(An update of significant events this week)
Sylvia Blyden asks AG to rein in the Police I.G.
A popular but very ordinary citizen and socio-political commentator, Dr. Sylvia Blyden, who is noted for writing on legal issues, has called on the Attorney-General to “educate and rein in Inspector General of Police” as she said “AIG is treading on a path that is bizarre and dangerous for a peaceful Sierra Leone.”
She was writing last night of February 27th 2018 on social media in reaction to the latest release signed by Moigbe and in which, Blyden insists “Moigbe is busy quoting a law which just does not exist.”
Blyden has long been insisting Police have no legal authority to order restrictions on vehicle movements on Election Day except if the President does so and even then only under a State of Emergency.
In response Moigbe has threatened to arrest and jail Dr. Blyden for her words. Blyden says she is not afraid of a bully Police IG, nor of any other Authority trying to intimidate citizens of their democratic nights. She said it is so shameful for a Police IG, especially one who is a PhD holder, to fake citizens about a law which is just not there.
Awareness Times 28th February 2018
U.B.A. Bank Commission
New Branch
The United Bank of Africa (NBA) on Wednesday the 21st February 2018 officially opened their new branch at Lumley in Freetown. In his statement, the High Commissioner of Nigeria to Sierra Leone, H.E. Amb. Dr. Habiss Ibrahim Ugbada, commended UBA for their tireless efforts of providing Sierra Leoneans a bank that will save their monies. “UBA, as banking institution in Sierra Leone, has been doing well and because of their hard work we are opening another branch in Lumley in order to satisfy its customers and to also have new customers in that part of the city” he maintained.
He said the eight branches of UBA Bank are not enough compared to the population in the country. He said Sierra Leone has numerous districts so he called on the UBA Bank to ensure that they extend their services to the regions in order to create a better financial awareness to the people of Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone Daily Mail – February 26, 2018
A Disaster Waiting to Happen?
In many parts of Spain, Scandinavia and the Americas, houses are built on hills and mountains. These buildings are picturesque and beautiful. Sierra Leone can also boast of equal if not better scenic views and lovely hilltop buildings. Unfortunately, this is where the similarity ends.
Sierra Leone is endowed with an extensive range of beautiful hills and mountains. You can see Sierra Leone (The Lion Mountains) from many miles out at sea. Houses have progressively dotted the landscape over the last 50 years.
What happens when these developments are not regulated? Environmental disasters.
Awoko February 26, 2018
Shandong Steel Pays Surface Rents
Shandong Steel on 22nd and 23rd February paid surface rents totaling Le945, 350,800 to all its primary host and project affected communities in four districts. The payment made was for April 2017 to March 2018.
In Magburaka, on the 22nd February 2018, Le567,179,026 was paid out to Diang Dansogoia Bendugu and Simira Chiefdoms for Tonkolili and Koinadugu Districts. The Paramount Chiefs received the remittances and notifications for their respective chiefdoms.
Concord Times – 26th February 2018
Is the IMC a Political Outfit?
Independent Media Commission is threatening punishment for journalists who might tend to behave unprofessionally during this election period, but is yet to disassociate itself from being political as one of the Commissioners, Dauda Musa Bangura, is seen all over campaigning publicly for the APC, giving the impression that the IMC, by extension, is a political outfit.
There have been calls within the journalism fraternity for him to resign from the Commission and save it from embarrassment. The IMC needs to come out clean with a statement sooner rather than later.
Independent Observer – 28th February, 2018
Cliques Commit to Peaceful Elections
More than 150 members of various clique groups, in the Western Area, have vowed to eschew violence before, during and after the March 2018 elections.
The commitment was made at a meeting with the Legal Aid Board in the Solidarity Hall of the Sierra Leone Labour Congress on Friday February 23. The meeting was part of a campaign geared towards ensuring free, fair and peaceful elections.
Premier News – February 26, 2018
The Muslim APC Vice Presidential Candidate Worships in Church
The decision of the APC Vice Presidential candidate, Hon. Chernor Bah, to last Sunday fellowship with Christians at the Limba Pentecostal Church and to kneel before the man of God for divine prayers, generated lots of stupid arguments on social media.
The crux of the argument of critics was that as a Muslim and more specifically as a Fula, he should not have done what he did.
CLUELESS! These critics must know that Hon. Chernoh is now a national leader by virtue of the status he enjoys and no one ethnic group can have a stranglehold over what he does even when he is an ardent and proud member of that group.
African Young Voices – February 26, 2018
Editor’s Note (1) VP Victor Foh a Christian and other Christians have been attending Muslim prayers. So what?
(2) Get your Friday copy of the Nightwatch and you need not read any of the rest for all the information that counts.
Catch up with you next Friday!