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Details: 18 May 2022

The Church of God of Prophecy Primary School in the heart of Makeni city has benefitted from the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Qommodity/Tandem Liber Holdings Limited. It could be recalled that quite recently, a violent windstorm raged across Makeni city in the Northeast Region of the country that resulted in considerable damage to buildings, especially the roofs, including one of the buildings of the Church of God Prophecy Primary School that was completely unroofed.

Stakeholders including the Headmistress, Board of Trustees, Makeni City Council (MCC), the Ministry of Basic and Senior School Education (MBSSE) and parents felt so lost following the windstorm.

They never knew where to turn for immediate help to re-roof the building with schools still in SESSION And they third term exams was in progress.... Pupils will only attend classes when there is no rain because the classrooms has no roof to cover the children... The used wood stumps as tables and chairs as seats.... The entire school has no water facilities as the machines on the hand dug wells has been stolen away...... The school lacks all the amenities that you can think of as the entire school has nothing for sanitation (TOILETS)..

Consequently, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) took up the onus to advocate for the re-roofing of the unroofed school building. Qommodity/Tandem Liber had information about the school’s predicament through a social media platform.

On Monday 17th May 2022, a very colourful ceremony was organized on the school campus to thank Qommodity for what the Deputy City Mayor’s of Makeni described as the timely re-roofing of the unroofed building of the school.

The occasion attracted parents and a huge turnout of very appreciative teachers and pupils.

A very eloquent Class Six pupil extolled the virtues of Qommodity, describing them as Gold mining company currently with a small scale mining LIC in mabonto and that are set to apply for exploration licenses from the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL).

According to Qommodity/TLH they dished out Le45 Million to effect the repairs. The General Manager of Qommodity/TLH, Sierra Leonean-born Abdul Mawlaiyah Kamara, gave a very emotionally laden message to the pupils. He narrated how he had to fetch woods and plums to be able to afford lunch. He said that did not deter him from pursuing his education.

The General Manager assured the pupils that they can become whatever they choose to be provided they make efforts to become educated, adding that they should see themselves as the future leaders of Sierra Leone.

Qommodity/TLH Chairman and CEO, Edward Meijers, reiterated the same message to the pupils, stressing that only the sky will be their limit in their pursuit of EDUCATION if the work hard and stay focused on the horizon.

Addressing teachers after an inspection of the school facilities and their stressed conditions, Meijers recognized their sacrifice and commitment in rendering their services to mankind and to transfer their knowledge to the future leaders as knowledge is power.

A man of his words, he told the teachers that he has seen the felt needs of the school and will focus on them immediately.

The CEO furthered that he would not make promises and that he had learnt to be self-reliant since he joined the Army at a very tender age. He therefore entreated the teachers to be strong and faithful..... He promised that the school authorities will hear something from the management through their General Manager as soon as possible but will first do cost analysis.

Details: 17 May 2022

Addressing personnel of the Sierra Leone Correctional Services, Chairman of the Correctional Service Council, Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, has said that government is in the process of recruiting 1,000 officers, with more to follow. This, he said, is to address the Service’s identified human resource shortage.

Recruitment of the future leadership cadre of the correctional service will be based on track record of one’s level of experience, discipline, understanding, transparency and accountability.

Promotion of senior officers, the VP emphasized, would be based on interview at which he will be present.

Questions will be asked on various aspects of correction including one’s own respect for human rights and other unexpected questions. Those who are not prepared, the VP warned, should not attend the interview because the new generation of correctional service leaders will be chosen on this basis.

In designing of the future leadership of the correctional service, VP Jalloh stated that the message he brought with him was one where senior officers should be setting brighter examples for junior officers. VP Jalloh stressed on the issue of discipline and respect for work.

The administration and the Council, he said, would not take kindly to indiscipline and trafficking. Any officer caught trafficking will not only be immediately dismissed but will also be prosecuted, he emphasized.

Very soon, he said, example will be set by the sub-committee composed of lawyers, the Minister of Internal Affairs and CSOs investigating alleged cases of indiscipline and misconduct.

VP Jalloh stated that government has to do more to ensure that correctional personnel exercise patience as government is working hard to improve on the salary and welfare of the security sector; including provision of vehicles and trucks for the service, and renovation of correctional centers.

Details: 22 March 2022

History was made on Saturday afternoon in Kenema city when Hon. Boston Munda formally opened his Constituency 021 office at 17 Mariana Street. Hundreds of mostly female Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) members and supporters in green coloured Ashobie singing heartily were at the occasion.

Constituency Women's Leader, Safiatu Kaisamba, recalled that when Hon. Munda was elected in 2018, he asked them to find a building to rent and to form a Women's Wing.

Saturday's colorful opening ceremony, which was graced by dignitaries including the SLPP District Chairman Agbao, the NATCOM DG, the CEO of Tandem Liber Holdings and Qommodity from Dubai, Edward Meijers who were the Guests of Honour added dignity to the occasion.

Guest of Honour, the CEO of Qommodity - Tandem Liber Holdings Edward Meijers, announced a generous pledge of Le1 billion as support to Sierra Leone social cause and Le200 million of that as microcredit for women of Constituency 021.

The indefatigable dynamic CEO Edward Meijers highlighted that he is business man and not a politician. He stressed that they are here with a vision to help Sierra Leone transform into a modern country like Dubai which fifty years ago was highly underdeveloped.

CEO Meijers underscored that his friendship and brotherhood with Hon. Munda dates back to 2008 when Hon. Munda then working at ECOBANK handled the company, Qommodity – Tandem Liber Holdings, finances in Sierra Leone with utmost honestly and diligence.

He remarked on the fine hospitable quality of Sierra Leone. He stressed that he was supporting Hon. Munda's cause as a philanthropist.

CEO Meijers maintained that he belongs to no political party. He said that his relationship with Hon. Munda stems from the invaluable financial services that Hon. Munda who he called a friend and brother has since they met performed excellently with no cause to complain for the company.

He disclosed that was the reason behind his willingness to donate generously to the appeal made to him by Hon. Munda for micro credit support to the women's wing of his Constituency 21 in Nongowa Chiefdom, Kenema City.

As a mark of appreciation, the Town Chief and the elders of Nongowa Chiefdom crowned CEO Edward Meijers as Chief Kinie Momoh Ngombulango III.

Friends of Hon. Munda donated traditionally woven country clothes gowns and gaps to the Qommodity - Tandem Liber Holdings delegation.

General Manager of Tandem Holdings, Sierra Leonean born Abdul Kamara earlier in addressing the gathering also stated that their relationship with Hon. Munda has nothing to do with politics. He told the audience of the origin of his long standing relationship with Hon. Munda that has grown and become strengthened over the years.

In his speech to the gathering as the guest of honor, CEO Meijers disclosed that he has been to Africa since 2008 is married to a black woman from Lesotho in East Africa and lives, works and will die here in Sierra Leone to loud applause from the audience.

Hon. Munda in his vote of thanks thanked his constituency executive for working with him to make the program successful. He acknowledged his role as a lawmakers and exercising oversight to help President Bio bring development to his people.

The MP stressed that President Bio is very passionate about the development of women, whilst he reiterated the call for forgiveness and for all to work for the betterment of the constituency, the party and the country. The ceremony was climaxed with singing, dancing and merriment.

Details: 17 May 2022

Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has on Friday 13th May, 2022 officiated the handing over of Orange's newly constructed ultra-modern Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre at Petifu Junction, Petifu Section Lokomassama Chiefdom in Port Loko District.

The pre-school was constructed by the country's biggest mobile operator to support the government free quality education vision.

Speaking at the ceremony, VP Juldeh Jalloh thanked His Excellency the President, Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio for his vision in Education with the introduction of the Free Quality Education programme in Sierra Leone.

He furthered expressed appreciation to Orange (SL) notably the former CEO Aminata Kane for the construction of the pre-school which he said the people of Lokomassama would ever remain grateful to the Ministry of Basic Education and the Company.

VP Juldeh Jalloh who purchased the land where the facility is built also committed to fence the ECD Centre and provide the first set of uniforms for the kids.

The stakeholders of Lokomasama chiefdoms who turned out in huge numbers to grace the event expressed their overwhelming appreciation to the government for the ECD center.

Details: 01 March 2022

The Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Mohamed Lamin Tarawalley Esq., has pledged to take critical steps in addressing human trafficking.

He made this declaration at the national conference against human trafficking, organised by the Ministry of Social Welfare in collaboration with the Vice President's office at the Freetown International Conference Centre in Aberdeen, yesterday Monday, February 28, 2202.

He said the Justice Department will continue to forge strong collaborations and increase cooperation and coordination amongst key government Ministries Departments and Agencies, as well as Civil Society Organizations, NGOs, the private sector, foreign governments, and UN agencies, in achieving the objectives of the National Action Plan.

“We shall utilize all available resources in prosecuting suspects and convicting perpetrators of Trafficking In Persons (TIP).”

Reports have indicated that over the past five years, human traffickers have exploited domestic victims, mainly from the rural provinces, at mining sites, agricultural farms, street crimes, and begging, while most foreign victims are mainly from the urban provinces of Sierra Leone, sent to foreign countries for sex trade and forced labour.

In order to address challenges faced in relation to the prosecution of traffickers, the AG strongly encourages victims to speak up about their experiences and to further matters at the court. “I shall also engage the prosecution division of my office to initiate and develop new strategies and to effectively implement the National Action Plan to prevent trafficking in persons in Sierra Leone.”

Furthermore, the AG accentuated, “the Justice Department of my office will engage the Judiciary and other relevant law enforcement agencies on not only prioritizing TIP cases to be expeditiously tried but also the continued training of judges and prosecutors to effectively implement the Anti-Human Trafficking Act for the effective prosecution of cases.”

He disclosed that the justice department has been a strong pillar of support in this fight and that he is quite sure that their commitment now is more than ever before.

The AG explained that the Office Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons report 2021 from the US State Department noted that the government had made significant progress through collective efforts and consistent actions, noting that the report also applauded the government's overall increase in anti-trafficking capacity efforts, despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

These efforts noted in the above report, according to the AG include a significant increase in investigations and prosecutions, the allocation of funding to NGOs for protective services and adopting a new anti-trafficking national action plan.

He further explained that in 2005, the government legislated the 2005 Anti-Human Trafficking Act, No. 7 of 2005, which criminalizes sex trafficking and labour trafficking, making the punishment “up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine or both.” He said while this law was largely welcomed, it was not without flaws.

Adding that the 2005 Act had been criticized for allowing perpetrators to avoid jail terms by paying a fine instead.

When the Sexual Offences Act No. 12 of 2012 was passed, the AG said it criminalizes sex trafficking under its “forced prostitution” and “child prostitution” provisions and prescribes penalties of up to 15 years of imprisonment, making the crime of sex trafficking equal to the punishment for rape in Sierra Leone.

He also added that in 2019, the law was again amended to legislate tougher punishments for sexual offenses, including sex trafficking, from 15 years maximum imprisonment to life imprisonment.

As a result of the government’s persistent commitment and determination to combat this modern slavery, the AG disclosed that the government is currently working to replace the Anti-Human Trafficking Act 2005 with the Anti-Human Trafficking and Migrant Smuggling Bill 2021, which will improve victims' protection and impose sufficient sentences involving imprisonment, replacing the option of paying a fine for convicted traffickers.

“My ministry together with relevant stakeholders are working tirelessly to ensure that the appropriate authorities expedite the process of passing the said bill into a law,” the AG revealed.

Details: 17 May 2022

Under the indefatigable leadership of the new Managing Director of Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB), Mr Yusufu Abdul Silla, the Bank continues to constantly provide innovative high-quality products and services to its valued numerous customers around the country.

The Managing Director, Yusufu Abdul Silla has within his first hundred days in office registered some impressive development gains for the Bank.

The Managing Director has, for instance, ensured that SLCB’s Visa Debit Cards are now operational in all Visa Automated ATMs within and outside Sierra Leone.

Within the country, these Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) are located at SLCB’s Siaka Stevens Street Headquarters, Wilkinson Road and St. Mary’s Supermarket at Hill Station in Freetown as well as the Bo, Kenema and Makeni branches ensure access to customers’ money almost everywhere and at any time.

Another development is the recent opening of a Banking Kiosk at the Youyi Administrative Building that houses the majority of Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

According to the Managing Director, “We are the people’s Bank; we can bring the undiscovered and unbanked into the financial mainstream. This, we believe, will contribute to the virtuous economic growth cycle of this nation.”

The Banking Kiosk is part of SLCB’s strategic business plan to expand its reach to its valued customers and the general populace in endeavouring to fully rollout the Central Bank’s financial inclusion trajectory aimed at taking banking to the doorsteps of the ordinary man.

MD Silla said he is very grateful to the SLCB’s Board of Directors, Directors and the staff members for their support in opening the Youyi Administrative Building banking outlet that promises to reduce the stress of people within that community from trekking to the Central Business District (CBD) for banking transactions.

He further thanked shareholders and the Bank’s esteemed customers for their unremitting patronage over the years.

MD Silla promised that SLCB will remain at its customers’ service to ‘delivering services at all times.’