Caps Off to You, Graduate!

Estelle Nyandah Edwards

LaSalle University Class of 2023

Congratulations to Estelle Nyandah Edwards on her four-year journey at LaSalle University. We're so proud of you and honored to celebrate graduation day with you! As an Explorer, you never lost. You value the pursuit and exploration of knowledge and faith. 

It finally paid off after years of hard work and sacrifice —a degree in Forensic Psychology and Criminal Justice. Your program of study allowed you the opportunity to excel in the Judiciary Field. Your future is beyond bright.

May 13, 2023 Commencement

La Salle News

Click or Tap to Take a Look Back: La Salle graduates across all 3 schools reflect on their journeys

Highlight reel - Commencement 2023: Prepared for whatever comes next

“Classmates, when you enter the world, continue to remind yourself about how powerful the education is that you received at La Salle. Believe in how much you can accomplish, and if you are ever in doubt, bet on yourself. Use the tools in your toolbox and apply them to every situation you face.”

— Leah Brown, ’23, Student Commencement speaker

Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr End Of Tenure Message

Freetown City Council

March 1, 2023

Dear Freetonians 

Pursuant to a letter from the Minister of Local Government dated 8th February 2023 instructing all Mayors, Chairpersons, and Councillors to “vacate” the Local Councils on 1st March 2023, I write to inform you that my tenure as Mayor of Freetown ends today. (For the record, this directive is in contravention of Section 137 of the Local Government Act 2022 which provides for local councils to be dissolved at the earlier of the dissolution of Parliament [25th April 2023] or the fifth anniversary of the first council sitting [30th May 2023]).

I will forever be grateful for the opportunity to serve Freetonians and to embark with you on our collective journey to #TransformFreetown. Yesterday, in a Press Conference at the Freetown City Council, I presented the Transform Freetown Four-Year Report which details our interventions and progress made between January 2022 and January 2023. A copy of the report is attached and copies of the First Year, Second Year, and Third Year Transform Freetown Reports can be accessed here https://fcc.gov.sl. I am excited about our achievements over the course of my tenure despite the many challenges I encountered personally and by the Freetown City Council as an institution. 

#TransformFreetown is about transforming lives. Yesterday I was grateful to receive surprise visits and gifts from ordinary Freetonians, market women, and street sweepers, who gave moving testimonies about the 1000s of jobs created during my tenure and their own experiences of personal economic empowerment, growth, and development. 

Yesterday afternoon was spent in a fun-filled farewell event with the FCC Staff during which I handed over to Chief Administrator Festus Kallay the 3 decorative mayoral chains as a symbol of the authority of the office of the mayor. It was wonderful to use that opportunity to inform FCC staff that after over 3 years of working on this, the FCC salary harmonization process had finally been completed, and a transparent system of salary bands that objectively reflect qualifications, experience, and length of service was being implemented for all staff from February 2023! 

yvonne aki-sawyerr, OBE: mayor of freetown FROM MAY 2018 TO FEBRUARY 2023

Celebrations of the end of my tenure continued in the evening with a cocktail event. I was so pleased to share the celebrations with All People’s Congress (APC) Party Flagbearer Dr. Samura Kamara, US Ambassador David Reimer, UK High Commissioner Lisa Chesney, Irish Ambassador Claire Buckley, World Bank Country Manager Abdu Muwonge, Tony Blair Institute Country Lead Mariama Anthony-Williams, EU Delegation Representative Serena Bertaina and many others development partners and stakeholders. 

One of the highlights of the evening was a performance by the children from the FCC Congo Water Market Early Learning Adventure Center. These bright, confident, and assertive children of the Congo Water market women warmed my heart and are themselves a true representation of the work we have done to #TransformLives!

Yesterday was also an opportunity to thank God and to thank my family who have been incredibly supportive of me and without whom I could not have hoped to succeed. I was pleasantly surprised and deeply moved by a video that was shown at the event in which my mother shared her perspectives on the work that I have done and the impact it has had on the lives of others. (The video is attached below.)

Thanks must also go to the APC party and particularly to Former President HE Ernest Bai Koroma for entrusting the APC Mayoral symbol to me in 2018. I am grateful to the APC not only for the symbol but also for their support throughout my tenure.

#TransformFreetown is a collective action so my deepest thanks are extended to the FCC Councillors and Staff, members of the Mayors Delivery Unit (past and present), our development partners both in the country and abroad, to the central government, and most of all to Freetonians. 

I leave office today grateful to have had the opportunity to serve, impact lives, raise awareness about climate change and design and implement interventions to address this major risk and other challenges in our city, and develop and embed systems and processes at the Freetown City Council that provide a foundation for sustainable development.

May I use this opportunity to wish Freetonians and all Sierra Leoneans a peaceful and democratic 24th June 2023 elections and a bright and prosperous future for our beloved city and nation. May God bless us all.

©️Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr OBE

I never thought I’d be 46 and having a baby on my own — but here I am

Surprise, I’m pregnant! Here’s how it all happened

By Isha Sesay

Oct. 28, 2022, 12:52 AM AEDT

Embarking on this pregnancy journey by myself hasn't been easy, but I have no regrets. Courtesy Isha Sesay

TODAY.com will be following along on Isha Sesay’s pregnancy journey. For more of her story, be sure to check back here for periodic updates from Isha.

If you’d told the 16-year-old me that at 46, I’d be divorced, single, and having a baby on my own — by choice! — I’d have shuddered and firmly said “no!” Back then, I had very definite ideas about the future course my personal life would take, and it didn’t look like this. I imagined something way more straightforward and dare I say it, conventional.

I’ve been blessed to build the career of my dreams over decades as a journalist — 13 years on air for CNN International, traveling the world to cover global events and interviewing presidents, movie stars, and world leaders. I published a book, became a UN Goodwill Ambassador, and started a nonprofit to help empower African girls, but in my quiet moments the one thing I wanted the most, to become a mother, remained out of reach.

A brief marriage to a kind man didn’t result in children, and then the year I turned 40, my mum had a catastrophic stroke, leaving me no emotional space to contemplate anything other than caring for her. Six years went by and a few months ago I found myself in a subpar relationship with a man who took about 12 hours to reply to all my texts, among other red flags. It was then, in the aftermath of our inevitable breakup, that it hit me: Not having a child would be the greatest regret of my life. And with my biological clock ticking down, if I was waiting for the right man to come along before I did it, well, I might just find myself out of time.

In the aftermath of our breakup, it hit me: Not having a child would be the greatest regret of my life. ... If I was waiting for the right man to come along before I did it, well, I might just find myself out of time.

So, I decided to take control of my life and settle on the bravest and scariest decision I have ever made: to have a baby on my own. I had many long conversations with myself and tried to get to grips with questions about what it would mean to not have the support of a partner, both emotionally and financially. How would I handle society’s questions?  What would be a single parent means for my child? I still don’t have all the answers, but I decided to take the leap because I refuse to let fear, social conventions, or judgment hold me back from seeking this joy.

The process hasn’t been easy. The endless array of meetings with various doctors has also required a battery of blood tests, pelvic exams, bruising injections, nausea-inducing medication, and an unexpected fibroid surgery. But perhaps most challenging of all has been the emotional dimension of this journey, especially surrounding my choice of a sperm donor. The decision asked of me to confront questions surrounding the importance of the race, ethnicity, religion, and educational background of my child’s father. Essentially, it forced me to re-examine my own upbringing, values, and worldview. But harder still was the task of trying to tease clues from the questionnaires that would tell me whether a donor was a good man. Did he have a moral compass? Was he truly kind, empathetic, and open-minded? Ultimately, I made a decision — entirely on my own — and I have no regrets.

Getting pregnant forced me to ask tough questions about myself, my values, and my own upbringing. Courtesy Isha Sesay

My first IVF attempt was unsuccessful, and I cried for days afterward, before I could find the strength to start the process all over again a few months later. But with each passing day, I grew more fearful and anxious about my chances of being able to successfully carry a child. Those feelings only intensified when my doctor decided to halt my second attempt mid-cycle because my body was responding negatively to the medication. With two failed attempts to my name, I approached my third embryo transfer with relatively low expectations. In the two weeks that followed the procedure, my mind raced uncontrollably and I battled the urge to take an early pregnancy test. The day before I was scheduled to return to the clinic, I finally caved in and bought a home test because I couldn’t bear a repeat of the hours-long wait before the clinic called with the results. The next morning I got up long before the sun was up, anxiously headed to my bathroom, and opened the box. The minutes ticked by and I cycled through a myriad of emotions. When the word “pregnant” flashed up on the tiny screen, I screamed and fell to my knees before bursting into tears.

Even though many weeks have gone by since then and my belly is growing larger by the day, whenever I say the words, “I am pregnant,” it is with no small measure of amazement. I am elated, emotional, terrified, but above all thankful. My pregnancy journey is just beginning, but so far I can tell you that in addition to great joy, it has also brought unenviable amounts of nausea, fatigue, food aversions, sound sensitivity, and an ongoing battle with my hormones. In the weeks ahead, I plan to share more of my life-changing experience in the hope that if there is anyone out there being held back from chasing their heart’s desire — no matter what it is — maybe my story will spark something in them and provide the little nudge they need to go for it.

Source: This article was originally published on TODAY.com

Wounds of Bronx fire felt half a world away in the Gambia

The

Guardian

Omar Wally in Allunhari and Emmanuel Akinwotu

Saturday, January 15, 2022, 10:30 AM (Est.)

Early on Sunday morning, Ebrima Dukureh, 60, answered a phone call at his home in the Gambian town of Allunhari.

It was his nephew, Haji Dukureh, 49, calling from New York City, to check in – as he often did. The two men caught up on news, asked after each other’s families, and exchanged blessings.

“May God protect us, may God give us peace,” they prayed.

When the call dropped out after a few minutes, Haji sent a voice note: “I might be delayed sending back money, but if you need anything or there is an emergency, tell me immediately, don’t wait.”

It was the last time Ebrima would hear his voice.

Later that night, a fire tore through the Bronx apartment block where Haji lived, killing him, his wife, Haja, and three children, as well as 13 others.

Eight of the victims were children, and most of them had intimate links to families in this tiny West African country. Sunday night’s tragedy in New York has plunged communities on both sides of the Atlantic into grief and consternation.

Haji had lived in New York for 17 years, and was one of many Gambians – most with roots in Allunhari and another town, Soma – who lived in the block at 333 East 181st Street. The 19-storey building had since the 1980s been a landing spot for Gambians and other West Africans seeking a better life in the US.

Ebrima’s eyes were still red from tears as he reached for his phone and swiped through pictures of Haji and his family. Although they were close in age, Ebrima had become a father figure for Haji when his parents died.

And in a culture where personal success also means success for the family and wider community, Haji had stayed in close contact after he emigrated.

Most families in Allunhari survive on limited means, reliant on farming – and remittances from sons, daughters, husbands and wives who have left to seek their fortunes in other African countries or farther afield.

Bronx fire victims Haji Dukureh and his 13-ear-old son, Mustapha. Photograph: Family photo

Pointing to a stack of rice sacks in a store that Haji had paid for earlier this month, Ebrima said that his nephew sent money every month for food, school fees and other expenses.

“He was obedient, he was always reaching out to me, helping the family,” he said.

Haji earned modest wages doing “night-time work” in New York, said Ebrima, but he also sent money to extended family members and even neighbours when they held celebrations.

Such payments can have an outsized impact in a country where about 48% of the population live in poverty, according to the UN. According to the Gambia’s central bank, remittances to the country are worth 20% of its GDP.

The fire has stunned the people of Allunhara. There has been no official declaration of mourning, but grief from the deaths has gripped the entire town.

Televisions were muted and groups of people sat in the shade in a sombre mood. Along the roadside, where pounding music normally blares from loudspeakers, welders worked in silence.

“Such a thing has never happened here,” said one passerby. “Entire families perishing – when have we witnessed that?”

In Soma, a few hours to the west, well-wishers streamed into the compound of the Tunkara family. Some brought food, money or gifts. Others just sat and remembered 41-year-old Fatoumata Tunkara and her 13-year-old son, Omar, who both died in the fire.

Aji Mama Tunkara, 71, pulled out fraying photographs of her sister, in Soma, where she was born, and in New York, where she moved about 20 years ago.

“I did not have any child and after two years our late mother gave me the responsibility to raise her. She was not only a sister but like my child,” she said.

Fatoumata Tunkara with her sons. Photograph: Family photo

Fatoumata had also helped the family, sending monthly remittances, which helped their lives improve.

“She was the pillar of the family. I spoke to her hours before she died,” said Tunkara. “But now it seems our situation will get worse.”

Fatoumata, who worked two jobs in New York, did not live in the building where the blaze occurred but her childminder looked after Omar there, said Jaha Dukureh, a prominent human rights activist who was born in Soma and now lives in Atlanta.

“When she went to pick him up it was very late so she decided to stay – and then the fire happened,” Dukureh said.

“It’s important to highlight that she had two daughters, two sons and she was all her kids had,” she said. “The people who died aren’t people who lived a luxurious life. It’s really sad to see them living in such conditions and dying in the way that they did.”

Related: ‘They were just the best people’: the 17 victims of the Bronx fire

Jaha Dukureh, who campaigned to have female genital mutilation banned in her home country, said that support from the Gambian community – both in the US and abroad – has been profound. But she added that the families affected by the blaze would need much more help.

Fatoumata’s daughter had set up a GoFundMe page for donations, Dukureh said, to look after her siblings, now living with a relative.

“Fatoumata cared about her children, she was always smiling, always laughing. I don’t think I’ve ever met anyone as gentle as she was,” Dukureh said.

New York: ‘It looks like a war zone’: horror as Bronx apartment building went up in flames

For many Gambians, the Bronx felt like a home away from home.

“The community has everything that you need: you have the African stores, the products. You can’t step outside without speaking to your people. That’s what makes this place a place you’d want to come to. It’s also what makes this a tragedy.”

In Soma and Allunhar, there were mixed feelings about whether the bodies of their relatives should be returned to the Gambia to be buried or buried in New York.

“Bringing the corpses to Allunhari will be more devastating because we have never witnessed such a tragedy,” said Haji Dakureh’s aunt Aja Musa Njie. “The vacuum left behind by Haji cannot be filled by anyone.”

View article source

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Related: All 17 people killed in tragic Bronx fire identified

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Sierra Leone: Devastation After Fuel Tanker Collision

Around the Wellington PMB area

By Theo Edwards

A fuel tanker exploded following a collision in the capital of Sierra Leone, Freetown, killing at least 99 people and injuring a dozen others, officials said.

The explosion took place late on Friday, November 5, 2021, after a vehicle struck the tanker in Wellington, a suburb east of the capital, Freetown.

Fuel spilled before igniting, and the resulting inferno engulfed bystanders, those trying to scoop fuel from the tanker, and vehicles at a busy intersection.

Several badly burned victims lay on the streets as flames blazed through shops and houses nearby. The extent of property damage was as yet unknown. Several eyewitnesses narrated in a video. Dozens of people are feared dead.

President Julius Maada Bio, who was in Scotland attending the United Nations Climate Change Conference in a Tweet, said he was “deeply disturbed by the tragic fires and the horrendous loss of life.”

People survey the extent of the damage

Charred Motorcycle

In pictures (Courtesy BBC): Sierra Leone devastation after Freetown fuel tanker collision

Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr said she saw “harrowing” photos, according to the BBC Africa.

After visiting the scene, Vice-President Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh said it was a "national disaster."

Doctors and nurses were doing their best under very difficult conditions with limited resources and equipment to provide care

President Julius Maada Bio on Sunday declared three days of national mourning following the death of over one hundred people. He promised to set up a Presidential Task Force that will investigate the causes of the disaster and make recommendations for change.

Mass Burial in Freetown. Many of the victims burnt beyond recognition - will be buried in the same cemetery as victims of the 2017 landslide

Mass Burial in Freetown. Many of the victims burnt beyond recognition will be buried in the same cemetery as victims of the 2017 landslide.

Last updated: 11/13 - 06:56 EST.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres said in a statement issued by his Spokesperson on Saturday, that he was “deeply saddened by the extensive loss of life”, resulting from the crash, when the tanker collided with a lorry at a busy junction in the suburb of Wellington, spilling fuel, before igniting.

“The Secretary-General extends his deep condolences to the people and Government of Sierra Leone, and wishes those injured a speedy recovery”, said the statement.

Support on-going

“The United Nations is prepared to provide the necessary support in the aftermath of this tragic incident”, it continued.

The UN Office in Sierra Leone also issued a statement, wishing “fortitude and peace to the bereaved families, and the Government and people of Sierra Leone, in this period of grief.”

“Furthermore, as partners in the country’s development aspirations”, the UN family in the West African nation said it was closely monitoring the situation and would work with the Government to overcome what the country’s Vice-President, Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, reportedly described as a “national disaster”, after visiting the scene of the crash.

Specialized support

The World Health Organization (WHO) tweeted on Saturday that it was “mobilizing specialized supplies.”

“We are working to deploy burnt-patient care experts. We will provide more support as needed, at this terrible time for the people of Sierra Leone.”

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Stay on top of Sierra Leone's latest developments on the ground with YAME (pronounced yuh-may) fact-based news and exclusive video footage.

UK travel red list cut to just seven countries

By George Bowden

BBC News

The number of countries on the UK Covid travel red list will be cut from 54 to seven, the government says.

South Africa, Brazil, and Mexico come off the red list, which requires travelers to quarantine in an approved hotel at their cost for 10 full days.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the changes begin on Monday and "mark the next step" in opening travel.

In full: 47 places removed from red list

The following destinations will be removed from the red list from 04:00 BST on Monday:

Afghanistan, Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, Congo (Democratic Republic), Costa Rica, Cuba. Eritrea, Eswatini, Ethiopia, French Guiana, Georgia, Guyana, Indonesia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mayotte, Mexico, Mongolia, Montenegro, Mozambique, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Paraguay, Philippines, Réunion, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Suriname, Tanzania, Thailand, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Uganda, Uruguay, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.

Source: Department for Transport

To read the entire article, go to BBC Africa.

RELATED ARTICLE

Obama becomes minority owner, strategic partner for NBA Africa

NBA Africa oversees the Basketball Africa League

yahoo!news (by Biba Adams)

Former President Barack Obama’s investment in Basketball Africa will be used to support youth and leadership programming for the Obama Foundation across the continent.

Former President Barack Obama has hit another milestone.

America’s beloved first commander-in-chief has become a strategic partner and minority owner in the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s African league — Basketball Africa.

View fullsize

U.S. President Barack Obama plays basketball during the annual Easter Egg Roll on the White House tennis court April 1, 2013 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

NBA Africa oversees the Basketball Africa League which has seen investment from former basketball stars, Dikembe Mutombo, Grant Hill, and Junior Bridgeman.

Obama’s investment in the league will be used to support youth and leadership programming for the Obama Foundation across the continent, reports CNN.

The exact terms of Obama’s investment have not been disclosed.

In a statement, the former president wrote, “The NBA has always been a great ambassador for the United States—using the game to create deeper connections around the world, and in Africa, basketball has the power to promote opportunity, wellness, equality, and empowerment across the continent.

“By investing in communities, promoting gender equality, and cultivating the love of the game of basketball, I believe that NBA Africa can make a difference for so many of Africa’s young people.”

The former president’s father was from Kenya on the east of the continent.

NBA Africa’s CEO Victor Williams reportedly wants to build corporate partnerships, expand content and media rights, and support local governments seeking to build new basketball arenas.

View fullsize

NBA Africa CEO Victor Williams (Photo: NBA Africa)

The league is currently made up of 12 teams and games are broadcast to 215 countries and territories across the continent.

According to CNBC, 55 players in the NBA are either native Africans or first-generation immigrants from the continent. The Basketball Africa League is being viewed as a new source for scouting and developing players.

Former NBA players Luol Deng and Joakim Noah are investors in the NBA Africa league via Helios Fairfax Partners Corporation which also counts NBA Commissioner Adam Silver and NBA Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum on its board.

Silver shared a statement of glowing praise about the former president, writing, “We are honored that President Obama has become a strategic partner in NBA Africa and will support our wide-ranging efforts to grow the game of basketball on the continent.”

“In addition to his well-documented love for basketball, President Obama has a firm belief in Africa’s potential and the enormous growth opportunities that exist through sports. NBA Africa will benefit tremendously from his engagement.”

Former President Obama has long expressed his love for basketball, previously acknowledging that while he loved the sport, he did not possess the skills to go professional. Still, throughout his presidency, Obama often played basketball on White House grounds and even invited NBA stars like LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant to go head-to-head with him.

news.yahoo.com

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Related Article: NBA Communication

NBA names Victor Williams CEO of NBA Africa - Official Release

August 10, 2020

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Obama Foundation

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Sierra Leone joins red-listed countries banned from entering the UK due to rising Covid cases

Covid-19

Delta variant

You will only be allowed entry if you are a British or Irish National or have residence rights in the UK.

British Government today announced that on Monday 19th July at 4 AM, Sierra Leone will be joining a long list of countries with a very high prevalence of Covid infections from which travelers are banned from entering England.

Meaning that if you are entering England from Sierra Leone, you will only be allowed entry if you are a British or Irish National or you have residence rights in the UK.

In which case, before you travel to England, you must take a COVID-19 test; book a quarantine hotel package including 2 COVID-19 tests, and complete a passenger locator form.

Your Covid test result should be provided as a printed document or an email or text message you can show on your phone.

If you do not present proof of a negative Covid test, you may not be able to board your flight to England from Freetown. And arriving in England without proof of a negative test, you may be fined £500.

You must provide the original test result notification. It must include the following information:

• your name, which should match the name on your travel documents

• your date of birth or age

• the result of the test

• the date the test sample was collected or received by the test provider

• the name of the test provider and their contact details

• confirmation of the device used for the test, or that the test was a PCR test

If the test result does not include the information, you may not be able to board your flight. And if you arrive in England without a test result including the above information, you might have to pay a £500 fine.

If your test result is positive, you must not travel. You must follow local rules and guidelines laid down by the government of Sierra Leone for positive coronavirus cases. If the result is inconclusive, you must take another test.

British nationals who need consular assistance should contact the British High Commission in Freetown.

Children aged ten and under do not need to take a test. If you are an adult, you do not need to take a test if you are traveling to the UK for urgent medical treatment or accompanying someone traveling for urgent medical treatment. And that it is not reasonably practical to obtain a negative COVID-19 test in the three days before departure; or have a medical condition which means you cannot take a test. You must present a note from a medical practitioner at check-in and to Border Force staff on arrival in England.

Providing false or deliberately misleading information when filling out your passenger locator form before traveling to England is an offense punishable by imprisonment.

You could be fined up to £10,000 or imprisoned for up to 10 years or; both. Or if you do not provide accurate details about the countries you visited the ten days before you arrived in the UK.

Before you travel to England, you must book a managed quarantine hotel where you will quarantine- The quarantine package must include a quarantined hotel, food and drink, quarantine transfers, and travel test package COVID-19 on day2 and day8 of quarantine.

You will need to book, and pay for, a Quarantine Package before you complete your passenger locator form and board your return journey to the UK. You will only be able to book this within the two weeks before arriving in the UK.

If you break the quarantine rules, you may face a penalty of up to £10,000.

The decision by the British government to downgrade Sierra Leone from its amber list to red list was expected, after over one thousand (1000) cases of Covid were recorded in just four weeks in June.

Although the number of people that have died remains relatively low at 102, there are fears this figure may be much higher.

Two weeks ago, the government of Sierra Leone announced new Covid restrictions across the country, including an 11 PM to 5 AM curfew and the closure of all places of worship – except for funerals.

The British government says it will keep its list under constant review. Meanwhile, it “advises against all but essential travel to Sierra Leone based on the current assessment of COVID-19 risks.”

Article by Abdul Rashid Thomas via Sierra Leone Telegraph

'I made it here': Australia's first parliamentarian from the South Sudanese community sworn in

The nation’s first South Sudanese-Australian MP has been sworn into Western Australia’s parliament

Source: Aaron Fernandes/SBS News

The first South Sudanese Australian elected to an Australian parliament was on Monday sworn in to Western Australia’s Legislative Council.

Ayor Makur Chuot arrived in Australia as a refugee in 2005 after spending 10 years in an UNHCR refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya.

She hopes her election to parliament will inspire other migrant women to consider a career in politics.

“When I came to Perth I couldn’t speak much English. A girl that arrived with her sister and a carry-on bag, a plastic bag. We came here with nothing, not even one dollar,” she told SBS News.

Government of Sierra Leone Announces New Cabinet Reshuffle

April 30, 2021

Government of Sierra Leone; In a press release announced new cabinet Ministers days after Sierra Leone celebrated its 60th Independence anniversary.

The Full List of the Reshuffled Cabinet Ministers

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RELATED: President Bio's Third Cabinet: 8 November 2019

Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio Confers Citizenship on 59 African Americans

Who traced their origin to Sierra Leone through DNA, telling them that home was indeed home

State House, SL

State House, Freetown, Thursday 29 April 2021: His Excellency the President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio, conferred Sierra Leonean citizenship on 59 African-Americans who traced their origin to Sierra Leone through DNA, telling them that home was indeed home.

'You have experienced the exhilarating beaches, the serene mountains, the exciting wildlife, and there is ever so more to discover. You surrounded by a rich history –a history that unites us, a history of our common ancestry.'

“Even as you sit now, you sit on the original Fort Thornton. Walk out of those doors into the garden and look left (100 meters down), and you will see the Cotton Tree. It is older than the United States of America. It was wherein 1792 the freed slaves prayed, rejoiced, and sang the hymn,” he said.

Portrait of the President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio

He assured them that Sierra Leone was the 5th most peaceful country in Africa with one of the lowest risks of COVID-19, adding that there was a free press that also functioned in an open society.

We are putting in place more pro-business and pro-investment policies and incentives in place. We welcome you to acquire land, live in communities, build capacity, and start a new life without the worries of that other place. I am also aware of and very proud of the work of Free Yannoh Bangura, Dynast Amir, Dr. Adrienne Hunter, Dr. Sonya Bug-Alsoton, Karmen Thomas, and many other brothers and sisters who are making an impact already in this country.

President Bio said his government was open to easing constraints around land rights, housing, investments, skills transfers, taxes as you make your decision to relocate here – whether permanently or semi-permanently,” he assured.

Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Memunatu Pratt, welcomed the African Americans and thanked them for returning to the home of their forefathers, adding that it was a distinguished honor to be in the country and be given citizenship.

She said the people of Sierra Leone were hospitable and friendly and encouraged them to be loyal to the country and obey the laws and the oath of allegiance; to which they had subscribed.

Cross-section of participants

President of the African Ancestry Inc, Malandela Zulu, thanked the government and people of Sierra Leone for allowing African Americans to trace their origin saying that their organization looks forward to more collaboration with the Government of Sierra Leone to identify its citizens in the diaspora.

The African Ancestry Inc is an international organization that helps people of African descent trace their ancestral roots back to a specific present-day African country and tribe or ethnic group.

The Ministry of Tourism and the African Ancestry Inc signed a Memorandum of Understanding, henceforth; to create a partnership to collaborate in facilitating and coordinating the authenticity, orientation, integration, affiliation, and pilgrimage of members of the African Ancestry Family. As may be deemed necessary from time to time; on mutual understanding, and the following terms and understanding.'

More Enquiries consult State House Media and Communications Unit

Press Release: US Embassy Lift Visa Restrictions on Sierra Leone

Effective

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

The decision to lift Visas restrictions on Sierra Leone came as increased cooperation between the government of Sierra Leone in facilitating the timely return of its nationals who have been subject to final orders of removal from the United States of America, according to the new US Ambassador.

Related: U.S.Embassy in Sierra Leone

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David Reimer, US Ambassador to Sierra Leone

The Embassy stated immigrant and most non-immigrant visas are no longer restricted under Section 243(d) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

WASHINGTON — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Announces Implementation of Visa Sanctions on Four Countries ~ Release Date: September 13, 2017.

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Ghana: Former President Jerry John Rawlings

Dead Aged 73

November 12, 2020

Former President Jerry John Rawlings dead after a brief illness - Rawlings died aged 73: GhanaWeb can confirm. The former President of Ghana passed away, November 12, 2020.

According to state-owned Daily Graphic, the former President had been on admission at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital for about a week for an undisclosed ailment. He was 73. Mr. Rawlings recently lost and buried his mother last month.

Jerry John Rawlings was born in Accra on June 22, 1947, to a Ghanaian mother from Dzelukope, near Keta, in the Volta Region, and a Scottish father.

Rawlings Background

Jerry John Rawlings was born in Accra on June 22, 1947, to a Ghanaian mother from Dzelukope, near Keta, in the Volta Region, and a Scottish father. Educate at Achimota School, where he obtained his General Certificate of Education 'O' Level in 1966.

He enlisted as a Flight Cadet in the Ghana Air Force in August 1967 and subsequently selected for officer cadet training at the Ghana Military Academy and Training School, Teshie, in Accra.

In March 1968, he was posted to Takoradi in the Western Region to continue his course.

He graduated in January 1969 as a commissioned Pilot Officer. He won the coveted "Speed Bird Trophy" as the best cadet in flying and airmanship.

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Jerry John Rawlings: Political Life

He earned the rank of Flight-Lieutenant in April 1978. He was an efficient officer with a close rapport with his men.

During his service with the Ghana Air Force, he witnessed the deterioration of discipline and morale, reflecting the corruption of the regime of the Supreme Military Council (SMC) at that time.

As promotion brought him into contact with the privileged-class, and their social values, his awareness of the injustices in society takes shape.

He regarded with unease by the SMC. He read widely and discussed social and political ideas with a growing circle of like-minded friends and colleagues.

May 28, 1979: Flt.-Lt. Rawlings, together with six others, appeared before a General Court Martial in Accra, charged with leading a mutiny of junior officers and men of the Ghana Armed Forces on May 15, 1979. There was a strong public reaction, especially after his statement had been read in court, explaining the social injustices that had prompted him to act.

The ranks of the Armed Forces, in particular, expressed deep sympathy with his stated aims. Flight-Lt, Rawlings, sprung from custody when scheduled for another court appearance on June 4, 1979. With the support of both military and civilians, he led a revolt, which decisively ousted the Supreme Military Council from office and brought the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) into being.

The AFRC, under the chairmanship of Flt. Lt. Rawlings carried out a "house-cleaning exercise" aimed at purging the Armed Forces and society at large of corruption and graft as well as restoring a sense of moral responsibility and the principles of accountability and probity in public life.

Meanwhile, following the program already set in motion before the June 4th uprising for civilian administration and general elections were held.

On September 24, 1979, the AFRC handed over to the civilian Government of the People's National Party (PNP) under President Hilla Limann.

On 31st. December 1981 Flt. Lt. Rawlings led a section of the Armed Forces to overthrow the PNP administration. A Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC), composed of both civilian and military members, was established, with Flt-Lt. J.J. Rawlings as the Chairman.

His interests include reading, building model aircraft, horse-riding, and swimming. He is married to Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings with whom he has four children - three girls and a boy.

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Former President of Ghana: Jerry John Rawlings

Flt-Lt. Rawlings ceased to be a member of the Ghana Armed Forces effective September 14, 1992. He formed the National Democratic Congress, which contested and won the 1992 Presidential and Parliamentary elections. He and the party again won the 1996 elections. His term of office ended in the year 2000.

He is the joint recipient of the 1993 World Hunger Prize. He holds an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree from Medgar Evers College, City University of New York, and Lincoln University Doctorate Degree for Diplomacy and Development.

Sierra Leone: Freetown City Council

Transform Freetown

By Theo Edwards

Sierra Leone: Freetown City Council on 6th November 2020 hosted the Opening Ceremony for the new City Hall Complex and Hon. Tamba Lamina, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, delivered the keynote address.

Present at the Opening Ceremony was the Ambassador of South Korea to the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Sierra Leone, Major General Lee In-Tae and his delegation; the Deputy Minister of Finance, Hon Patricia Laverly, and the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Hon Solomon Jamiru; Esq. Also present were Dr. Kaifala Marah, former Minister of Finance, Mrs. Ebun Strasser-King, former Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, members of the diplomatic community, Councillors and staff of Freetown City Council.

The 15 stories New City Hall is the administrative complex for Freetown City Council, whose primary purpose will be to serve as the Office of the Mayor and the Council’s Administration - a modern building in the heart of the City’s Central Business District. When all the contractual obligations finalized, the building expected officially hand over to the Freetown City Council administration.

The facilities include:

• A rooftop garden, sky-lounge restaurant, kitchen, and ten hotel rooms

• Three floors of ultra-modern office space, of approximately 1000 square meters each

• A library, computer laboratory, and open exhibition area

• Multi-story car park

• An auditorium for 460 people with cinema seating, fully-fitted stage, and audio-visual equipment

The New City Hall will provide much-needed space for Freetown City Council to provide services and engage with residents as the Council implements its Transform Freetown Agenda. The council plan to lease out parts of the complex.

The official handing over of the building to the Council Administration is at the end of November, and moving in before December, 31st 2020.

The New City Council: The new City Hall Complex consists of conference rooms, a 460 seater multifunctional activities conference hall with the latest technology, an underground power station of two 800KVA Generators, and a car park for over 100 vehicles.

Corruption Undermines Social Development and Stymied Inclusive Economic Growth

The White Papers

By Theo Edwards

Sierra Leone President: We Cannot Be This Corrupt. "We have to draw the line... we cannot be this corrupt as a nation and expect to develop," he told the BBC's Umaru Fofana in Freetown.

Sierra Leone President Julius Maada Bio has said an investigation into allegations of corruption into the administration of his predecessor, President Ernest Bai Koroma, will lead to a large amount of property being confiscated and stolen money being returned to the state.

President Maada Bio said the commission of inquiry, led by foreign judges, was a major breakthrough that would help make corruption unfashionable and risky.

"We have to draw the line... we cannot be this corrupt as a nation and expect to develop," he told the BBC's Umaru Fofana in Freetown.

A lawyer for Mr. Koroma's opposition APC party has dismissed the allegations and said the party would challenge the findings in court.

Listen: Sierra Leone President Maada Bio on corruption

Source: BBC

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A country that is desperately poor despite its wealth of natural resources would guarantee a decent standard of life for every one of its 7.5 million citizens.

President Julius Maada Bio, on Thursday, September 24, 2020, received the reports of the Commissions of Inquiry and the White Papers and has assured the Government will fully implement the recommendations therein.

The Government has carefully looked at the reports of the Commissions and the recommendations. The White Paper document recommendations Government has accepted in the interest of the people of Sierra Leone. Unlike other Commissions, the president assured the citizens that his administration would fully implement all recommendations.

In a press briefing, he publicly instructed the office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to effect the recommendations of the Commissions of Inquiry. “Recover all monies recommended to be returned to the people of Sierra Leone and to confiscate all assets recommended, and all other such penalties as recommended.”

He, however, emphasized respect for the rule of law, adding that: Persons and entities affected by the recommendation are guaranteed a peaceful and transparent judicial appeals process through which they can seek relief.

Summary of Justice Biobele Commission of inquiries reports presentation

The White Papers

223 Billions of Leones where Misappropriated by persons of interest ($94 Million) investigated by Justice Biobele.

126 person of interest investigated in his commission

84 indicted by Justice Biobele, they include:

1 indicted former President of Sierra Leone ( Ernest Bai Koroma)

13 indicted Former Minister

6 indicted Deputy former minister

1 indicted CEO of National Ebola Response Center

1 indicted former secretary to the former President

2 indicted former Governor of the bank of Sierra Leone

1 indicted former chairman of National Commission for Privatisation

3 indicted Member of Parliament

10 Permanent Secretary

1 former coordinating officer of the National Election Commission

1 former head of case management Team at the Ebola operation Center

2 former Director-General

1 former CEO of Small Medium Enterprise Development Agency

1 former Managing Director of Sierra Leone Commercial Bank

5 of the former Director of youth projects where indicated

3 heads of Musical groups in Sierra Leone. (Kolabo and others to refund money giving to them to the Government of Sierra Leone)

26 Person of interest where discharged

5 former Minister where discharged

10 former deputy minister where discharged

2 Permanent Secretary where discharged

9 other persons of interest were discharged including (a ) Kawsu Kebbie; (b) Chief Sadiq Kapuwa; (c ) Ibrahim Swarry of NPPA

The most guilty of all indicted was Limkokwing University, which was not in the interest of the people of Sierra Leone. Everything about its formation is corrupt

17 person of Interest on asset declaration where investigated by Justice Biobel they are:

(1) Madam Finda Diana Konomanyi

(2 ) Miatta Kargbo

(3) Ibrahim Washinga Mansaray

(4 ) Abdul Linoux Koroma

(5 ) Minkalu Mansaray

(6) Ahmed Kanu

(7 ) Alimamy Kamara

(8 ) Mabinty Daramy

(9 ) Bai Mahmoud Bangura

(10 ) Alfred Paolo Conteh

(11) Dr. Minkalu Bah

(12) Alimamy P. Koroma

(13) Mahmoud Tarawalli

(14 ) Dr. Richard Conteh

(15) Franklin Bai Kargbo

(16) Sulata Cooper

(17 ) Raymond Saidu Kargbo

14 of the asset of persons of interest of unexplained wealth where indicted

3 Person of interest asset discharged

All persons indicted who failed to declare their asset should serve an imprisonment of Six Months or pay 30 Million Leones… differential from the money they should refund

All persons of interest who declare their assets only once or twice have also been found guilty, but been discharged ( at least they try) said the Justice Biobele.

All property own by persons of interest that is within there earning are discharged

All accounts owned by persons of interest within there earning are discharged and giving access to them

All property acquired by persons of interest indicted with funds beyond there means of income, are products of unlawful and unjust enrichment, hence, their property would be forfeited to the Government and people of Sierra Leone

All forfeited property should be sold to any interested person in Sierra Leone at a fair value, and the money should be remitted immediately to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Government of Sierra Leone

All funds in the bank account of persons indicted that's beyond there mean of earning must be forfeited to the Government of Sierra Leone, within 30 days from the date the recommendation is ratified

In the event anybody fails to return or repay the money Government shall use all law within its powers to confiscate all money own by that individual, either money in a bank account, or property moveable or immoveable including houses, vehicles, stocks belong to persons of interest, with the purpose of selling it, in order to pay the amount belonging to the people of Sierra Leone

All persons of interest that failed to attend the hearing of the Commission of Inquiries are thereby indicted and ban 5 years for holding public office

All persons of interest who are banned from holding public office, after there ban expired should write an apology letter to the people of Sierra Leone openly and publish in the various news-papers, and copy the justice department for its records

It is my hope that the Government of Sierra Leone under the leadership of H.E President Julius Maada Bio would recover all stolen money and property and return to the people of Sierra Leone

And these recommendations would serve as a reminder to all present Government Ministers, Deputy Ministers, Director-General, Permanent Secretary that corruption has no place in Sierra Leone any more and they should work purely for the benefit and interest of the people of Sierra Leone

The most guilty of all indicted was Limkokwing University, which was not in the interest of the people of Sierra Leone. Everything about its formation is corrupt

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Examination of the Assets of Named Persons of Interest

Properties at Femi Turner, Goderich, and at Robureh, Makeni owned by former President Ernest Bai Koroma are to be confiscated as recommended by the Government White Papers on the Commissions of Inquiry. President Bio has instructed the Office of the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to effect the recommendations of the Commissions of Inquiry and confiscate all assets as recommended and recover all monies to be returned to the people of Sierra Leone.

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NBA names Victor Williams CEO of NBA Africa

Official Release

NBA Communications

JOHANNESBURG AND NEW YORK – The National Basketball Association (NBA) today named Victor Williams CEO of NBA Africa, effective Aug. 17, 2020, it was announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver.  Williams, an accomplished investment banking executive with extensive experience growing businesses across the U.S. and Africa, will be based in the league’s Johannesburg office and report to NBA Deputy Commissioner and Chief Operating Officer Mark Tatum.

In this newly-created role, Williams will oversee the league’s basketball and business development initiatives in Africa and will be responsible for continuing to grow the popularity of basketball and the NBA across the continent through grassroots development, media distribution, corporate partnerships, and more.

For the last five years, Williams served as the Executive Head of Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB), Africa Regions for Standard Bank Group, where he oversaw the strategy, execution and financial performance for Standard Bank’s business with corporate, sovereign and institutional investor clients in 19 countries across sub-Saharan Africa.  In this pan-continental role, Williams was responsible for growing a wide range of business lines across Africa, including global markets, investment banking, and transactional products and services, and helped lead Standard Bank’s expansion into Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.

“Adding an executive of Victor’s caliber and experience is an important step in our continued efforts to grow basketball across the continent,” said Silver.  “We look forward to Victor leading NBA Africa’s operations and helping to accelerate the use of sports as an economic engine across Africa.”

“Becoming CEO of NBA Africa is a compelling opportunity to join the NBA – a widely-respected and admired globally-oriented sports enterprise,” said Williams.  “It allows me to blend my professional experience building businesses in Africa with my passion for the sport of basketball.  I look forward to working with our colleagues in Johannesburg and Dakar to help grow basketball’s commercial and social impact in Africa and on the world stage.”

Williams joined Standard Bank in 2011 as Head of Corporate and Investment Banking for East Africa and subsequently led Standard Bank’s Corporate and Investment Banking business in Nigeria.  Previously, he worked at Wells Fargo Securities in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he was a Managing Director focused on mergers and acquisitions.  In this role, he executed more than $5 billion in merger and acquisition transactions and advised senior executives and boards of directors of corporate and private equity firms on mergers, divestitures, acquisitions, joint ventures, recapitalizations, and corporate defense.

Prior to Wells Fargo Securities, Williams was Vice President of Investment Banking at Goldman Sachs in New York City, where he provided strategic guidance to Fortune 500 companies in all aspects of merger and financing analysis and execution.

Williams, a dual citizen of Sierra Leone and the U.S., holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and bachelor’s degrees in applied math and economics from Brown University.  He is a member of Harvard Business School’s Africa Advisory Board and has also served on the boards of publicly-listed companies and non-profit organizations in the U.S., Nigeria, and Kenya.

(Source: NBA Communications | Official Release | August 10, 2020)

Guidelines: Arriving and Departing by Air

Sierra Leone

Post-COVID-19: Travel

Following the declaration made by His Excellency Brig. (Rtd.) Julius Maada Bio on the resumption of commercial flight operations on the 22nd of July 2020.

The Government of Sierra Leone and Ministry of Transport and Aviation, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, Sierra Leone Airports Authority, and the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre (NaCOVERC). Publish the following safety and public health guidelines shall be strictly adhered to by all arriving and departing passengers to /from the Freetown International Airport - Lungi.

Arriving Passengers

1. All passengers shall produce a-negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID-19 test result issued no longer than 72hrs before departure at the point of origin.

2. At the check-in desk at the airport of embarkation, passengers are required to display travelers’ authorization to Sierra Leone, received through the Government of Sierra Leone travel portal (www.travel.gov.sl). The travel authorization consists of:

   • Negative PCR COVID-19 test result issued no longer than 72 hours before departure

   • Pre-departure Public Health Passenger Locator Form

   • Proof of payment for COVID-19 testing on arrival paid through the online platform

3. Health officials will collect temperature, and a Basic health screening data and seat number on arrival.

4. All passengers subject to a mandatory COVID-19 test upon arrival:

   • Passengers will simultaneously have a PCR test swab and an RDT test on arrival

   • If the RDT screening is negative, passengers are allowed to depart from the airport and observe public health protocols mandatory, proper mask-wearing, hand washing, and physical distancing while awaiting their PCR test result

   • If the RDT screening if positive, passengers will be isolated at a hotel in Lungi while awaiting their PCR test result. Note: The cost of the accommodation at the hotel borne by the passenger

   • For all test results, the PCR result supersedes the RDT result

   • PCR results will be disseminated via the local contact number confirmed by the passenger on arrival

5. All children under 2-years shall be exempt from pre-departure and arrival PCR test requirements.

6. Airline crew are exempted from the pre-departure and arrival PCR test requirements and should follow airline policy for testing. The airline crew must adhere to public health protocols.

7. Two temperature screenings conducted by Port Health Services. If the temperature 37.5 degrees Celsius or above, the passenger' will be taken aside for further observation.

8. All passengers shall go through a walk-through disinfectant channel/Infrared temperature scanner at the entrance of the arrival hall.

9. All passengers with machine-readable passports shall go through the Immigration E-gate system. Passengers with Emergency Travel Certificates or non-machine-readable passports shall go through the Immigration booth.

10. At the Baggage Reclaim section, passengers shall maintain social distancing and observe all public health protocols, including proper use of face mask at all times.

11. All passengers will be directed to a Reception Lounge while awaiting their COVID-19 test.

12. Passengers with a negative RDT screening test, are cleared to proceed to their destination while awaiting their PCR result and adhering to public health protocols. PCR test results (available in no more than 48 hours) will be distributed via the contact confirmed on arrival.

13. If a passenger’s PCR test is positive, s/he will be contacted by public health authorities and taken to an appropriate treatment center.

14. Passengers sitting near a positive case on the plane will be considered primary contacts. Self-quarantine and monitoring by public health officials will be required.

15. All passengers strictly advised observing all public health protocols (proper and constant use of face mask, hand washing/sanitizing, social distancing) as directed by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation / NaCOVERC.

16. The same protocols shall apply to all VIP passengers.

Departing Passengers

1. All passengers are subject to a mandatory Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) COVID19 test with a negative result issued no longer than 72hrs before departure at the Freetown International Airport. Cost for the test borne by the passenger.

   • Passengers will use the Government of Sierra Leone Travel Portal to request their pre-departure test, to pay for the test, and to schedule sample collection

   • Passengers with negative PCR results will receive e-confirmation and certificates ahead of travel. Physical copies collected at the airport at a designated desk

   • Passengers with positive PCR results will not be permitted to travel and must follow public health protocols for isolation and contact tracing. They will be re-tested after seven days

   • Passengers who have entered Sierra Leone within five days shall be exempt from the mandatory additional test on departure

   • All children under 2-years shall be exempt from PCR test requirements

2. On arrival at the airport, passengers shall be directed to a reception area to avoid congestion and ensure social distancing during the check-in process.

3. All passengers are encouraged to complete their check-in online before arriving at the airport

4. All departing passengers shall go through the thermal screening/disinfectant channel at the airport’s departure entrance.

5. All departing passengers shall have their passport/traveling document verified before proceeding to the check-in counter.

6. Departing passengers shall proceed to the check-in counter for baggage drop and collection of their boarding pass. While at the check-in counter, they are mandated to produce their COVID-19 PCR negative test certificate or e-certificate issued within the past 72 hours.

7. Departing passengers shall proceed to the immigration services for onward travel authorization via the e-gate or immigration booth.

8. All departing passengers shall go through security screening before proceeding to the departure hall.

9. All departing passengers shall proceed to the waiting lounge where social distancing, proper use of face mask, and other health protocols shall be strictly observed.

10. All passengers shall proceed to the final screening and verification point prior to boarding the aircraft.

11. Boarding procedures shall be in accordance with the approved SOPs of the respective airlines.

12. All passengers are strictly advised to observe all public health protocols (proper use of face mask, hand washing/sanitizing, observe social distancing) as directed by the Ministry of Health and Sanitation / NaCOVERC.

13. The same protocols shall apply to all VIP passengers.

The Government of Sierra Leone and Ministry of Transport and Aviation, the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority, Sierra Leone Airports Authority, and the National COVID-19 Emergency Response Centre (NaCOVERC). Publish the following safety and public health guidelines shall be strictly adhered to by all arriving and departing passengers to /from the Freetown International Airport - Lungi.

RELATED

African Development Bank COVID-19 Response

Moving from a commitment to action

By Benson Afful

The African Development Bank has responded swiftly to the needs of its member countries during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The Bank’s operations have continued to run smoothly since the first cases appeared in early March, despite the widening range of lockdowns and measures imposed by governments to flatten the curve.

The COVID-19 pandemic is forecast to cause Africa’s GDP to drop by between $22.1 billion and $88.3 billion. African country's experience of having fought off Ebola is working to adapt this new threat and looking to the Bank for an effective multilateral response to the crisis.

As of June 12, the Bank’s COVID-19 emergency packages have reached the continent’s five geographic regions.

West Africa

Before the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, West Africa was home to at least four of the continent’s fastest-growing economies, and it has felt the impact of the disease hard, as borders remain closed and economic and social distress deepens.

Gambia, Mali, and Niger will benefit from an ECOWAS support package to bolster national health systems in response to the pandemic. Much of the funds to this region will seek to address shortages in personal protective equipment (PPE), ventilators, and other emergency equipment. The support will also enable governments to provide shortfall cash to the millions of people who have been affected by mass layoffs or are unable to work because of lockdowns.

• Nigeria – 288.5 million euros

• Senegal – 88 million euros

• Côte d’Ivoire – 75 million euros

• Cabo Verde – 30 million euros

• ECOWAS – $22 million

North Africa

The North African region is the worst hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, with over 60,000 cases as of 12 June. The disease has already triggered a sharp drop in household incomes in North Africa, as export and tourism earnings suffer. The region will be assisted with a series of emergency operations to boost containment measures and help to ensure the supply and distribution of laboratory tests and reagents. The package will also support national and regional coordination mechanisms.

• Morocco – 264 million euros

• Tunisia – 180 million euros

• Egypt – $500,000

East Africa

East Africa, the continent’s fastest-growing region economically, has been simultaneously struck by the coronavirus outbreak and an infestation of desert locusts, a double whammy for the region’s farmers and economies.

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In a region of climate change and water scarcity, post-harvest losses and poorly developed agricultural markets could threaten the promise of economic reforms and investment.

Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda are the top-performing countries, which have all seen a sharp fall in tourism revenue.

• Kenya – 188 million euros

Southern Africa

A decisive lockdown has been effective in stemming the spread of COVID-19 in the region’s economic powerhouse, South Africa. The spreading of the virus is by no means curtailed. Measures taken across the region to contain the pandemic have affected millions of people, many of whom work in the informal economy.

Assistance in this region comes in the form of preventive and protective measures.

• Mauritius – 188 million euros

• Zimbabwe – $13.7 million

Central Africa

In Central Africa, Cameroon has reported over 8,000 cases as of 12 June and significant community transmission. 

The package approved for this region, $13.5 million, will target the provision of PPEs, testing kits, and healthcare and laboratory facilities, for Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic, which is among the countries with the least number of ventilators on the continent. 

• CEMAC/RDC – $13.5 million

 Timeline of COVID-19 support:

The Bank’s rollout of emergency response support to assist African countries began in March and has provided a package of financial relief and preparedness and response assistance.

March 27: The Bank raised $3 billion from the Fight COVID-19 Social Bond, the Largest dollar-denominated social bond ever launched in international capital markets. Proceeds from the Bond, with a three-year maturity, will help alleviate the impact of the pandemic on livelihoods and Africa’s economies.

April 2: The Bank provided $2 million in emergency assistance to the World Health Organization (WHO) to bolster the capacity of member countries on infection prevention, testing, and case management. WHO Africa will also boost surveillance systems, procure and distribute laboratory test kits, and support coordination at national and regional levels.

April 8: The Bank announced a COVID-19 Response Facility that will provide up to $10 billion to African governments and the private sector to tackle the disease and mitigate the suffering that results from the economic downturn and job losses.

Lower Oil Prices

Will curtail industry investment — Moody’s

By Benson Afful

Moody’s rating agency, has said, the coronavirus pandemic accelerates structural change in a collective demand for oil. Reducing the industry’s need to develop higher-cost reserves for reinvestment, and, support production levels and growth the next three to five years.

Moody’s has reduced its medium-term oil price assumptions US$45-$65/barrel (bbl), down from US$50-$70/ bbl.

The price range reflects the view that oil prices will remain highly volatile, with periods outside the top or bottom ends of the range. Geopolitical issues or attempts to manage supply by the OPEC-plus group of oil-producing nations will also lead to price fluctuations from time to time, it said.

According to Moody’s, government measures to reduce the spread of the coronavirus have restricted oil-intensive activities such as domestic and international air travel, which will recover more slowly than overall GDP.

High inventories of both oil and fuels globally will further slow the pace of recovery in oil demand and prices.

In Ghana, the government has predicted significant oil revenue losses due to the oil price collapse. Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta told Parliament in March that at an average crude oil price of US$30 per barrel this year, the government will register a shortfall in oil receipts amounting to GH?5.7bn.

The shortfall will lead to a reduction in the annual budget funding amount from petroleum revenues. It will also trigger a fall in transfers to the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) by GH?642m, according to finance ministry estimates, which is nearly 40 percent of the national oil company’s original budgetary allocation of GH?1.7bn.

Experts predicted oil companies might be compelled to seek external funds to help finance key investments. International oil companies in Ghana, such as Irish major Tullow Oil, have announced cuts to capital expenditure for 2020 in the wake of the oil price decline.

In response to the exceptional decline in demand, Moody’s said the global oil industry has mobilized to implement significant production cuts—about 10 percent from December 2019 levels.

The OPEC-plus group of oil-producing nations has agreed to cut oil production for two years by about 7m barrels per day (bbl/day) from February 2020 levels, starting in May 2020.

The International Energy Association (IEA) estimates that by late 2020, world oil demand will return to levels some 6.5m bbl/day, or 6 percent, below pre-crisis levels.

Watchdog Says Ghana’s Fisheries On Brink Of Collapse

As Chinese trawlers arrive

By Benson Afful

Although a moratorium on new fishing vessels by the Fisheries Commission, three new trawlers have arrived in Ghana from China and have been registered to the Ghanaian flag, the Environmental Justice Foundation, said.

The new vessels Yu Feng 1, 3, and 4, according to the Environmental Justice Foundation­ were built in China in 2016 and flying the Chinese flag before arriving in Ghana. They are now docked at Tema, registered under the Ghanaian flag, and awaiting licensing by the Fisheries Commission.

Per the government’s Fisheries Management Plan, the country’s fishery can sustain 48 trawlers, yet, 76 trawlers licensed at the end of 2019.

To protect Ghana’s food security and local livelihoods, especially in these worrying times of COVID-19, the government must ensure that the industrial fleet is a sustainable size. Ghana’s National Canoe Fishermen Council (GNCFC) has since written to the Fisheries Commission opposing any decision to grant the vessel licenses to fish in Ghana’s waters.

The country is already confronting major challenges controlling vessels with existing licenses in Ghana.

Ghana continues to see large quantities of fish landed by Saiko canoes at Elmina Fishing Harbor, even after the government and the fishing industry committed to ending the practice last November, the GNCFC said.

The Saiko trade – where trawlers illegally target the main catch of canoe fishers, transfer it at sea to specially adapted boats, and sell the stolen fish back to local communities ­– took an estimated 100,000 tons of fish in 2017.

Meaning only 40 percent of catches were caught legally and reported to the government that year. An issue requires urgent scientific re-assessment! Ghana’s fish populations are already in dire straits. Landings of ‘Sardinella have crashed by around 80% over the past twenty years.

As well as targeting the staple catch of the canoe fishers, small pelagic fish that include Sardinella, EJF revealed that the vast majority of fish traded through Saiko are juveniles. The watchdog said, this extremely worrying. The young fish are crucial to population recovery.

In Ghana, over 90 percent of industrial trawl vessels are linked to Chinese ownership, despite a prohibition on foreign ownership in Ghana’s industrial trawl sector, set out in Section 47 of the 2002 Fisheries Act, Act 625.

According to EJF’s Executive Director Steve Trent, over-capacity in the fishing fleet in Ghana is driving a crisis that will decimate livelihoods and food security in coastal communities. Ensuring all fishing is legal, ethical, and sustainable is more important as the world reels from the impact of COVID-19. Communities will need these resources more than ever. “The Fisheries Commission has the chance to do the right thing: heed scientific advice, refuse these trawlers a license and protect Ghana’s fisheries and its people,” he added.