AWE Media Sierra Leone

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Statistics Sierra Leone (SSL) has intensified its community sensitisation campaign on the ongoing cartographic mapping exercise, a crucial first step toward the country's upcoming 2026 Population and Housing Census. On Sunday, October 19, 2025, the Northern Regional Publicity Officer for Statistics Sierra Leone, Alusine Rehme Wilson, led a mobile awareness campaign across key areas of Makeni using a loud-hailer vehicle provided by management in line with the Communication and Public Relations Directorate publicity frame work. The campaign which is scheduled to run for 16 days, two days each within eight weeks, aimed to educate residents on the purpose and importance of the mapping process currently underway in the northern districts of Bombali, Falaba, Koinadugu, and Tonkolili. The loud-hailer vehicle moved strategically through high-traffic locations such as the MCA Area, Station Road, Kamal Street, Mena Junction, Old Mabanta Road, Gada Lane, NP Lorry Par...

By Alex Paul Bangah – Health and Social Affairs Correspondent Sierra Leone stands at a critical crossroads as drug abuse continues to ravage communities, leaving behind broken families, lost youth, and a shaken national image. What began as a silent health problem has now evolved into a national emergency, one that exposes deep-rooted issues of power, corruption, and press intimidation. In recent years, the streets of Freetown, Makeni, Kono, Bo, and other parts of the country have witnessed a worrying surge in the use of kush, a deadly synthetic substance mixed with cannabis, chemicals, and in some cases, human remains. Health officials are overwhelmed by the growing number of young people collapsing, hallucinating, or dying from overdoses. But while the public bears the brunt of this health crisis, insiders say the real battle lies behind closed doors. Sources within law enforcement allege that some high-profile individuals are directly involved in the importation and distribution of ...

Stats SL Temporary Headquarters, 1B King Street, Kona Lodge, Freetown 14th October 2025 Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL), is pleased to announce the official commencement of a nationwide cartographic mapping exercise in preparation for the 2026 Population and Housing Census (PHC ’26). This marks a major milestone in the lead-up to the country’s most significant national data collection effort. The announcement was made by the Statistician-General & Chief Census Officer , Mr. Andrew Bob Johnny, who underscored the importance of this foundational phase in delivering a credible, inclusive, and comprehensive census. The cartographic mapping exercise—carried out with technical support from GIS and Cartographic Mapping Consultant Dr. Foluke Adebayo—involves the identification and delineation of enumeration areas, as well as the systematic numbering of all localities and physical structures across the country. This process ensures that every individual and household is counted once—and ...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Ernest Bai Koroma University of Science and Technology (EBKUST), Sierra Leone’s third public university and led by Professor Edwin J.J. Momoh, has significantly strengthened its international engagement through a renewed collaboration with China’s Suzhou University of Science and Technology (SUST).  The partnership, first initiated in September 2024, marks a new chapter in EBKUST’s efforts to foster academic exchange, joint research initiatives, and faculty development. The initial agreement between both universities were sealed in motion during EBKUST’s 2024 visit to China, where a delegation consisting of Dr. Joseph Davies, Dr. Maurice B. Kargbo, and Dr. Robert Kargbo laid the foundation for collaboration.  The EBKUST delegation did sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SUST, outlining shared objectives such as supporting EBKUST’s Open Distance Learning (ODL) program, facilitating staff and student exchanges, and launching joint researc...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Statistics Sierra Leone has extended its Geographic Information Systems (GIS) training by five days, reaffirming its commitment to a well-prepared and high-quality national cartographic mapping exercise scheduled for 2025. The extension was confirmed on Wednesday, October 1, 2025 by the Statistician General and Chief Census Officer, Mr. Andrew Bob Johnny, on Wednesday, October 1, during his virtual closing remarks at the end of the initial 10-day nationwide GIS training program. In his address, Mr. Johnny commended the collaborative efforts of the Statistics Sierra Leone Council Chairman, Mr. Moses Williams, the Deputy Statistician General, Mr. Lansana K. Kanneh, the training facilitators, and the broader management team.  The Statistician General who doubles as Sierra Leone's Chief Census Officer in his address described the just concluded 10-day cartographic mapping training for potential field staff as “one of the most effective field staff trainin...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  ( Ambassador Kao Denero) In a surprising and heartfelt message, Sierra Leonean music producer and sound engineer Joseph S. Koroma, popularly known as Nashito Kulala, has publicly expressed admiration for Sierra Leone's first ever Entertainment Ambassador, who doubles as Africa's reigning hip-hop icon, Amara Turay alias Kao Denero. Kulala's recent publication outrightly silenced the perceived long-standing speculation of rivalry between Nashito and his perceived boss Kao Denero whom many believed payed the way for the rising producer when he walked with him almost a decade ago. Widely seen as a critic or opposing voice to Kao Denero and his Black Leo movement, Kulala took to his official Facebook page, followed by over 99,000 fans, to share a candid confession: he holds deep respect for Kao Denero’s artistic legacy and contribution to Sierra Leone’s music industry. “Kao Denero’s courage to carry on and remain consistent for decades is no child’s pla...

By: Alusine Rehme Wilson  Twelve Sierra Leoneans, including ten members of the Sports Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL), have been officially certified by the Department of Human Kinetics and Sports at Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone, following the successful completion of a two-week intensive course in Sports Ethics, Administration, and Management. The training, which ran from September 11 to 25, 2025, was designed to equip sports journalists, ranging from writers and young reporters to editors and students, with essential skills in ethical sports reporting, communication, and sports management.  The 14-day course also aimed to deepen participants’ understanding of human kinetics and modern sports science. The certification ceremony was held at the FBC campus in Freetown on Saturday and attended by prominent figures, including the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists (SLAJ), Mr. Alhaji Manika Kamara, and the Deputy Executive...