UK PARLIAMENTRY UNDERSECRETARY OF STATES IVAN LEWIS SAID THIS, THAT THE DONATION IS PART OF THE UK’S COMMITMENT TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTRY.THE MONEY HE MAINTAINED, IS AN ADDITIONAL SUPPORT THROUGH DFID TO IMPROVE ON THE COUNTRU’S EDUCATION, FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION INFRASTRUCTURE AND GOOD HEALTH IN THE COUNTRY.

IVAN LEWIS MAINTAINED THAT, THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT SUPPORTS THE RECENT CABINET RESHUFFLE BY PRESIDENT KOROMA.HE ALSO SPOKE ABOUT THE RECENT POLITICAL VIOLENCE IN THE COUNTRY AS HE CALLED ON THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SECTOR TO HURRIDLY CONCLUDE THEIR REPORTS.

16 MILLION POUNDS STERLING HE SAID GOES TOWORDS THE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND METERNAL CARE, 10MILLIONS POUND TO SUPPORT THE BUDGET, AND 2 MILLION POUNDS ALLOCATED TO THE ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION AS AN ADDITION TO THE 2.7 MILLION POUNDS LAST YEAR TO FIGHT CORRUPTION IN THE COUNTRY.

THE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION ZAINAB MANGURA DESCRIBE THE DONATION AS TIMELY AND A CLEAR INDICATION OF BRITAIN’S COMMITMENT IN SUPPORTING SIERRA LEONE.

THIS CREATED TENSION IN CERTAIN AREAS AND THE DISTICT ELECTORAL OFFICER HAD TO CALL POLICE BACK UP AFTER HE HAD BEEN THREATENED BY THE MARAUDERS,NEW COMMEND THE EFFORT OF THE CHAIRMAN OF THE RULING PARTY HON.BUYA KAMARA FOR HIS INTERVENTION IN THE IMPASSE WHICH HELP REDUCE TENSION IN THE AREA.

THIS BEHAVIOUR OF POLITICAL PARTY STALWARTS TO DISRUPT ELECTION THE RELESE CONTINUED IS VERY WORRISOME ESPECIALLY WHEN IT HAS TENDENCY TO AFFECT VOTERS TURNOUT. IN MARAMPA, FOR EXAMPLE, A SCHOOL AT GBERAY JUNCTION HAD TWO POLLING STATIONS WITH ABOUT 1000 REGISTERD VOTERS; BUT ONLY 25 VOTERS CAST THEIR BALLOTS.

NATIONAL ELECTIONS WATCH (NEW) IS A COALISION OF CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANISATIONS OBSERVING ELECTIONS IN SIERRA LEONE.

SINCE MULTY PARTY DEMOCRACY WAS RE- INTRODUCES IN 1996 HE SAID NO MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT HAS LOST HIS OR HER SEAT BECAUSE OF ABSENTEESM.

THE ONLY CIRCUMSTANCE IN WHICH AN MP HAS LOST HIS SEAT WAS WHEN VICTOR FOR WAS IMPRISON FOR ALLERGEDLY WORKING WITH THE AFRC JUNTA’S ANOTHER WAS FORMER HEAD OF THE AFRC JOHNNY PAUL KOROMA WHO DISAPEARED FROM PERLIAMENT WITHOUT LEAVE.

MOST OF THE MPS COMPLAIN OF CONDITION OF SERVICE AS MOST OF THEM SAY THEY DO NOT HAVE VICHELE AND THEIR SALARIES ARE TOO SMALL.

DELIVERING HIS KEYNOTE ADRESS ON THE LUNCHING OF THE REPORT ON MINING, MR. KANU STATED THAT, IN A NOT TOO DISTANCE FUTURE, THE NEW MINES AND MINIRAL BILL WILL BE TAKEN TO PALIAMENT FOR ENACTMENT.

HE REITERATED OF GOVERNMENT’S COMMITMENT TO MAKESURE THE PEOPLE OF SIERRA LEONE BENEFIT FROM THE MINING, HOWEVER ASSURED THAT HIS MINISTRY WILL TAKE A BETTER LOOK AT THE REPORT AND ENGAGE VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS.

IN HIS STATEMENT, THE HEAD OF THE ANTI CORRUPTION COMMISSION IN SIERRA LEONE, ABDUL TEJAN COLE STATE THAT DESPITE ITS HUGE MINERAL RESOURCES, SIERRA LEONE IS STILL AMONG THE POOREST COUNTRIES IN THE WORLD.

HE DISCLOSED THAT DIAMOND BUT RATHER DIFFERENT ARMED GROUP TARGETING MINING AREAS DID NOT COUSE ACCODING TO THE COUNTRIES THRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION (TRC) REPORT, THE WAR IN SIERRA LEONE.

THE REPORT LUNCHED IS TITLED,”SIERRA LEONEAT THE CROSS ROAD” AND IT WAS PUT TOGETHER BY THE NATIONAL COALITION ON EXTRACTIONS SUPPORTED BY CHRISIAN AID SIERRA LEONE.

At a meeting held at the office of the vice president, vice president Sam Sumana told the commissioners that when he suspended the two radio stations in accordance with sections 25 and 26 of the constitution of Sierra Leone, he pronounced that this action was temporary and would last until the return of the President, Dr.Ernest Bai Koroma.

After thorough deliberations, it was agreed that the IMC should assume it full functions and advice the Government on the way forward on this matter, the release continues.

The independent media commission is urging the management of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service and other radio stations to give equal access to the political parties to air out their programmers/activities until a decision is taken by the IMC on the matter.

In the meantime, the Sierra Leone Association of Journalists SLAJ has condemned the action taken by the vice president to suspend the two-radio stations. In addition, has asked the government to lift the suspension immediately and unconditional.

It all started over the weekend when violence clashes erupted in Freetown between supporters of the ruling All Peoples Congress (APC) and supporters of the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) that led to the vandalization and destruction of the head quarters of the SLPP in Freetown. It is still not clear as to what really sparked the violence; however it has been connected to the unveiling ceremony of the rehabilitated clock tower by the Freetown City Council (FCC).

The ceremony had taken place peacefully some one mile away graced by the Vice President, First Lady and cabinet ministers. However, after the ceremony, the Mayor of Freetown decided to dance through the streets of Freetown with supporters of the APC as they returned to the City Council office. The City Council office is very close to the SLPP head quarters and as the dancing crowd approached the opposition headquarters’, violence broke out that led to the destruction of the premises and burning down the vehicle of the Secretary General of the opposition SLPP.

The women solidarity support group, which is a group of different women organizations and civil society organization in a press statement, condemned the use of violence against women during political clash in Freetown on March 16 2009.

“An injury to one woman is an injury to all women. We are appalled by the fact that after the women of this nation have endured over a decade of violence and trauma during the war, woman’s bodies continue to be target” the women has said.

In a press statement released by the civil society movement in sierra leone has noted. civil society organisations are becoming worried that the incidences of political violence around the country have the potential to udermine the peace and democracy in sierra leone,perticularly, when investigation reports of prvious violent cases are yet to be made public.

Speaking to journalists from the sub region on the dangers of drug trafficking Mr. Bombande noted that illegal drug trade would corrupt state institutions like the police, government officials and security agencies. He expressed fear that drug pushers would bribe the states actors thus resulting into the dyfunctioning of states functionaries.

States security agents stand the risk of being bribe by drugs traffickers thus weakening the states. ”Drug trade would corrupt states’ institutions like the police, international airports, which drug pushers use as transit points,” he emphasize.

Mr. Bombande also said child soldiers in the Liberian civil crisis were drugged and used as killing machine. “These child soldiers never had childhood, which is a danger. Can you imagine children as young as eight were recruited and armed to kill their own relatives,” he said.

The failure of African leaders to evenly distribute their country’s wealth among citizens has resulted too many armed conflict. Some leaders after winning elections focused on the areas they hail, thus segregating citizens on tribal and political lines. “Political transition is also a challenge for West African leaders”, because they want to hold on to power perpetual, the researcher added. He observed that it is unfortunate for leaders to stay in power for longer time.

He also noted that soldiers interferes with governance under the pretext of restoring democratic rule has also resulted into bloody armed struggles as experienced in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Coups staged by these soldiers sometimes turned bloody while they become dictators during there time in office” he noted. Mr Atuobi explained that power sharing like is done in Kenya is not a good example for African leaders

On the pattern and volume of trade, Dr Boom said,a perticuler country has to watch what it trade because if a country takes all what it has and send it abroad then what is there to integrate he asked.one interesting thing he spoke about was when he said Ecowas countries do not sell goods to each other.he said integration tekes place, in product, labour, capital market, monetary integration, integration of government activities, regulation, social and cultural integration of people.