REVIEW OF SIERRA LEONE MEDIA REPORTS

Public Information Office (PIO) of UNIOSIL – 14 May 2008

 

[Disclaimer: Excerpts below are from print media and news agency dispatches. UNIOSIL cannot vouch for the accuracy of the media reports].

 

SLPP to demonstrate over the closure of Unity radio

For Di People in its front page reports that the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) has threatened to stage a peaceful demonstration on Thursday 15 May at the Parliament building, should the Ministry of Information and Communication refused to lift the ban on their radio station, Unity radio. SLPP Secretary General, Jacob Jusu Saffa, said the removal of their antenna on the orders of the Minister of Information and Communication is a deliberate attempt to silence the opposition and muzzle freedom of expression. The SLPP held a meeting at their party headquarters in Freetown to brief their members on the situation and implored on them to be calm until the situation is amicably resolved.

 

Ministry of Information, IMC tussle over closure of SLPP radio

The closure of the opposition SLPP Unity radio station by the Ministry of Information and Communication has breed bad blood between the Ministry and the Independent Media Commission and the two are reportedly at each others throat as to who has the legitimate authority over the closure of the radio. The IMC on the one hand said the Ministry of Information does not have the power to close down the SLPP radio station and the Ministry on the other hand says it has, claiming that government is supreme over both the IMC and the National Telecommunication Commission (NATCOM). Chairman of IMC, Bernadette Cole told Peep
Magazine that all political parties have the right to own medium of communication and to disseminate within the law, their views to their part members and the general public. “No one has the power to deny them that right” she asserted. “The Ministry of Information does not have that power and we will not give them that power” she affirmed. Deputy Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Koroma, said the SLPP radio was closed because it was interfering with other frequencies. “Our action has noting to do with politics, we are committed to freedom of the media and the airwaves,” the Deputy Minister said.

 

Mano River Agriculture Ministers meet in Liberia

The Ministers of Agriculture in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia have met in the Liberian Capital, Monrovia, to formulate strategies to address the global increase in food stuff that is affecting the Mano River Union. Minister of Agriculture in Liberia, Christopher Theo, said though each country has its own strategic plan for food production, the tripartite meeting is geared towards creating the enabling environment to encouraging adequate food production in the three countries. “As sister countries, if Sierra Leone for example has abundant seedling of any crop, we will buy from them and plant just as it may be in our case,” Awareness Times quotes the Minister as saying. Sierra Leone’s Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Joseph Sam Sesay, said his country depend largely on imported food stuffs especially rice, but that his Ministry is working on short, medium and long term programmes to tackle the high cost of living.

 

Chiefdom Administrators to account for Le19 billion rice money

The Ministry of Agriculture has quizzed Chiefdom Administrators to properly account for Le19.3 billion given to them by the SLPP government to enhance food security in the country. During a meeting with District Chairmen at Youyi building, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Local Government, Dauda Kamara, said he is disappointed that the government has not seen any tangible results as to the quantum of money that was given to them to purchase seedlings to increase food production in the country. A furious Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Alieu Badara Mansaray, said with such money there is no need for the country to face food crisis at this point in time, “you have deprived the people of this country” he told them. Mr. Alieu Badara Mansaray gave the District Chairmen two weeks to give proper report as to how the money was expended, noting that the money belongs to the government and people of Sierra Leone. According to Standard Times the Deputy Minister promised to mount full scale investigation into the matter.

 

Over helicopter crash, ACC exonerates Prince Harding and three others

Former Transport and Communication Minister in the Tejan Kabbah led administration, Dr. Prince Harding, and three others, have been cleared of any wrong doing by the Anti Corruption Commission (ACC), following the helicopter crash at the Lungi International Airport in June 2007, that killed 21 people, all Togolese nationals. According to a release from the ACC, there is insufficient evidence to bring charges of corrupt practices against Dr Prince Harding, his Permanent Secretary, Mr. Abdul Rahman Wurie, the Deputy Director of Civil Aviation, Mr. Badara Allieu Tarawallie and the Director of Civil Aviation, Mr. George Tamba Gbonbor. The accused persons were being investigated by the ACC on orders of then President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah following allegations that they might have been influenced to lift the ban on Paramount Air Lines, Awoko, Concord Times and The Exclusive report.

 

 

(Compiled by UNIOSIL, Public Information Office)