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03 October 2023

Orange Mobile Telecommunications Company has made an unprecedented move in Sierra Leone's telecommunications industry by launching its cutting-edge 5G technology. With the trial taking place in Freetown's Central Business District, Orange Sierra Leone (OSL) aims to revolutionise connectivity in the country and provide faster and more reliable data transmission for its customers. The technology is also expected to propel Sierra Leone into a new era of advanced telecommunications infrastructure.

Sekou Amadou Bah, CEO of Orange Sierra Leone, emphasised the significance of this 5G trial during the launch, stating that it has the potential to catalyse rapid technological advancement and economic development for the country.

“Introducing the 5G trial holds immense importance as it can build the pathway to catalyse rapid technological advancement and economic development that will enable the Internet of Things to reach full potential,” Sekou Amadou Bah said.

The deployment of 5G by Orange Sierra Leone marks a major milestone in Sierra Leone's telecommunications landscape. With its promise of ultra-fast speeds, low latency, and enhanced network capacity, 5G is set to transform the way people connect and communicate.

Furthermore, the introduction of 5G technology is not only beneficial to individual consumers but also supports various industries such as healthcare, education, manufacturing, and agriculture. The CEO highlighted the potential of 5G to enhance communication and enable transformative digital services that will positively impact these sectors.

“Undoubtedly, 5G technology has the potential to enhance communication and enable transformative digital services that will positively impact various sectors like education, health, manufacturing, and commercial agriculture,” Sekou Amadou Bah affirmed.

Sekou Drame, CEO of Orange Sonatel, mentioned during his remarks that Orange Sierra Leone has invested considerable resources to ensure the successful rollout of this cutting-edge technology. He stated that this aligns with the government's priorities to drive investment in technology, infrastructure, and digitalization.

“I am delighted that Orange Sierra Leone is providing leadership in setting the technology standard baseline for 5G by rolling out this cutting-edge pilot stage on our network in line with a corporate vision of becoming the first in class mobile internet service provider in Sierra Leone. As the government commits to implement the five big game changers, this technological milestone for Orange Sierra Leone is in alignment with the Government’s vision to drive investment in technology, infrastructure and digitalization,” Sekou Drame said.

Chief Minister David Sengeh praised Orange Sierra Leone for aligning the company’s vision with Sierra Leone's commitment to digital inclusion. He recognized the company’s investment in this advanced infrastructure as a demonstration of their unwavering commitment to meeting the evolving needs of their clients and positioning Sierra Leone at the forefront of telecommunications development.

Experts predict that the OSL 5G network will have a transformative impact on various sectors, including e-commerce, entertainment, and communication. This advanced infrastructure also has the potential to attract foreign investment and stimulate economic growth in the country.

Fatmata Kargbo, a loyal Orange subscriber for 13 years, expressed her excitement for the introduction of 5G technology, stating that it sets a new standard for connectivity in the country. She believes that this cutting-edge technology will unlock tremendous opportunities for both consumers and businesses, offering seamless connectivity, faster data speeds, and enhanced capabilities.

Overall, the launch of Orange Sierra Leone's 5G technology represents a significant step towards advancing telecommunications in Sierra Leone, bringing the country into a new era of connectivity and supporting its economic development goals.

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21 September 2023

By Yusufu Sesay
The undisputed leader in the banking industry in Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB), will today Thursday 21st September, 2023 officially inaugurate another state-of-the-art branch at Lumley in Freetown.
The opening of the Lumley branch aligns with SLCB’s vision to extend its reach to communities across Sierra Leone to ensure that everyone has access to secure reliable banking services.
SLCB always answers to the increasing demands of its esteemed clients and provides timely and speedy service to all.
Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB) is hundred percent Sierra Leonean owned bank that has been performing tremendously in the past six years and paying dividends to Government annually.
SLCB Lumley branch will offer a wide range of banking products and services to meet the financial needs of individuals, businesses and the community as a whole.
The branch will have state-of-the-art ATMs available 24/7 for convenient cash withdrawals and other banking transactions.
This strategic expansion is a testament to SLCB’s commitment to providing accessible and convenient banking services to the people of Sierra Leone. More details in the next edition.

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03 October 2023

BY THOMAS GBOW
The Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB) is the oldest indigenous commercial bank in the country established fifty years ago by the Government of Sierra Leone (GoSL), while Rokel Commercial Bank (RCB), which is also owned by the GoSL, became another indigenous commercial bank after Barclays Bank had wrapped up business in Sierra Leone. The third indigenous commercial bank is Union Trust Bank (UTB) which is owned hundred percent by Sierra Leoneans as shareholders.
These indigenous commercial banks are working assiduously toward contributing largely to the economic development of Sierra Leone in terms of effective service delivery to the general public as financial institutions.

Like all other financial institutions the world over, our indigenous commercial banks provide various financial services in a more transparent and accountable manner to win the confidence of the general public so that more individuals and institutions will be convinced to do business with them. But since these financial institutions are run by human beings, we sometimes expect human errors to occur because of our differences in character and behaviour.
It is against this backdrop that stringent rules and regulations are instituted by these banks for their staffs and punishments are meted out to defaulters including legal action(s).

It is however unfortunate that though the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB) and Rokel Commercial Bank (RCB) are the People’s Banks, some unscrupulous Sierra Leoneans have taken predilection in writing unpleasant things about them so that the general public would have low opinions about them.

For instance, even though the Management of SLCB has a non-compromising tolerance for any sort of fraud committed by its staff and therefore does not sweep such acts under the carpet, irresponsible journalists would present such fraudulent acts as if the Management were in support of them.

Because of greed, selfishness and extortion, some would even attempt to blackmail Executive Officers of our indigenous commercial banks whenever they take legal actions against their staff members caught in fraudulent activities.

But what these unpatriotic journalists have failed to realize is that while the dividends of foreign commercial banks operating in Sierra Leone are remitted abroad to their parent financial institutions, the dividends of both SLCB and RCB go straight into our National Consolidated Fund instead of individuals’ pockets.

Such dividends are expended by the Government for development programmes aimed at improving the lives of Sierra Leoneans, irrespective of region or ethnicity. Instead of vilifying our indigenous commercial banks for selfish reasons, it is about time we partnered with them in terms of national development - a kind of symbiotic relationship where we can depend on each other in particular ways.

By and large, it is gross unpatriotism for unscrupulous journalists to vilify our indigenous commercial banks with apparent impunity, when they (the indigenous commercial banks) are contributing in no small measures to national development as compared to those foreign commercial banks in the country. Let’s therefore change our negative perceptions about them and promote their business activities for the good of the nation.

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21 September 2023

As they continue to give back to their subscribers in various communities across the country through the Africell Mega Promo, the leading mobile company in Sierra Leone, Africell, has presented a brand new motor bike to the sixth lucky winner of Africell Mega Promo for this week.

Receiving the brand new motor bike from Africell in Makeni on Tuesday September 12, Zanaib Dumbuya, the sixth lucky winner for this week, expressed thanks and appreciation to Africell for taking her out of poverty for which she has been dragging within the last 40 years.
"I felt good and excited.

I want to express my thanks and appreciation to Africell for taking me out of poverty. Thank you for taking me out of poverty which I have been battling with in the last 40 years. I think the reason why I won this bike; is because I have been recharging my phone since I heard about the Africell Mega Promo from August. And I know that is the reason why I have bagged this brand new motor bike" she stated.

She proudly pointed out that, since she has grown to an adult age, Africell was the only institution that has been good to her and her family, adding that she was actually in doubt of winning any of the prizes because of the negative perception been circulated on social media that the promotions are fake and was not true.

She mentioned that she said receiving the brand new motor bike to her was a humanitarian leadership showed by Africell and that she can happily now spread the message to others to believe in the promotion being offered by Africell.

"I am sure I can be a testimony now to other people. And I am sure such promotion is not only meant for the rich but I believe if you try your luck you can also be another winner.

I am so happy where I am today. I was not even dreaming of having a motorcycle, but today I am sure it is a call by the Almighty Allah. But look at my age, I now own a Brand New Motorbike. I am now an owner of a brand new motorbike which I have never dreamt of," she said. She continued that before this time she used to spend close to NLe 40 on transportation a day just for her kids to get to school, but however, she added clinching a brand new motorbike from Africell and, therefore, transportation for her children will be a thing of the past.

In her conclusive message, she once again thanked Africell for what they have done for her and her family. She called on all Africell subscribers to speedily rush and recharge their Africell SIM cards as the Mega Promo is still ongoing across the country and emphasized that you can be a lucky winner if God marks you to be the winner of the Mega Promo.

Definitely, she added you will be the next lucky winner.
Handing over the brand new motorbike to this week’s lucky winner, the Sales Supervisor for Africell, Northern Region, Mohamed Conteh, noted that they had been informing people about the ongoing Africell Mega Promo from Monday to Saturday every day, adding that since they started the promotion in August, this year, they have given 6 motorbikes out of the 24 motorbikes. He said the motorbikes are placed for lucky winners across the country. He disclosed that apart from the motorbikes, there are other cash prizes for people to win.
Mohamed Conteh explained that you can only be a lucky winner if you have a brand new Africell SIM card or you buy NLe10 Africell top-up so that you can be part of the lucky winners.
The Africell Sales Supervisor said Africell is trying to promote people, especially the less privileged.
He intimated that Africell as a true 'Kombra' mobile network in the country cannot differentiate between the poor and the rich, maintaining that Africell encourages every class of people and that as far as you are an Africell subscriber you stand a chance of being a lucky winner of the Mega Promotion.
Mohamed Conteh concluded by calling on all Africell subscribers to rush now and buy brand new SIM cards and also recharges Nle 10 top-up to stand a chance of winning the different Africell Mega Promo.

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26 September 2023

The Bank of Sierra Leone on Tuesday 19th September, 2023 issued a public notice on the off-shore – trading of foreign currencies for the Leone.