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Sierra Leone ALERT: Newspaper editor physically assaulted

David Jabati, editor of  the Exclusive, a Freetown-based independent newspaper was on March 13, 2008 violently assaulted by angry supporters of the  ruling All People’s Congress Party (APC) at the Headquarters of the opposition Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s correspondent reported that Jabtai, who had gone to the party’s headquarters to cover a clash between the two main political parties in the country, was accused by the APC youth of being a...

SIERRA LEONE: “Forced marriage” conviction a first

The Special Court for Sierra Leone on 25 February convicted three former leaders of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), marking the first time a court has convicted on the charge of “forced marriage”. After a four-year trial, the tribunal found former RUF interim leader Issa Hassan Sesay and RUF commander Morris Kallon guilty on 16 of 18 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and former RUF chief of security Augustine Gbao on 14 counts. All three men were convicted of forcing...

Japan provides US$2.9 million in Sierra Leone

Targeting under-fives, pregnant women and young mothers nationwide The Government of Japan provided US$ 2.9 million for “the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases” in support of effective strategies to reduce child and maternal mortality in Sierra Leone. The project is directed towards children under the age of five years, pregnant women and young mothers in all the thirteen districts in Sierra Leone. The objective of this funding is to contribute to the Government’s effort to improve...

Sierra ALERT: Media rights advocate receives another death threat

Emmanuel Saffa Abdulai, Executive Director of Society for Democratic Initiatives (SDI), a Sierra Leone media advocacy organisation, received death threats on February 6, 2009 for allegedly criticising the ruling All People’s Congress (APC) government. According to a Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s source, the anonymous person accused Abdulai of giving opponents of the government the platform to “preach hate politics” on his online Freedom of Information Forum. In an email...

SIERRA LEONE: Government weighs “hybrid” health care plan

The Sierra Leone government is considering a health care plan that would combine a national insurance scheme with totally free care for the neediest groups, including children and pregnant/lactating women. “We will probably have a hybrid of both,” Health Minister Soccoh Kabia told IRIN. Sierra Leone has some of the highest infant, child and maternal mortality rates in the world. But Kabia said the most recent demographic survey shows progress on these fronts. “We have a ways to go but we are...

Small Man Big Ideas

Mr. Mohmaed Fornah, principal of IPAM on Kombo Sillah High Way looks into the future of the institute with passion and hopes of an excellent...

AMINA KAMARA (Sierra Leone) MISS WEST AFRICA 2008

In the midst of hope and excitement, the stunning Amina Kamara was crowned the first ever Miss West Africa on the Saturday 8th of November 2008 at the prestigious Conway Hall in London. The beautiful Sierra Leone pageant stole the show in a beautiful green dress by Keni Magma amongst 11 other great pageants from various countries. Amina Kamara, amongst others, who had worked extremely hard for the title as the 1st ever Miss West Africa shed tears as her mother run up to hug her in her victory...

Sierra Leone navy battles pirates

Four men have been killed after Sierra Leone's navy acted against a pirate attack, police say. A group of pirates from neighbouring Guinea opened fire on a Chinese fishing vessel, two pirates were shot dead and two men believed to be Guinean soldiers drowned.

Sierra Leone ALERT: Newspaper fined

Awareness Times, a Freetown based newspaper, was on Thursday November 6, 2008 fined 5 million Leones, approximately ($1,700) by the Independent Media Commission (IMC) for failing to publish the imprint of the paper. According to Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA)’s correspondent, a release circulated by the IMC on Friday November 7, 2008 stated that the Commission found that the October 29, 2008, November 2, 3 and 5, 2008 editions contravened provisions of sections 32 (1) and (2) of the...

WEST AFRICA: Weighing free health care for all

West African governments considering lifting health care fees for all will soon have a guide to manage the financial impact of the move. The guide, which the NGO Save the Children expects to launch in November, will show policymakers in developing countries how to estimate resource needs that may arise from abolishing fees. Groups campaigning for free care for all say even minimal fees can be deadly when they cut off millions of the world’s poorest from lifesaving basic care, while...