AWE Media Sierra Leone

By: Ishmael Sallieu Koroma History was made on Thursday, 28th August 2025, as the National Fund for Public Interest Media (NaFPIM) officially awarded its first set of grants to 14 media institutions across Sierra Leone, marking a new era for independent, professional, and people-centred journalism in the country. The awarding ceremony, held at the New Brookfields Hotel in Freetown, brought together media leaders, government representatives, civil society, and international partners to celebrate what many described as a “giant leap” for press freedom and media sustainability in Sierra Leone. A Journey from Repeal to Reform Speaking at the ceremony, NaFPIM Board Chairman and immediate past President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Ahmed Sahid Nasralla, traced the journey that led to the establishment of the Fund. He recalled that it all began with the repeal of the 55-year-old criminal and seditious libel law, which for decades had shackled press freedom. “That was...

By: UmaroSaiduTuray A planned ECOWAS fact-finding mission to Yenga ended abruptly on Friday, August 29, 2025 after Guinean soldiers halted and denied the delegation entry to assess situation at the contested Mano River border town. The team, which included Sierra Leone’s Internal Affairs Minister, Morie Lengor, had journeyed to Yenga to assess the situation on the ground. However, Guinean forces manning the area denied them access, claiming they had not been formally informed about the visit. Unable to proceed, the delegation concluded their trip at Pegobegu, the last Sierra Leonean-controlled settlement before Yenga. The once-vibrant town of Yenga has been largely deserted in recent months after residents fled amid uncertainty and rising tensions. The Yenga dispute has lingered for over two decades, becoming a sensitive flashpoint in Sierra Leone-Guinea relations. While both governments have repeatedly pledged to resolve the matter through dialogue, incidents like Friday’s blockade hi...