Hon. Ivan Lewis the British Under Secretary of state for International Development has said in Freetown that “there needs to be a very strong message to politicians of all parties that the days of the use of violence in the pursuit of political objectives in this country must be over for ever and the people of Sierra Leone expect nothing less.”. Mr. Lewis was speaking at State House where he was addressing journalists just after meeting president Koroma during his visit to the country. Ivan Lewis stated further that they “welcome very much the brokered agreement that we hope will be signed between the political parties very soon but the test of that agreement would be in the delivery and the implementation of whatever the agreement ends up saying.”

In a bid to consolidate political tolerance between the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) party and the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) both party executives yesterday signed a joint communiqué at State House to help quell all forms of political violence and to speed the country’s progress towards peaceful development. Speaking at the signing ceremony the Executive Representative of the United Nations Secretary General Michael von der Schulenburg said “Sierra Leone has been an example for re-establishing democracy for having free elections and I think today Sierra Leone will also be an example for the international community and many countries in this region to say we don’t need violence so many other countries can come in an negotiate and coming in afterwards we do it ourselves and we do it very quickly”

With the prompt intervention of the National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), GSM Operators (Comium, Zain, Tigo and Africell) have reverted to the previous prices of top up cards and E- Voucher in a joint communiqué with immediate effect. In the communiqué it was made clear to everyone that all differences relating to an increment in the current tariffs between the GSM operators and the regulator NATCOM have been resolved and mechanisms and process will soon be in place to ensure that future fluctuations in exchange rates and their effects on prices are based on an agreed formula and mechanism and will be in consonance with provisions of the Telecommunications Act 2006. 

Some three hundred thousand children in Sierra Leone which is 11% of children are orphans because of HIV/AIDS, it was disclosed at the launching ceremony of the Validation Session on the manual Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) by the National HIV/AIDS Secretariat on Thursday at the Presidential Lodge, National stadium, Brookfields, Freetown. Edmond Makieu project officer (OVC) and also chairman of the launching explained in his opening speech that the country’s prevalence remains low as a result of commitment and efforts through the leadership of NAS. He added that there should be no room for complacency which will help to redouble efforts in mitigating the speed of HIV and AIDS and also to provide needed services.

Civil Society Organisations, on Wednesday had a roundtable deliberation with Paramount Chiefs at the Hill Valley Hotel, in Freetown on the Draft Chieftaincy Bill which presents a historic opportunity for reform. For the first time in the history of Sierra Leone, the procedures for electing and appointing Paramount Chiefs and sub-chiefs have been set out in the Draft Chieftaincy Bill. Comprehensive review and reform of chiefdom governance is urgently needed to consolidate the gains of post-war governance reform and ensure continuing peace and stability.

Defence lawyers representing ten Fourah Bay College students standing trial for the alleged murder of their colleague Mohamed Juana in a club initiation ceremony have expressed their dissatisfaction in the delay of the trial. The conspicuous absence of the Director of Public Prosecution, Oladipo Robin Mason on two consecutive sittings has perturbed members of the defence team and they have called upon the court for an expeditious trial of the case. The ten accused persons who include students and Ex-students from Fourah Bah College were arraigned before Magistrate Steven Conteh of court No.1 on the 2nd of April. Gerald Souyie representing State Counsel told the court that he has got instruction from the DPP to make an application for an adjournment as he is  ill.

The Bible Society in Sierra Leone has ended its annual general meeting with a new commitment and determination to provide the Holy Scripture to every man, woman and child in a language each can understand, at an affordable price to help them interact with the word of God.  Speaking at the official opening of the AGM, Chairman of the Bible Society, Manager and Proprietor of the BBN Radio Ransford Wright expressed thanks and appreciation to the general membership of the bible society in Sierra Leone and expressed gratitude to all their moral and financial contributors. The core values of the bible society in Sierra Leone is accountability and scripture information dissemination with  willingness to serve diligently and promptly in their efforts to change people’s lives.