Kabbah’s name causes uproar at SLPP meeting
The name of former leader and two times successful presidential candidate for the Sierra Leone Peoples Party, Ahmad Tejan Kabbah became taboo during the party’s National Executive Meeting in the southern city of Bo over the weekend report Awoko and The Exclusive.
The SLPP members reportedly became furious when the party chair, Alhaji Unisa N.S. Jah, was about to deliver a message of solidarity from the ex-leader and president, who could not make it to Bo. The meeting abruptly came to a halt with series of cursing and foul mouthed language being heaped on the former president.
“Kabbah is a betrayer, don’t mention him here” the paper quotes the angry members as saying, and threatened to boycott the meeting if Kabbah’s name was mentioned a second time.
SLPP calls for the dissolution of NEC
The opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), still bitter about the outcome of the last year’s polls, has called for the dissolution of the National Electoral commission (NEC) or they will boycott the coming local council elections.
During their two day consultative meeting in Bo, the party adopted a ten point resolution, among which was the amendment of the party constitution, noting that the appointment of the deputy leader should no longer be the responsibility of the party leader, but the National Executive Council, citing the appointment of the former running mate, Momodu Koroma by ex-President Kabbah, who they said was very unpopular and cost them the elections.
They also resolved that ECOWAS should play a leading role in future elections in the country, while the United Nations should play a secondary role. The party also called for an investigation into the conduct of the past elections by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The party suggested that appointment of senior officials of NEC should be done in a transparent and competitive manner and must involve all registered political parties in the country. The consultative meeting also condemned the harassment and intimidation of their members and called on the government to respect the rule of law, human rights and fair and equal opportunities for every Sierra Leonean especially with respect to securing jobs.
They agreed that the next SLPP convention should be held in Kenema in November 2008 wherein a new leader and his deputy would be elected. Concord Times, Awoko and Awareness Times report.
APC’s Advisory Council displeased with President Koroma
Standard Times, reports that developments within the ruling All Peoples Congress party indicate a growing sense of dismay. In particular, the report mentions hiccups between the National Advisory Council and President Ernest Bai Koroma in relation to the allocation of jobs and appointments.
The Council complains that it was not consulted when appointments were being made. The story adds that while emotions had earlier been suppressed over the appointments saga, the latest brouhaha surrounds the appointment of the Chief Executive Officer of the Union Trust Bank, James Sanpha Koroma, as Secretary and Principal Adviser to the President, leading to the summoning of a meeting of council members at the party’s headquarters last Tuesday.
The President allegedly boycotted that meeting. Sourcing a senior member of the party, the paper goes on to claim that President Koroma used the death of a founding member of the party, S.A.T. Koroma, to distance himself from the said meeting.
Women’s Coalition damns reviewed constitution
For di People alleges that the Coalition of Women Organizations (CWO) had expressed dissatisfaction over the report of the Constitutional Review Commission (CRC) 2007, in relation to women’s demand of 30% representation in Parliament.
Sourcing Dr. Nana Pratt, a CWO executive member, women were disappointed over the decision of the reviewed constitution not to grant their demand and highlighted certain African countries such as Uganda, Liberia and Rwanda that had successfully stipulated the 30% women representation.
She further reportedly called on the authorities concerned to take affirmative action in order to close the gap between men and women, citing the Beijing Declaration that made provision for countries to give 30% representation to women in Parliament.
Sierra Leone is a signatory to that treaty. Dr. Pratt also damned the complete dominance of men in the CRC with only five women out of twenty-five members. The Commission argued that it was not mandatory for 30% women representation in the countries mentioned as examples, but rather an encouragement and that such a clause was not stipulated in Sierra Leone’s constitution.
Charles Margai begs for mercy
The much talked about internal row rocking the Peoples Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) is seemingly over as their leader, Charles Margai, reportedly pleaded with members of his party to forgive him for any mistake he might have done, saying he was a human being and liable to mistake, Concord Times reports. In a rather reconciliatory meeting at their party headquarters in Freetown, Mr. Margai told the aggrieved members that their grievances and concerns were genuine and urged them to put the past behind them and move the party forward.
“Your concerns are genuine; I am a human being liable to mistakes. Whatever has happened, let byegones be byegones,” he is quoted as saying. Mr. Margai called on members to prepare for what he called an encounter in 2012. Members embraced, hugged and kissed one another as a sign of reconciliation.
Councilors want Mayor out
The News and the New Citizen reveal that twenty-five out of twenty-eight Councillors of the Freetown City Council had signed and presented a protest letter to Vice President Sam Sumana, demanding among other things, the removal of Mayor Winstanley Johnson; and that he was barricaded from entering his office.
The letter also highlighted the lapses of the Mayor, including the use of huge amounts of money without prior reference to the general body of the Council in disregard of laid down rules and procedures of the Council; and the award of contracts involving millions of Leones behind close doors. The story further claims that Vice President Sam Sumana summoned a meeting where he reportedly prevailed on the aggrieved Councillors to exercise patience until his return from an official assignment in the northern region.
Court workers may down tools
Distressed workers of the Sierra Leone Judiciary were considering a strike action due to the delay in paying their two months backlog salary as guaranteed by Chief Justice Ade Renner-Thomas during the Christmas period, The African Champion reveals. The story adds that the Master and Registrar reportedly informed the aggrieved workers to be patient as they would soon be paid. Instead the money now available is for the payment of judges, magistrates and other senior staff.
For non-payment of salaries Director to be dragged to court
Director of Prisons, Francis S. Conteh may be dragged to court if he fails to order the payment of unpaid salaries owed to a Third Class prison officer for several years, We Yone discloses sourcing a local human rights organization.
The victim in question claimed that he did not receive his salary between 2002 and 2007 in spite of the fact that he diligently performed his duties while attached to the Magburaka Prisons, in the North of the country. The story further reveals that while undergoing medical treatment in November 2004, the affected officer received a memo from the Director terminating his services for a long period of absence, which the human rights organization described as dehumanizing and that he should be paid all outstanding salaries owed him.
New NRA boss named
The race for a lucrative job in Sierra Leone, the head of the National Revenue Authority (NRA), has finally come to an end as President Ernest Koroma last Friday appointed Allieu Sesay as the new Commissioner General. NRA is the engine that is expected to propel economic growth in the country and President Koroma made it his responsibility to appoint an unblemished, young and dynamic Sierra Leonean for this coveted job.
Mr. Allieu Sesay, holder of three Masters degrees in economics and taxation, emerged as the lucky candidate during the hotly contested interview. He worked at the Ministry of Finance as Economist and Director of the Revenue and Tax Policy Unit. Before his appointment, he was working with the West African Monetary Institute (WAMI) in Accra, Ghana, Independent Observer and The Spectator report.
Compiled by UNIOSIL, Public Information Office, Freetown.
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