PRESIDENT KOROMA RELIVED MINISTER DR SYLVIA OLAYINKA BLYDEN AND DEPUTY MINISTER NENEH TURAY FROM THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL MSWGCA NEW MINISTER IS ISATA KABIA

SYLVIA BLYDEN SAKED - 23/11/17

https://www.facebook.com/pay.wahun/videos/1892782167418329/

I've been relieved of my duties. I Congratulate Ms. Isata Kabia, new Minister of Social Welfare, Gender & Children's Affairs

https://www.facebook.com/groups/sl.issues/permalink/1482094875159629/

‼‼ *SYLVIA BLYDEN CAUTIONS APC, ERNEST KOROMA*

The sacked Minister of Government Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has cautioned her former boss, His Excellency the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, to tred cautiously in the weeks and months ahead. According to her, she is not concerned over being relieved of her duties as Minister as she knows none of what has been thrown at her, can ever stick. She however cautioned that the fact that His Excellency the President could openly side with corrupt persons against her own steadfastness in curbing corruption, should be a cause for concern to all who campaigned and voted for the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) exactly five years ago in 2012.

It is a fact that Minister Blyden has stood very firm to protect Government funds and has turned to the Anti Corruption Commission with cogent facts several times now. Those complaints, some of which like the AFCOM Case, have spanned over 15 months being investigated, all had documented evidence submitted. This also included the recent Hajj corruption in which $314,000 was stolen from the Ministry. That one is also under investigation. So many other cases with evidence, some of which were never even publicised, have made many advisers of the President to be jittery.

They advised that Blyden should be removed from office. But how does one remove a popular Minister? That is always a dilemma.

According to widespread belief that is buttressed by documents which this press has seen, the chance came up when the Minister recently defied directives of her boss. The President had asked his now-sacked minister, Dr. Blyden, through the Secretary to President, to turn a blind eye and sign the PETS FORMS to endorse release of money for the Disability Commission to access funds despite glaring evidence of corrupt heartlessness towards vulnerable Disables in proposed use of the funds. Despite documentary evidence such as 200 million leones was planned to be used to pay as rent for a run-down bungalow which was not worth that amount.

In response, the sacked Minister stated in a letter she wrote to President Koroma dated *November 2nd 2017*, that she instead prefers to be sacked by him than betray her conscience and the Oath she took.

President Koroma however realised that the female Cabinet Minister was so popular that if he sacked her over her stance, it may be difficult to defend the sack.

The matter was then cleverly transferred from State House to Parliament with the MPs given the impression that Dr. Blyden was being unreasonable in her refusals to sign. Indeed, on the day she first appeared in Parliament, she initially met a very hostile environment with many of the MPs prepared to guillotine her but with calm eloquence, the Minister was able to make her case so well that even the most hard-hearted person in that Parliament was left with no option but to be convinced that her decision was correct and in the interest of vulnerable Disable citizens.

The next move to embarrass her and create a platform to sack her, was at the Budget hearing for her ministry. Persons unknown had told the staff to submit a mumbo jumbo document to MPs that would naturally get the MPs asking embarrassing questions. Once again, divine intervention stepped in and those who went to embarrass the Minister got thrown out by MPs who knew the diligence of the Minister.

When they appeared again, this time persons unknown got the Accountant who also tried to embarrass the Minister but again, the Almighty stepped in and guided the Minister to speedily swear an affidavit under Oath with the facts of why she had insisted on the Truth to be reported to Parliament. *The elected MPs speedily approved the budget.* 😃

It was now a time of desperation for her detractors. Dr. Blyden needed to be sacked as she was a stumbling block but an excuse was needed. So, heads came together to help the Head of State pull all possible stops to remove the popular Minister. 

So it was that the deputy minister suddenly starts to threaten she has evidence of "Corruption" and she goes on radio. Nothing she could say on that radio yesterday morning of November 23rd 2017, made much sense. The deputy minister was just screaming like a banshee. It took eloquence of the Minister to save the day when the radio called her for her own side. Clearly, the stage managed radio programme was done to incite the Minister to serious anger. The Minister once again exhibited calmness and maturity that won her so many more admirers yesterday. 

The President however now believed he could relieve the Minister safely and his media team seems to have assured him that they will spend enough money and time to effectively demonize the Minister as being sacked because she went over the radio to defend herself and the government of stupid allegations. Indeed, all over social media last night, ruling APC party operatives and State House staff were busy posting scathing pieces to attack the sacked Minister that she was sacked because when she was called by the radio on the nonsensical allegations, she defended herself.

‼ *But Dr. Blyden is having none of that.*

"Nobody who listened to that radio programme can fault my response when I was called to defend whether 6 billion leones was indeed missing at the Ministry" Blyden explained. 

"Sending Neneh to make those outlandish claims and then relieving me of my duties is a game plan but I am assuring them again that I am a Teflon Politician who will surprise my detractors" she boasted, adding "the plans to rub dirt on me did not work and will never work but I want to caution His Excellency President Ernest Bai Koroma and my beloved APC party to be very cautious in how they condone corruption whilst our vulnerable people suffer so much. It is unfair. Let us not take Sierra Leoneans for granted."

© Awareness Times Newspaper

PRESS RELEASE FROM STATE HOUSE 

 

 

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORMED THAT HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT DR. ERNEST BAI KOROMA HAS DECIDED TO RELIEVE DR. SYLVIA OLAYINKA BLYDEN  AND MRS. RUGIATU NENEH KOROMA OF THEIR DUTIES AS MINISTER AND DEPUTY MINISTER RESPECTIVELY IN THE MINISTRY OF SOCIAL WELFARE, GENDER AND CHILDREN’S AFFAIRS.

 

IN CONSEQUENCE THEREOF, IT HAS PLEASED HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT TO ASSIGN MS. ISATA KABIA AS MINISTER OF SOCIAL WELFARE, GENDER AND CHILDREN’S AFFAIRS WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT.

END            

 

STATE HOUSE

FREETOWN                                                                 23RD NOVEMBER, 2017

1. 
   

*Radio 98.1 and their headline of SIX BILLION "MISSING" AT SOCIAL WELFARE MINISTRY - Thank God for Sylvia Olayinka Blyden.*

👸🏽

Had it not been for the astute and proactive nature of the Honourable Minister of Social Welfare, Gender and Children's Affairs Dr. Sylvia Blyden, the 98.1 Radio Station would have gotten away this morning of Thursday November 23rd 2017, with a terrible act of unprofessionalism. It had been arranged by the radio to get Neneh Turay, the misguided Deputy Minister of that ministry to go live on air alongside the SLPP Leader and Chairman Prince Harding to state that SIX BILLION LEONES got missing during last year 2016 at Social Welfare Ministry. 

It would have been a sensational material for the SLPP's Dr. Prince Harding had it not been for the speedy and very admirable intervention of Hon. Sylvia Blyden who maturely debunked the radio's alarmist lead headline of *SIX BILLION LEONES MISSING!* 

Hon. Blyden skillfully via a matured and euphemistic exposure of the educational inadequacies of her assigned Deputy Minister seated inside 98.1 Radio Station, ensured that the only thing the SLPP's Prince Harding could end up using against the APC was not evidence of Ministerial CORRUPTION but only to say that President Koroma is unable to run a disciplined government so Deputy Ministers go live on radio to attack the Government Minister. 

*This criticism of President Koroma is quite true though.* How can your Deputy Minister get up and just go live on air making such unproven allegations? 

Worse of all, it appears to be a totally unprovoked tirade as nothing the Deputy Minister said could explain why she went to attack her boss so viciously. So something fishy smells here. We repeat that something smells very fishy. Who wants to remove the Minister from that seat? Who? Who? Who? 

Who stage-managed this morning's show? Who? Who? Who?

The coincidence of producer Asma James disappearing this morning and leaving unprofessional younger folks to handle that kind of SIX BILLION MISSING headline with SLPP Prince Harding seated right there, is interesting. Pray God for long life so you can see the wickedness of politics. We will live to see more!

It is not the first time that same deputy minister Neneh Turay is doing so. Using the same 98.1 Radio Station in January this year, she attacked Abu Daramy of the Office of the Government Spokesman as a liar because he was defending Government over the sacrificial meat issue. Again it was the same Minister, Honourable Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden who saved the day when she called into the 98.1 radio station and maturely put the records straight on the sacrificial meat issue. Immediately the mischief of Neneh Turay that time in January, was also killed by proactive Minister Blyden.

How long will President Koroma allow this kind of GROSS INDISCIPLINE from Deputy Minister Neneh Turay? Will Dr. Sylvia Blyden always be around to call in and save the day for this government?

Today, SLPP could not use the FM98.1 Radio headlined nonsense of *SIX BILLION LEONES MISSING* because of the proactive skills of Hon. Minister Blyden, a dynamic pride of Mama Salone. Blyden has saved the day today - but what about tomorrow?

Something to think about. 

As you ponder your thoughts deeply, please listen to the 10 minutes audio accompanying this update. It is of the same Deputy Minister abruptly calling into that same 98.1 radio station to viciously attack the Abu Daramy of the Office of Government Spokesman as a liar. Continue to listen throughout that audio and see how Hon. Minister Blyden saved the day with maturity - *in the same way she did it this morning* as she did back in January this year.

Will Minister Blyden always be around to save the day? Food for thought.  

*SEA MEDIA PROMOTIONS*

23rd November 2017.

- please reshare this piece

https://www.facebook.com/radiodemocracysl/videos/1474606945926427/

‼️‼️ SYLVIA BLYDEN CAUTIONS APC, ERNEST KOROMA.

The sacked Minister of Government Dr. Sylvia Olayinka Blyden has cautioned her former boss, His Excellency the President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, to tred cautiously in the weeks and months ahead. According to her, she is not concerned over being relieved of her duties as Minister as she knows none of what has been thrown at her, can ever stick. She however cautioned that the fact that His Excellency the President could openly side with corrupt persons against her own steadfastness in curbing corruption, should be a cause for concern to all who campaigned and voted for the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) exactly five years ago in 2012.

It is a fact that Minister Blyden has stood very firm to protect Government funds and has turned to the Anti Corruption Commission with cogent facts several times now. Those complaints, some of which like the AFCOM Case, have spanned over 15 months being investigated, all had documented evidence submitted. This also included the recent Hajj corruption in which $314,000 was stolen from the Ministry. That one is also under investigation. So many other cases with evidence, some of which were never even publicised, have made many advisers of the President to be jittery.

They advised that Blyden should be removed from office. But how does one remove a popular Minister? That is always a dilemma.

According to widespread belief that is buttressed by documents which this press has seen, the chance came up when the Minister recently defied directives of her boss. The President had asked his now-sacked minister, Dr. Blyden, through the Secretary to President, to turn a blind eye and sign the PETS FORMS to endorse release of money for the Disability Commission to access funds despite glaring evidence of corrupt heartlessness towards vulnerable Disables in proposed use of the funds. Despite documentary evidence such as 200 million leones was planned to be used to pay as rent for a run-down bungalow which was not worth that amount.

In response, the sacked Minister stated in a letter she wrote to President Koroma dated *November 2nd 2017*, that she instead prefers to be sacked by him than betray her conscience and the Oath she took.

President Koroma however realised that the female Cabinet Minister was so popular that if he sacked her over her stance, it may be difficult to defend the sack.

The matter was then cleverly transferred from State House to Parliament with the MPs given the impression that Dr. Blyden was being unreasonable in her refusals to sign. Indeed, on the day she first appeared in Parliament, she initially met a very hostile environment with many of the MPs prepared to guillotine her but with calm eloquence, the Minister was able to make her case so well that even the most hard-hearted person in that Parliament was left with no option but to be convinced that her decision was correct and in the interest of vulnerable Disable citizens.

The next move to embarrass her and create a platform to sack her, was at the Budget hearing for her ministry. Persons unknown had told the staff to submit a mumbo jumbo document to MPs that would naturally get the MPs asking embarrassing questions. Once again, divine intervention stepped in and those who went to embarrass the Minister got thrown out by MPs who knew the diligence of the Minister.

When they appeared again, this time persons unknown got the Accountant who also tried to embarrass the Minister but again, the Almighty stepped in and guided the Minister to speedily swear an affidavit under Oath with the facts of why she had insisted on the Truth to be reported to Parliament. The elected MPs speedily approved the budget.

It was now a time of desperation for her detractors. Dr. Blyden needed to be sacked as she was a stumbling block but an excuse was needed. So, heads came together to help the Head of State pull all possible stops to remove the popular Minister. 

So it was that the deputy minister suddenly starts to threaten she has evidence of "Corruption" and she goes on radio. Nothing she could say on that radio yesterday morning of November 23rd 2017, made much sense. The deputy minister was just screaming like a banshee. It took eloquence of the Minister to save the day when the radio called her for her own side. Clearly, the stage managed radio programme was done to incite the Minister to serious anger. The Minister once again exhibited calmness and maturity that won her so many more admirers yesterday. 

The President however now believed he could relieve the Minister safely and his media team seems to have assured him that they will spend enough money and time to effectively demonize the Minister as being sacked because she went over the radio to defend herself and the government of stupid allegations. Indeed, all over social media last night, ruling APC party operatives and State House staff were busy posting scathing pieces to attack the sacked Minister that she was sacked because when she was called by the radio on the nonsensical allegations, she defended herself.

But Dr. Blyden is having none of that.

"Nobody who listened to that radio programme can fault my response when I was called to defend whether 6 billion leones was indeed missing at the Ministry" Blyden explained. 

"Sending Neneh to make those outlandish claims and then relieving me of my duties is a game plan but I am assuring them again that I am a Teflon Politician who will surprise my detractors" she boasted, adding "the plans to rub dirt on me did not work and will never work but I want to caution His Excellency President Ernest Bai Koroma and my beloved APC party to be very 

cautious in how they condone corruption whilst our vulnerable people suffer so much. It is unfair. Let us not take Sierra Leoneans for granted."

©️ Awareness Times Newspaper

https://www.facebook.com/radiodemocracysl/videos/1474606945926427/

I will not betray my conscience (Blyden)or the Oath I took!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/SIERRALEONENATIONALISTS/permalink/1500714666672620/

Sir Albert Margai and the West 1967 Elections

Did Westerners Fool Sir Albert In 1966 , Or Was It Another Dumb SLPP Politicking That Boomeranged ?

POSTED BY: PUBLISHER AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER KABS KANU MAY 15, 2016

By  Wilfred Leeroy Kabs-kanu

HERE IS A VERY interesting piece of news I found in the August 18, 1966 issue of the Daily Mail.

Freetown passed a vote of confidence on the PM , SIR ALBERT MARGAI and his SLPP government and assured the Pa that they will support his government in whatever way possible, just 7 months before the epic 1967 General Elections that changed Sierra Leone forever. 

 

SIR ALBERT MARGAI

The vote of confidence was signed by politicians, ministers of the gospel, businessmen , youths and people from all walks of life, according to the Daily Mail. 

I can imagine how Pa Shaki, S.I. , C.A, Bangali Mansaray, S.B. Kawusu-Konte  and others felt with this development , given that the APC needed to win Freetown to stand any chance in the elections. Did it put fear in them ? Only God knows.

The so-called vote of confidence from the Western Area which the PM  valued and believed so much he handed to the Governor-General, Sir Henry Lightfoot-Boston , turned to be a ruse , because in the elections that followed 7 months later, the then opposition APC completely  swept the votes in Freetown  and the SLPP hardly won a seat there. In fact, it was from the results coming from Freetown that the PM  smelt the rat that his world was completely caving in, under his disbelieving eyes.

The SLPP lost the elections  with costs and had to invite the Force Commander Brigadier David Lansana, an in-law of the PM,   to stage a coup, a development that our country is still suffering from today, 49 years after. The 1967 coup and what followed retarded our country in a way that is unimaginable.

Was Sir Albert fooled by the Creoles or was he lying ?

As a cub journalist then, writing under the pen name SAM BLUNT at the age of 12, on the same year I entered secondary school , I can sill remember  what happened. The vote of confidence could not have reflected the true picture of what was going on  because it had come to a time in 1966 when the PM was being booed on the streets and even angry women were turning  their backs on him and prostrating . The Creoles had disliked Sir Albert  like the dirt under their shoes because he had been accused of marginalizing them and putting Mendes in all positions in the Civil Service and MDAs.The opposition newspapers, Shekpendeh, Think, Awoko, Scope and We Yone were slaughtering him like somebody without an owner. So from where did the vote of confidence come when de Pa had become so unpopular?

SHAKI : HE WAS NOT A UNIVERSITY GRADUATE BUT WAS SMARTER THAN THE SLPP

One year afer this vote of confidence, the Prime Minister was in detention at Pademba Road Prisons appearing before the Forster Commission of Inquiry which was set up by the NRC military regime to investigate corruption in his government, and he was being booed to the rafters by huge Freetown crowds that gathered outside the hall  every morning to catch a glimpse of him and his ministers being led to the Commission .

Did the Western Area fool the PM ?

If indeed 1966 /67 set the tone for today’s political realities in Sierra Leone, this incident is very important because, fundamentally, it exposes the differences between the SLPP and the APC.

RESOLUTION OF 1JUNE 2017 APC NAC MEETING

ELECTIONS 2018: APC IN READY STRATEGY

The APC Secretary General Ambassador Yansaneh just announced the resolutions at the June 1st NAC Meeting

EBK endorsed to continue as Chairman and Leader,continue to unite and transition the party.

Elections or selection of Presidential Candidate who will appoint a Running Mate to be endorsed by NAC.

National Executive Officers must have served at regional,district or constituency level to be qualified for selection or election.

Must n paid up and active in the last 7 years.

Will sign an undertaken to support whoever is elected or selected.

Must have institutional knowledge of the party.

Must satisfy sections in the 1991 Constitution, elections and PPRC acts.

Presidential Candidate and running mate

Must fulfill the 1991 Constitution,the elections and PPRC Acts

Believes in EBK Legacy and ready to continue with it.

Party and national appeal,institutional knowledge of the APC 

Must have investeded financially and otherwise,be a paid up and active member 

Must be prepared and willingly accept the decision of NAC  and support their choice 

Pre-convention sensitization early July.

10 to 16th July Constituency convention.

19th to 21st District Convention.

24th to 25th Regional Convention.

26th to 27th Youth League,Women's Wing and Veterans Convention.

5th to 6th September National Delegates Convention in Makeni.

POLITICAL TITBITS IN SIERRA LEONE: THE ARMY 1968/1971

POLITICAL TITBITS IN SIERRA LEONE: THE ARMY 1968/1971.

The intertwining of "The Tonkololi Group"- The Taqi Brothers -Hamid Taqi and his NDP;  Prime Minister Siaka STEVENS appointing Kawusu Konte as Acting Prime Minister and Acting Defence Minister rather than the usual Dr Mohamed Sorie Forna - dramatic resignation together with M O Bash-Taqi from Ministerial positions; Dr John Karefa-Smart and his UDP - effect on whole political climate; Bragadier John Bangura's failed coup de tart and execution; dramatic U-turn on progressing Republican status; replacement of Governor General and Parliamentary sanctioning of Republicanism, with Chief Justice C O E Cole, who had replaced Governor General Sir Banja Tejan-Sie, approved as the first Ceremonial President; Two days later, Siaka STEVENS installed as first Executive President of Sierra Leone. Defence Pact with Republic of Guinea signed. Joseph Saudu Momoh's elevation from Leutenant Colonel in1968 to Head of Army 1971

ELECTIONS 2018 MISINFORMATION

ELECTIONS 2018: BEWARE OF MIS INFORMATION - PARLIAMENT TAKING ACTION.

This is a typical example of misinformation (ALTERNATIVE TRUTHS) set to discredit the real truths of happenings in Sierra Leone. Thanks to Dr Barnadete Lahai, Minority (SLPP) in Parliament for patiently explaining the true position even when the biased interviewer tried to put his SPIN in the narrative.

This has debunked Umarr Fofana of BBC falsely reporting that motion was passed in Parliamentary APC members to extend the date of the 2018 elections and extend President Koroma's term of office.

CLICK LINK FOR AUDIO EXPLANATION 

https://www.facebook.com/israel.parpersnr/posts/10212649959593248

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NEC BOSS FACES PARLIAMENT.

https://www.facebook.com/israel.parpersnr/posts/10212671551453031

SIERRA LEONE: ELECTIONS 2018.....>>>>

Address by His Excellency President Ernest Bai Koroma to the Nation on the 2018 General Elections February 14th, 2017

Click Link:

https://youtu.be/Q46zErjDOPs

Fellow Sierra Leoneans, on 10th November 2011, I caused my office to announce the dates for the 2012 Local Council and Parliamentary elections; it was little over a year to those elections. Today, as envisioned by our Constitution, and in line with established practice, I have again instructed my office to put forth a public notice announcing that parliamentary and local council elections will be held a little over one year from now, on March 7th, 2018. Having consulted with me, the National Electoral Commission (NEC) will also announce that the presidential elections shall take place on the same date. With my Government’s support, NEC and the National Registration Commission have further indicated their readiness to commence registration for electoral and related activities.

My Government is also in the concluding phase of a White Paper for a new constitution. As provided by law, this will be tabled in Parliament in due course. If enacted by Parliament and in line with ECOWAS protocols on democracy, a referendum on the new constitution will take place before the end of September this year.

Fellow Sierra Leoneans, our country is building a democracy. We have held regular elections since 1996. During every one of our four general elections since that year, we have moved forward to take charge of our destiny, strengthen our democratic agencies and create greater awareness on the relevance of participation for everybody, in every town, in every district and every region of our country. Today, I call on all Sierra Leoneans to continue to support this strengthening of our democracy. And no better way exists to render this support than in ensuring that we all register, that we all show discipline and civility, that we obey the rules and regulations set forth for the conduct of free and fair elections. Registration is the first step to making sure that your preferences are accurately reflected in the new constitution, and that the new government enjoys your mandate. 

Democratic discipline requires the awareness that if you belong to a party, that party is bigger than you. The place of political parties in our constitution is sacrosanct; no member of a political party is above the rules and regulations of his or her party; but no political party is above the laws of our country. As President, I am under oath to maintain law and order, peace, security, and the democratic character of the Republic of Sierra Leone. And I will use all the powers vested in my office to continue to ensure peace, security, law and order during the electoral cycle.

Fellow Sierra Leoneans, announcement of the dates for elections is not an announcement for the start of the campaign period. The commencement of the campaign period will be announced by NEC. When that time comes, we expect every party and every individual to follow the rules and regulations set forth by the appropriate authorities. Political activity is no excuse for breaking the law. My government is determined to ensure peaceful and orderly elections; and anyone caught disturbing the peace or violating the laws in the name of campaigning or other political activities will meet the full force of the law. 

We applaud our international friends for their continued support to the consolidation of our democracy. Elections are a tedious process; they require patience, tenacity and understanding of a country’s social and political complexities. We have demonstrated our commitment to free and fair elections; and we will not yield to electoral models and practices that would be vulnerable to hacking, manipulation and other negative external influences. 

Elections are an expensive enterprise and the fact we are conducting a national registration, referendum, local council, parliamentary and presidential elections requires substantial resources. My government has already committed billions of Leones to the exercise and we are engaging our international partners to support us fill some of the funding gaps and capacity needs we have identified in the elections process. These engagements are critical to the overall success of the elections. That is why we are insisting that these partnerships must render elections that are free, fair, credible and reflective of the will of the Sierra Leonean people.

I strongly believe that Sierra Leone will once again deliver free, fair and credible elections. Though we still face challenges, our democracy is growing stronger; our resolve to build on our democratic gains remains unshakeable; and together, men and women of goodwill in all parties, both within and outside the country, young and old, in the executive, parliament and the judiciary, in every profession and field of endeavour, together, this country will continue to be a beacon of unity of purpose, freedom, justice and democracy.

CLICK LINK

https://youtu.be/Q46zErjDOPs

ELECTIONS 2018

Sierra Leone News: 4000 Biometric registration kits arrive

Group Photo in front of the registration kits

On Thursday 26th January, 4,066 biometric, registration kits, valued at over $13 million USD, landed at the Lungi Airport meant for the civil registration exercise.
The Minister of Internal Affairs, Alfred Palo Conteh, said, “The kits arrival will send a clear and strong message to the general public that the 2018 general elections will surely take place.”
Minister Conteh said that the kits will expedite the registration process and eventually produce a single register that will capture every resident in Sierra Leone. “These kits will ensure that every Sierra Leonean is registered and the issue of double registration or voting will be put to rest,” he said.
He added the registration will put an end to the issue of “ghost workers” with the advent of biometric registration kits
The Director General of National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA), Foday Kamara, expressed his delight to the Smartmatic Company for the timely and safe arrival of the kits. He said the arrival of these kits speak volumes to the fact that the registration exercise is a must and it will be a success.
The DG said, “As I speak we have just received 4,066, equipment, for the civil registration exercise; 3,800 is what government paid for and the 266 kits are spares” he confirmed.
The NCRA DG assured the public of the Authority having the required experts to install the kits throughout the country.
The Board Chairman, NCRA, Dr. Andrew G. Bangali, opined that the whole process of the civil registration hinges on the kits. Handing over the kits, the Project Manager from Smartmatic, Ibrahim Jaber, said, “I am happy because we have completed the first phase of the agreement which is to see that the kits reach Sierra Leone.” Jabber stated that they are hoping to complete the second phase of the project which is the installation and training process
Friday January 27, 2017

Comments are closed.

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PPRC News Brief 23rd January 2017

Babatunde D.R. Pratt Esq. on Monday 23rd January, 2017 took the oath of office to serve as a Commissioner of the Political Parties Registration Commission (PPRC).

Addressing Commissioner Pratt, H.E. President Ernest Bai Koroma admonished him to work with an open mind in line with the1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone and the Political Parties Act No. of 2002.

President Koroma stressed that there is a lot to be done by the Commission in ensuring that political parties adhere to their party constitutions and the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone. "You are going to the PPRC to serve Sierra Leone and not individuals", President Koroma added.

Responding, Commissioner Pratt assured President Koroma that he will uphold and maintain the mandate of the Commission as enshrined in the Constitution of Sierra Leone.

Commissioner Babatunde D.R. Pratt was nominated by the Sierra Leone Bar Association and appointed by President Koroma.

For more information contact +23278201770

THE CONSTITUTIONALITY OF ELECTION DATES!

One of our lawyers SORIE TURAY in Sierra Leone commented in November 2015, in a Forum LEONENET@TAMU on the below question: DID HE GET IT RIGHT?

QUESTION:  

Does the constitution stipulate when we can have presidential elections beyond the 'every five year' timeline? 

ANSWER BY SOURIE TURAY: 

QUOTE

  "Short answer is yes, in S.43. The presidential term expires after 5 years from the date when he was elected with a proviso for if there are any proceedings in court in respect of that election. Assuming the president is correctly elected, he can stay in office for up to 3 months following the expiration of his 5 years. If in the meantime parliament has already been dissolved then presidential elections must take place before parliamentary elections.

Now, S.85 gives parliament exactly 5 years from the date of its first sitting after elections. That means since we had parliamentary elections in November 2012, but their first sitting was in January 2013, elections will be held earliest by about February/March 2018.

Because the president has to be in place at the time of parliamentary elections, and he was also elected in November 2012, and this govt will do anything to extend its term as in "More Time" he can, without any fanfare utilise the 3 months allowed him thus pushing it to mid-February with elections correctly held in March 2018.

My money is therefore on March 2018 unless of course you take into account the little matter of the existing State of Emergency which allows parliament to extend its own life by 6 months each time it feels like it when we are in a (State of Emergency) SOE!!"

UNQUOTE

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Any one who feels the President's chosen date as announced is unconstitutional, must now take heart and examine the provisions of the very 1991 constitution they are trying to dig up unproductive reasons to fault the President and the electoral commission with.

Na di word dat! Le we try go befo en luk fur di vote we di kam March 2018 ya!

LUNTA!!!!