They Were Simply Doing Their Jobs

ICASL cleared both the Former Auditor-General and her Deputy of wrongdoing. The Auditor-General, Mrs. Lara Taylor-Pearce, and the Deputy Auditor-General, Mr. Tamba Momoh of the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL), were simply doing their jobs.

Suspended Auditor-General Lara Taylor-Pearce, and her Deputy, Mr. Tamba Momoh

According to the ICASL, Mrs. Taylor-Pearce and Mr. Momoh "acted in the public's best interest, upheld professional standards, and adhered to international auditing standards and guidelines."

Key Takeaways

• Statement from the ICASL Review Board: "They were fully committed to their responsibilities and executed their roles with integrity."
• Former Auditor-General Mrs. Taylor-Pearce and her Deputy Mr. Tamba Momoh "acted in the public's best interest."
• The ICASL review adhered to internationally recognized auditing standards specifically the International Standards on Auditing (ISA) and the International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI), ensuring transparency and credibility.

---

The Tribunal’s interpretation reports reflect a lack of understanding of standard audit procedures.

Auditor-General Responds to Tribunal Report Raises Concerns Over Findings and Process

Many Sierra Leoneans were deeply troubled by the President's recommendation to remove from office the suspended Auditor General, Mrs. Lara Taylor-Pearce, and her deputy, Tamba Momoh. This decision is being criticized for lacking legitimacy and ignited significant public outrage.

Deception in Politics: President Bio Orders Removal of Suspended Auditor-General Lara Taylor-Pearce, and her Deputy, Tamba Momoh

---

The statement further clarified that there were "no instances of professional misconduct or ethical breaches as outlined in the ICASL Code of Ethics and INTOSAI’s standards."

The ICASL review was guided by international auditing standards, including the International Standards on Auditing (ISA), the International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAI), the ICASL Code of Ethics, and the Sierra Leone Audit Service Act of 2014.

ICASL Investigation Committee Report

With Parliament preparing to discuss President Bio’s support for the tribunal’s recommendations, the ICASL’s statement could significantly influence public discourse regarding the integrity of Sierra Leone’s accountability institutions.

Theo Edwards for YAME

Manufacturing Charcoal from Human Waste (Poo) Collected

Kingtom, Sierra Leone: In an Era of 'Green World,' this project aims to protect the environment and improve sanitation, especially in impoverished areas. The charcoal is produced through carbonization to ensure no lingering smell from the human waste.

In recent decades, Sierra Leone has seen a significant increase in the commercial trading of timber and fuelwood products, largely due to the aftermath of the country's civil war.

Commercializing the production and trading of firewood for cooking fuel has led to rapid and alarming deforestation.

READ The impact of human activities on flooding in Freetown—deforestation has led to reduced vegetation cover, increasing soil erosion, and surface runoff.

This project aims to protect the environment and improve sanitation, especially in impoverished areas.

The charcoal is produced through a carbonization process to ensure no lingering smell from the human waste.

The waste product is initially collected and deposited at the treatment plant. The waste (feces) is separated from the liquid at the treatment facility, which then flows into a geo-bag. The fecal matter is then dried in a greenhouse for approximately two weeks, broken down into powder form, and placed in a kiln to produce charcoal briquettes.

Poop-based fuel briquettes—providing an alternative cooking-fuel source

The concept of producing sustainable fuel charcoal using human waste (feces) and sawdust was first introduced in Kenya by a company called Sanivation, creating a new fuel source for cooking.

“The Process In a Video.”

— The Mayor of Freetown, Freetown City Council: Yvonne Aki-sawyerr

By Theo Edwards for YAME

The Proliferation of Places of Worship

The Rwandan government clamped down on more than 5,600 churches, including 100 cave churches.

By Theo Edwards

Rwanda: August 14, 2024: The Rwandan government clamped down on more than 5,600 churches, including 100 cave churches. The reason; is the failure to comply with safety and health regulations, such as poor soundproofing and the transactional nature of many places of worship.

Rwanda has progressively been implementing a law passed in 2018 to regulate religious organizations. The law requires religious leaders to have theological training before operating a church and mandates the RGB to inspect the physical safety of the buildings housing the churches.

This recent move represents the most significant enforcement since the 2018 law regulating places of worship was implemented. When the law was enacted, approximately 700 churches were closed.

In a statement, RGB said that the inspection focuses on verifying that religious organizations have registration documents issued by the board. The churches also need to show letters of collaboration with the district authorities. 

“Relevant authorities will continue to collaborate with religious leaders to promote transformational development while adhering to the laws and regulations governing faith-based organizations and ensuring that prayer houses/buildings meet legal standards,” read the statement issued on August 1.

Believers worship during a Sunday service at an Anglican church in the Kacyiru, Rwanda, on Feb. 16, 2019. | The Christian Post/Samuel Smith

'There should be an intentional willingness to comply with the law. When we register faith-based organizations, we ask them to provide their structure. The education requirement is primarily targeted at the top personnel in the organizational structure,' clarified Kaitesi.

Freetown: The Cleansing of Society’ Wickedness and Moral Evil

July 2024: The perimeter fence of the Siaka Steven’s National Stadium is currently under rehabilitation by the Chinese GCCIC Construction Company. However, it has collapsed, resulting in one fatality. This incident occurred in the Grey Bush area, opposite the cemetery.

By Theo Edwards for YAME

Community after community is nothing but calamity and ruin (Old Testament biblical reference)

Commenting in the local linqua franca

Concerned Citizen Audio

0:00 / 0:00

The skies have unleashed a deluge upon Freetown, with a relentless downpour almost daily since the beginning of July.

“I make light and create darkness. I give blessings and create disasters. I, the LORD, do all these things” ~ Isaiah 45:7 GOD’S WORD Translation (GW).

It is unclear whether this is a result of climate change, but ‘Freetonians,’ as the city mayor, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, often refers to the city's residents, has likely contributed to its own demise through environmental mismanagement, urban planning, housing, and a political system that has not effectively addressed the issue since the 80s that we so deserve this wrath.

 READ: Sierra Leone Unapproved Construction: Juba in Peril

I give blessings and create disasters ~ Isaiah 45:7

Freetown, Sierra Leone has been grappling with an unprecedented onslaught of torrential rains since the beginning of July. The city, often affectionately referred to as home to "Freetonians" by Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, is now bearing the brunt of a crisis that is a complex interplay of climate change and human-induced factors

The impact of human activities on flooding in Freetown cannot be overstated. Deforestation has led to reduced vegetation cover, increasing soil erosion and surface runoff. Urbanization has exacerbated the issue by creating impervious surfaces that prevent water infiltration and encroaching on floodplains, resulting in heightened flood risk. Inadequate drainage systems, due to lack of maintenance and capacity, are overwhelmed by increased water volume. Furthermore, the absence of flood protection measures, such as levees, retention ponds, and early warning systems, leaves the city extremely vulnerable to flooding.

The city's vulnerability is exacerbated by a host of human-made issues

Freetown's Deluge: A Perfect Storm of Climate Change and Human Error

Climate change, a global phenomenon, has manifested in Freetown as increasingly erratic and intense weather patterns. Rising global temperatures are altering precipitation cycles, leading to more frequent and heavier downpours. The city's vulnerability is exacerbated by a host of human-made issues.

Environmental mismanagement is a critical factor. Deforestation, rampant and unchecked, has stripped the land of its natural defenses against erosion. The once-protective forests that absorbed rainwater are now absent, leaving the city exposed to the full force of the downpours. Poor waste management practices further compound the problem, as clogged drains and waterways exacerbate flooding.

Urban planning, or rather the lack thereof, has also contributed to the crisis. Rapid urbanization without corresponding infrastructure development has led to haphazard construction and encroachment on floodplains. Buildings erected in vulnerable areas are now at the mercy of the elements. The city's inability to cope with the increased volume of water is a direct result of this shortsighted planning.

READ: Sierra Leone: Small Country, Massive Suffering

Connaught Hospital, a key tertiary government referral hospital in Freetown, Sierra Leone underwater. The lack of planning and targeted investments had compounded the impact of rural-to-urban migration on the environment, housing, transport, sanitation, and health. Freetown needs deliverance from its wicked ways on the environment we have created and the moral evil we so glorify even though we are well aware of the dangers

Political neglect cannot be overlooked. For decades, the issue of urban flooding has been a recurring problem, yet successive governments have failed to implement comprehensive and sustainable solutions. Corruption, inefficiency, and a lack of political will have hindered progress. The result is a city ill-prepared to face the challenges posed by climate change.

The impact of rural-to-urban migration on the environment, housing, transport, sanitation, and health is worsened by the lack of planning and targeted investments. Freetown urgently needs to address the environmental challenges we have contributed to and the moral issues we continue to overlook, despite being fully aware of the risks

It's important to note that while climate change is a global issue, its impacts are felt most acutely by vulnerable populations in cities like Freetown. The convergence of climate change and human-induced factors has created a perfect storm, leaving residents to suffer the consequences. To address this crisis effectively, a multi-faceted approach is required, encompassing climate adaptation measures, improved urban planning, investment in infrastructure, and strong governance. The future of Freetown depends on it.

Senegal Joined The Club of Oil-producing Countries

It is expected to generate billions of dollars for Senegal and boost its economy.

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Senegal has become an oil-producing nation with the first off-shore platform as Australian company Woodside Energy Group Ltd. announced the beginning of production on Tuesday.

Senegal joined the club of oil-producing countries on Tuesday as Australian group Woodside Energy announced that production had started in the West African country's first offshore project.

The oil and gas sector is expected to generate more than $1 billion annually.

BBC reports that the Sangomar deep-water project, which also has gas, aims to produce 100,000 barrels of oil daily.

President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has committed to responsibly managing the proceeds from the sale of the nation's oil and gas. Australian energy giant Woodside has lauded the oil production in Senegal as a groundbreaking moment and a pivotal accomplishment for the company and the country.

The general manager of the national oil company Petrosen said the nation had entered a 'new era' when production began on Tuesday.

“We have never been so well positioned for opportunities for growth, innovation, and success in the economic and social development of our nation.”

— Thierno Ly, General Manager, Petrosen

Petrosen maintains an 18% stake in the project, demonstrating a substantial commitment, while the majority is owned by Woodside Energy Group Ltd., a trusted and established industry leader.

Mr Faye, who was elected president in April, has been keen on renegotiating the deal as part of reforms he promised during the election campaign.

The President, speaking to students on Tuesday, revealed that an intergenerational fund had been established for the benefit of 'your generation and those to come.'

The country’s move to renegotiate oil and gas contracts has been seen by some analysts as making investors jittery, but government supporters have reportedly said that it is vital for the West African state to increase its stake in projects so that the nation benefits from its natural resources.

A former opposition politician, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko, who was a key figure in the president’s election campaign, recently insisted that contracts signed by previous administrations were ‘unfavorable’ to the country, and would be reviewed.

Sonko was quoted as saying on Tuesday, ‘We're the ones who promised you we'd renegotiate the contracts, and we're going to do it. We've started already.’ 

Theo Edwards for YAME

Defendant Vincent Dabilgou, Party Leader and Former Minister of Transport

Misappropriation of public funds in Burkina Faso

August 2023 File Photo

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The defendant Vincent Dabilgou, it should be remembered, was being prosecuted by the courts in Burkina Faso for embezzlement of public funds, money laundering, and the hidden financing of political parties, including the party of which he is the president, the NTD. He was sentenced in August of 2023 by the court in Burkina Faso.

The court in Burkina Faso’s capital Ouagadougou sentenced Vincent Dabilgou, former transport minister, to eleven years in prison for embezzlement of public funds and money laundering, the local media said, citing judicial sources.

The court reportedly charged the former minister with ‘misappropriation of public funds’ to the tune of 1.12 billion CFA francs (about $1.9 million), and ‘hidden financing of a political party.’

Dabilgou is the founder and chairman of the New Era for Democracy (NTD) party, whose activities the court also ordered suspended.

The ex-minister must also pay a fine of 3.3 billion CFA francs ($5.5 million) following the order and is banned from all political activities for five years.

READ: Politicians don't give a dam!

In addition, the tribunal directed that the former minister's assets be forfeited to the extent of the amounts embezzled to the treasury.

The court verdict also affected two of Dabilgou's former colleagues in the ministry, Sere Jean-Gabriel and Kouanda Malick, who received prison sentences ranging from six to eleven years, along with hefty fines for ‘abuse of power.’

Burkina Faso has been ruled since September 2022 by an interim government led by Captain Ibrahim Traore, who took power from the previous coup leader Paul-Henri Damiba, who overthrew Kabore.

Vincent Dabilgou headed Burkina Faso's Transport Ministry under President Roch Marc Christian Kabore, who was overthrown in a coup in January 2022. Before the Transport Ministry, he served as Minister of Urban Development.

However, a video of Vincent Dabilgou surfaced on social media, which has since gone viral with the caption ‘From Grace to Grass,’ showing him being subjected to public beatings after being found guilty of embezzlement.

Vincent Dabilgou, Party Leader and Former Minister of Transport. Revealing the locations of embezzled funds.

The passport to achieving wealth in Africa is by entering into politics.

The question we ask is:

As a powerful deterrent, sending a clear message to future public servants about the consequences of engaging in corruption and state capture when found guilty, should we consider introducing public flogging as part of sentencing our corrupt African leaders and their accomplices?

By Theo Edwards for YAME

---

Feel free to join the conversation by posting your comment! We encourage readers across the political spectrum to participate. We hold Space for everyone on YAME. yame [dot] space.

Sierra Leone: Small Country, Massive Suffering

How did it all fall apart?

By Theo Edwards

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Bad economy, no electricity, fraud and corruption, poor infrastructure, poor water supply, youth unemployment, the rampant abuse of Kush, and the rise in crime.

Every blessed day, you will find something to be outraged about.

It pains like-minded Sierra Leoneans to see the stark contrast between the envisioned utopia and the grim reality in Mama Salone, a land abundant with many God-given natural resources. 

Our so-called educated elite, leaders, traditional rulers, and religious figures have all become agents of our demise, poisoning the well of our collective aspirations. 

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States once said, ‘…nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s true character, give him power.’ Power reveals dishonesty, greed, corruption, and unqualified functionaries in us.

Power consumes one’s ability to use common sense

Sierra Leone has manifested itself into tribal and regional affiliations that have become barriers to meaningful collaboration.

Regrettably, these divisions of tribalism extend to the leadership and various governmental institutions. The specter of politics and political affiliations looms large and appears more important than national interest.

Positions on national issues are based entirely on convenience and not deeply on how things appear good or bad or how we want to hold people in power accountable but on who we try to protect based on affiliation or connections.

Politicians don't give a dam! Not until we Sierra Leoneans treat each other with dignity and value the life of everyone nothing will ever change.

No transparency or accountability oversight. The very essence of democracy

The two sides of our political framework follow the same road. And they both wind up in the same place every single time.

Transparency is an absolute necessity for achieving accountability in any democratic system. It is only when those in power are held responsible for their actions that trust can exist between the government and its citizens. Without transparency and accountability, the government can easily become corrupt and abuse its power, leading to a breakdown of trust and a loss of faith in the entire system.

The pursuit of power has blinded many politicians to the basic needs of humanity, leading to a decline in the quality of life for the general public. The obsession with gaining and maintaining power has consumed the ability to use common sense and make decisions that benefit constituents. As a result, basic needs like access to clean water, healthcare, education, and infrastructure are being neglected, while those in power focus on their self-interests.

READ: ‘Absolute disgrace:’ State institutions are not working as they ought

This selfish behavior not only harms the nation but also weakens the fabric of society as a whole.

It's been sixty-three long years since our independence on April 27, 1961, and yet we still find ourselves trapped in the shackles of mental slavery. Corruption, ignorance, and mismanagement continue to plague our society, serving as the hallmarks of power and control.

It is the sad reality, that despite our freedom, we have failed to break free from the chains that bind us and prevent us from reaching our true potential as a nation.

The people of Sierra Leone have long been asking for very little, but unfortunately, so much is taken away from them. The realities on the ground are all too real and paint a very sad picture

In societies that meet the academic definition of 'good governance,' the government is supposed to meet the needs of the people. However, in Sierra Leone, this is often not the case. Despite the best efforts of some, the needs of the people are often ignored, and their basic rights are frequently violated.

The Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and the All Peoples Congress (APC), the two pillars of our political framework, have long become synonymous with stagnation and corruption. The level of corruption runs in both directions creating an environment where crime and bribery flourish.

READ: When humanity succumbs to acts of greed and oppression, they are even less than animals

It's a tragic state of affairs and time for a change. We need leaders who are committed and committed to reforms such as taking a harder line against party leaders who've been implicated in corruption and state capture.

The time for our leaders to prioritize the needs of the people they serve, and work together to create a better future for all.

Poverty and Uncertainty occupying the mind! In poverty-stricken societies, people are forced to make desperate choices just to survive. They are willing to eat from any plate, regardless of the source, because hunger knows no boundaries. They are willing to dance for political t-shirts not because they desire them, but because they need clothes to wear. It is appalling that we have allowed these issues to persist, ignoring them until election season when politicians use them to gain leverage. Let us not forget that these are real people with real struggles, not just pawns in a political game. 

Through effective management of resources and eliminating corruption, Sierra Leone can chart a sustainable path toward a brighter and more prosperous future.

It is time to take action and address these issues with urgency and compassion.

KUSH: Is not only the new face of Sierra Leone but also the new mineral of Sierra Leone. Disheartening!

Because of the enduring impact and the self-interest of our politicians, Sierra Leone has slid into a more dangerous territory due to the rampant abuse of KUSH. A drug that is quickly becoming the new face of addiction in the country. Those who turn to KUSH in search of relief are often met with devastating consequences leading to even worse problems than those it was intended to solve.

The side effects of drugs mixed with human bones called #Kush pic.twitter.com/bM5RlVbwgR

— House Of Happiness Sierra Leone (@HOHSIERRALEONE) April 8, 2024

The side-effect of kush mixed with human bone

Leadership

‘For, it would be useless to chase out the colonial rulers if the Africans who replaced them are just as greedy and ruthless ~Kwame Nkrumah.

As citizens, we only need to look around us to know where we are as a nation. We cannot allow the future of our generation to be sacrificed for the sake of those driven by their pursuit of wealth and political ambition.