|
Published online by
Sylvia Blyden Dot Com
17 Garrison
Street,
Freetown,
Sierra Leone.
Tel: +232-77-772001
Tel: +232-88-321000
Tel: +232-76-350077
Tel: +232-30-321001
Email:
editor@news.sl
Website:
www.awarenesstimes.com |
|
YOU ARE CURRENTLY AT THE WEBSITE OF SIERRA LEONE'S FASTEST SELLING, HIGHEST SELLING AND MOST WIDELY CIRCULATED NEWSPAPER.
Source of above information: Sierra Leone News Vendors Association
FEATURES
January 18th 2002 - January 18th 2012 (De War Don Done)? As some Sierra Leoneans seem to have forgotten recent past, we go into Sierra Leone Web archives of 10 years ago
Friday 18th January 2002: At a symbolic ceremony in Lungi on Friday to burn nearly 3,000 weapons collected from Sierra Leone's warring factions, President Kabbah declared that disarmament in the country was at an end — and that the war was over. Kabbah also announced the lifting of the curfew, which has been in effect since the restoration of civilian rule four years ago. The president spoke before a crowd which included visiting dignitaries, government leaders, representatives of the RUF and CDF, United Nations officials, diplomats, and 1,000 local residents and school children. Since January of last year, over 46,000 combatants have turned in some 14,500 weapons and 1.3 million rounds of ammunition.
Jan 23, 2012, 13:59
FEATURES
January 18th 2002 - January 18th 2012 - De War Don Done? As some Sierra Leoneans seem to have forgotten recent past, we go into Sierra Leone Web archives of 10 years ago
Friday 18th January 2002: At a symbolic ceremony in Lungi on Friday to burn nearly 3,000 weapons collected from Sierra Leone's warring factions, President Kabbah declared that disarmament in the country was at an end — and that the war was over. Kabbah also announced the lifting of the curfew, which has been in effect since the restoration of civilian rule four years ago. The president spoke before a crowd which included visiting dignitaries, government leaders, representatives of the RUF and CDF, United Nations officials, diplomats, and 1,000 local residents and school children. Since January of last year, over 46,000 combatants have turned in some 14,500 weapons and 1.3 million rounds of ammunition.
Jan 18, 2012, 17:12
FEATURES
Stephen Gaojia & John Benjamin (Nov. 1992 – Nov. 2011)
Tomorrow November 1st 2011, the newly nominated Minister of Social Welfare, Stephen Gaojia is expected to return to Freetown from Bo District to forward his documents to Parliament for approval. In this piece, we will take a look at where Gaojia was 19 years ago in November 1992. Stephen Ngaojia was a student activist. In November 1992, he was Students Union President at Njala University. It was in this position that he first crossed paths with John Benjamin the current Chairman and Leader of the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) who was by then the Chief Secretary of State in the NPRC Military Government.
Oct 31, 2011, 12:28
FEATURES
Dangote Holds Public Disclosure on “ESMP” For US$45M Cement Packaging Plant at Queen Elizabeth II Quay
The Dangote Group headed by Africa’s richest man, billionaire Ali Dangote will be investing 45 million US dollars in a Cement Packaging Plant in Sierra Leone. Dangote Industries (SL) Limited incorporated in Sierra Leone will be the flagship for this investment. The Dangote Group, a multi billion dollar entity has a wide range of investments in numerous countries in Africa, ranging from South Africa in the South to Algeria in the North and from Tanzania in the East to Nigeria in the West; these investments are in various areas, such as cement, transportation, agriculture, manufacturing, petrochemicals, port operations, flour milling etc.
Oct 19, 2011, 17:02
FEATURES
Bonjour Senegal!!! - Part 2 - Telescope Dakar, Senegal
In part one of this informative feature on my life and work in Senegal, I entertained the reader about my re-assignment as Information Attaché to the Sierra Leone Embassies in Senegal and The Gambia, my state of mind, journey and envisaged challenges. Grosso modo or in brief, I’m now in my office in down town Dakar and très occupe’ (occupied) with work, since the Embassy has just opened. Well, it is 09:21 GMT and a bright and sunny Sunday morning here in Dakar and I’m sitting on the top of my concrete roof in a neighborhood called ‘Mamelles’ (breast) at the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and overlooking Dakar International Airport while sipping a glass of Lipton tea as I write this little piece of mine.
Oct 6, 2011, 17:06
FEATURES
Class Characteristics and Ideologies - Class Struggle in Africa
There is a close connection between socio-political development, the struggle between social classes and the history of ideologies. In general, intellectual movements closely reflect the trends of economic developments. In communal society, where there are virtually no class divisions, man’s productive activities exert a direct influence on his outlook and aesthetic tastes. But in a class society, the direct influence of productive activities on outlook and culture is less discernible. Account must be taken of the psychology of conflicting classes. Certain social habits, dress, institutions and organizations are associated with different classes. It is possible to place a person in a particular class simply by observing his general appearance, his dress and the way he behaves. Similarly, each class has its own characteristic institutions and organizations. For example, co-operatives and trade unions are organizations of the working class.
Oct 6, 2011, 16:08
FEATURES
“800 Civil Servants Caught as Ghost Workers” - IRMT
The Programme Manager of the Teachers Records Management Improvement Programme TRMIP, Mr. Muniru Kawa gave an exclusive interview to the Awareness Times Editor Abu Shaw on Friday September 23, 2011 at their Wesley Street office in Freetown. The interview was based on the activities of the International Records Management Trust IRMT, a non governmental organisation that was contracted by the government of Sierra Leone to build the records of civil servants in the country. IRMT, supervised by Sierra Leone’s Public Sector Reform Unit, has made significant inroads since they commenced operations here six years ago. They have made a land mark by reducing ghost workers in the country thereby making significant gains for the government. The latest project IRMT has embarked on is the Teachers Records Management Improvement Programme TRMIP. Also present during the exclusive interview was the IRMT Records Management Specialist Mr. Andrew Griffin, who was kind enough to take one or two snap shots while the interviewing was in progress.
Sep 26, 2011, 13:15
FEATURES
Meeting Emmerson after 5 Years
It was sometime in early June when I got a phone call. The distinct ‘big man’ voice of Sierra Leone’s music Super Star Emmerson Bockarie was on the other line. He was getting married to his sweetheart and wanted me to attend the ceremony. I told him to drop the invitation off at the newspaper’s offices. “Doc, it has been a while that I have not seen or spoken to you and I also want to introduce you to my fiancé,” Emmerson appealed.
Aug 17, 2011, 17:18
FEATURES
Journalist President Blasts Editor
There is a hot war of words going on between the President of the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists(SLAJ), Mr. Umaru Fofana & journalists working at Sierra Leone’s ruling APC party mouthpiece. The problem arose when APC party paper published an opinionated news story that Fofana’s writing style was behind the first prepared speech issued by opposition SLPP’s Presidential candidate Maada Bio. However, Fofana in a furious radio interview has threatened to drag the ruling party mouthpiece to court. In response, the paper published the following:
Aug 12, 2011, 17:16
FEATURES
DSDP – CHANGING PEOPLE’S LIVES FOR THE BETTERBACKGROUND
The Decentralized Service Delivery Programme (DSDP) was set up in 2010 to build on the successes of the Institutional Reform and Capacity Building Project (IRCBP) which ended in June 2011. It will be recalled that the IRCBP was created in 2004 to spearhead the proper functioning of the newly established Local Councils across the country. And this was meant to translate into improvement in the wellbeing of the people. However DSDP focuses on the delivery of certain basic services by local councils in the devolved areas of health, education water and sanitation (solid waste management).
Jul 21, 2011, 17:06
FEATURES
Give Maada Bio his 1-Box System &Turn Off the Lights on SLPP
We have been rather bemused at the angry calls from SLPP members reporting to Awareness Times the latest gimmick from Retired Lieutenant Maada Bio wherein Bio is demanding that the approved 19-Boxes electoral method be over-turned and his singular demand for a 1-Box electoral method should stand. The SLPP members are also incensed at both Rt. Lt. Maada Bio and his newly appointed Campaign Spokesman Musa Tamba Sam because the duo have put down in black and white and broadcast over the airwaves that SLPP delegates are people who are either violent enough to disrupt electoral processes if their candidate does not score expected high votes and/or who are with little integrity and are dishonest and money-conscious to the extent of possessing the propensity to sell their electoral franchise not only to the highest bidder but to actually deceitfully refuse to cast their ballots only to hide them in their brassieres and boxers and cart them outside the elections hall so as to sell them like cheap hustlers to other SLPP candidates which candidates are similarly of such low moral compass that they would readily buy such ballots from these delegate hustlers. So, ladies and gentlemen, there you have it from the signed letter of Maada Bio and from the spoken words of Musa Tamba Sam over Monologue Radio that SLPP delegates are violence-prone, cheap, dishonest hustlers who lack integrity whilst Maada Bio’s fellow aspirants are lacking in morals.
Jul 12, 2011, 19:36
FEATURES
Oxfam Director on Resignation
Awareness Times was fortunate to get a copy of the Briefing Notes from which outgoing Oxfam Country Director (CD) Emmanuel Gaima addressed the Press yesterday. We are reproducing it verbatim as it speaks for itself! Indeed, in a country where citizens rarely hear of resignations on Principles as a matter of Integrity, the resignation of Emmanuel Gaima, under the circumstances as outlined, is surely a breath of fresh air! We need more upstanding citizens of integrity whose good name means more to them than fat salaries. At any rate, prime and high quality human resource like Emmanuel Gaima will not be sitting idly for too long. One can only hope that Sierra Leone does not lose such a high prized asset like our brother Emmanuel Gaima to another country. Awareness Times wishes him good luck in all his future endeavours. His Notes can be read by clicking the link above:
Jun 14, 2011, 17:18
FEATURES
Analysing SLPP’s Performance in Sierra Leone's Kissiland (2007 vs. 2011 Elections)
I have also read the opinions by both Jonathan Leigh (Independent Observer) and Dr. Sama Banya (Puawui) on the issue of SLPP’s presence in Kailahun’s Kissi land. They both serve to unwittingly misinform the public of the enormous feat that the John Benjamin led SLPP performed last weekend in Kailahun’s Kissi land that saw the SLPP score 1,953 votes to the APC's 1,285 votes (Ratio of 60.32% to 39.68% for the two parties totaled votes). So, in order to help dispel whatever myth might be floating in the air about the performance of the SLPP last weekend, I will humbly oblige with some factual analysis.
Jun 3, 2011, 18:58
FEATURES
Remember those living atop the Hill at Sierra Leone's Kissy Mental Hospital
Dr. Mandy Garber is a Sierra Leonean psychiatrist living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She spent the month of April volunteering at the Kissy Psychiatric Hospital, and her experience was sobering. The only psychiatric hospital in the capital Freetown, is in a deplorable condition and needs resources to make significant improvements. The mentally ill represent a vulnerable population worldwide, and in Sierra Leone, they do not have an advocate. As such, the state of the hospital and its patients is not a priority. I spoke to Dr. Garber, who provided an eye witness assessment of the facility with some pictures. She’s the only daughter of octogenarian educator, Mrs. Cassandra Garber, former principal of Freetown Secondary School for Girls, where I taught in the 80s, when Mrs. Garber was principal. This assessment is from Dr. Garber’s perspective.
May 24, 2011, 17:08
FEATURES
Women Can Stop Tribalism in Sierra Leone especially Before 2012 Elections!
We, the Women of the United Methodist Church of Sierra Leone met from 3rd to 6th May 2011 at the CCSL Hall in Brookfields, Western Area of Sierra Leone during which we stated that We the Women of UMC, We are all One!!! We also stated just as any church has members belonging to many tribes but who are all one body in the Lord Jesus Christ so also is Sierra Leone made up of many tribes but we are all One People living in One Nation. We also stated that inside Sierra Leone at this point with three major elections (Presidential, Parliamentary & Local Councils) looming next year 2012, the matter of tribalism is a serious negative factor against the peaceful existence of our country as a united Nation. We believe that Sierra Leoneans need to engage the negative aspect of tribalism as a matter of urgency so we can develop more ideas to tackle this problem in our midst. We believe that Women can be the main catalyst for Change in our societies and wish to become involved as Women in the fight to eradicate negative tribalism ...CLICK ABOVE LINK FOR MORE.
May 13, 2011, 17:14
FEATURES
- T R I B U T E - Remembering my days with Mohamed Daudis Koroma
Sierra Leone woke up to the sudden death of a hero on Friday April 29, 2011. What a shocking piece of news fell on the ears of the nation on that day? The late Honourable Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Mr. Mohamed Daudis Koroma was an exemplary public servant who served his country with duty and honour.
May 6, 2011, 17:02
FEATURES
A BATTLE OF IDEAS, NOT MEN
Elected on campaign promises to fight corruption and run the country like a profitable business, President Ernest Bai Koroma must keep up the economic momentum ahead of elections in 2012. A recent interview with the President by Africa Report is in the ensuing. THE AFRICA REPORT: What should Sierra Leoneans think about as the country marks its 50th anniversary of independence in April?
Apr 19, 2011, 17:14
FEATURES
Retired Lieutenant Maada Bio wants John Benjamin to protect him from Awareness Times
Retired Lieutenant Maada Bio's private life, as juicy as it is, has never been attacked in this newspaper. What we have done is to expose Bio's character. Rtd. Lt. Bio's character is being exposed for what it is because he is a man who picks up the phone to threaten the life of a young journalist simply for publishing a short opinion he did not appreciate. Such a man, who then proceeds to treat the issue with levity to the extent of refusing a Police Invitation, is a lawless man who believes in VIOLENCE. Such a man is a menace to the society in which he lives especially as his silence has endorsed the actions of his supporters who were to subsequently beat up another young journalist in the name of the lawless Maada Bio. This newspaper does not understand what Maada Bio wants the SLPP to do for him. Will the SLPP defend the indefensible? Will the SLPP defend a man who has refused to honour a Police Invitation?
Apr 15, 2011, 17:02
FEATURES
In Sierra Leone, Commercial Bank Presents Le100M To 50th Anniversary Committee
The managing Director of Sierra Leone Commercial Bank Ltd, Mr. Chrispin Bishop Deigh on Wednesday 6th April made a presentation of Le 100m to the Vice President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, as the Bank’s contribution towards the 5oth Anniversary of Sierra Leone. In presenting the cheque, the managing Director said that it was with pleasure that Sierra Leone Commercial bank Limited was aligning itself with the aspirations of the Government in celebrating the 50th Anniversary of Sierra Leone.
Apr 11, 2011, 13:15
FEATURES
Bonthe Family Fund Raising Gala and Dinner for the GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBERATIONS IN BONTHE
Pictorial of the Bonthe Family Fund Raising Gala and Dinner for the GOLDEN JUBILEE CELEBERATIONS IN BONTHE at Miatta Conference Centre in Freetown on the 19th March 2011
Apr 7, 2011, 11:08
|
|
|
|
