revealed in court that on the 27 th November 2019 at Manokoh village in the Bombali Sherry Chiefdom, Bombali District, she left the victim playing in the veranda of the house and went to attend to the call of nature.   On her return, she could not see the victim and immediately she raised an alarm which prompted the neighbors to go in search of the minor who they later discovered by one Abdul Kamara in an unfinished house with the accused sexually fidgeting her. She further revealed that seen the ungodly scene, Abdul Kamara shouted loud that attracted neighbors to come to the scene of crime and immediately the accused Saidu Kamara saw them, he decided to run away but was arrested ...

By: Sahr J. Bangah The persistence absence of the jurors in the high Court trials in Makeni, Northern Judicial District, has potentially undermined the frantic efforts of the presiding High Court Judge, Justice Unisa Kamara including the State Counsel North, Aruna Jalloh, whose determination is to see justice done without delay. According to High Court source, several witnesses have lined up to testify in capital offences against accused persons but unfortunately jurors are not sitting due to the fact that the judiciary has not paid their stipends for closed to a year. One of the displeased jurors intimated this medium that most of their colleagues have to walk distances to attend High Court sittings without having food or water to drink not to talk of providing for the daily sustenance of their families. He concluded that even though they are doing a national service yet they are family heads with legal and moral obligation to provide for their family needs. Governme...

By: Ibrahim Jalloh - (Jallomy) Sexual aggression, otherwise labeled as sexual and gender based violence is a chronic and morally disturbing malaise in our society.  Efforts and actions by our international development partners working alongside governmental agencies and civil society groups were visible, seemingly coordinated and well -resourced but the outcomes and impact ratings were extremely and, in most cases, paralyzed. While the frustration looms, the hope for redoubling the efforts and actions were deferred. What made matters worse was the apparent diminished political will in combating a heinous crime that has endured the longest in the history of Sierra Leone. The current regime of President Julius Maada Bio has rejuvenated the fight with extreme political will and the most visible and poignant executive engagement ever in the history of Sierra Leone. To the extent that rape, sexual penetration of minors and, by extension, all forms of sexual violence are now decl...

As the name implied, Tongo Global Connections (TGC) and its members will celebrate its one year anniversary in Tongo Field in the Lower Bambara Chiefdom, Kenema District in the Eastern Region of Sierra Leone on the 11 th and 12 th January 2020 with a launching of Ibrahim Orbrey’s album “ WattaWolo” meaning in Fulah language, “don’t cry” together with a cultural festivities. According to the Global Secretary General of TGC, Amadu Daramy intimated this medium that some founding members of TGC in USA and Europe we be in attendance, noting out that the chairman Abdul Jalloh AKA Abra Jay, assistant Secretary General Abdulai Kabba and Financial Secretary Isata Cole will be among those that will grace the celebration. In the area of achievement, Mr. Amadu Daramy stated that Tongo Global Connections has renovated the Independent Primary School in Tongo Field and also established peace among its members including chiefdom elders. He concluded that TGC has opened its office in Tong...

By: Mohamed Konneh The Pan African subsidiary of UBA Sierra Leone has won the UK based magazine, The Banker’s Bank of the Year 2019 Award for Sierra Leone on Thursday, 25 th November, 2019, in London, the United Kingdom.  The Banker is the world’s premier banking and finance magazine and online resource, providing global financial intelligence since 1926. The Banker magazine has built its reputation for objective and incisive reporting on major events around the globe.  The most prestigious award in the banking and financial industry was held in London, the United Kingdom, on Thursday, 25 th November, 2019. The event tailored and highlighted the achievements of financial institutions, corporate conglomerates, and resourceful individuals that contributed to the transformation and development of the financial landscape especially in their geographies.  UBA SL grabbed the covetous Bank of the Year 2019 award for having demonstrated a high performance across vari...

Alusine Rehme Wilson – (AR-Wilson) “From January to December this year, our test statistics shows that 13,143 Male and 14,049 Female in the North have been tested for HIV disease, 140 male and 224 female out of the population tested results showed positive and have also joined the 70,398 people that have benefited from the Anti-Retroviral Drugs (ARV)from various Health Centers in the country, exclusive of children that have also been tested some of whom are living positively with the disease while others are responding well to Anti-Retro-viral Drugs treatments. A District Health Management Staff revealed to attendees at the Makeni City Hall during the commemoration and celebration of the World Aids Day. This year’s commemoration of the World Aids Day marks the 36 th Anniversary of the day which is celebrated every year globally on December 1 st . In the Northern Region of Sierra Leone like other parts of the world, this year’s celebration stimulated several act...