Sewa News Stream

  Sierra Leone's passport is currently ranked #70 among residence and citizenship by investment programs. Meanwhile, Sierra Leone's "Passport Bros" are offering passports for prices as low as $140,000. Why is this occurring? It is due to President Maada Bio and his associates being deeply involved in corruption, which allows kleptocracy to prosper at the expense of the citizens. No country in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region should be selling passports for $140,000, except Sierra Leone, where it is reported that a drug lord finances the president. To acquire citizenship in Sierra Leone, one must make a donation of $100,000, purchase property worth $200,000, invest $1.5 million, provide $400,000 per investor, and pay $150,000 to the University of Sierra Leone. Some non-Africans in Sierra Leone are still denied access to its heritage and business opportunities, despite many having contributed significantly more than the $140,000 fee. In comp...

  In this archive photo , Sierra Leone's First Lady, Fatima Bio, is seen speaking as president of the Organization of African First Ladies for Development to promote their mission for women and children across Africa. Clearly, Mrs. Bio takes her role as a political spouse seriously. She also understands that her support—or lack of support—for various interest groups can spark debate and create challenges, especially during party conventions, where she was recently confronted by her opponents for endorsing her preferred candidates. However, she believes that being mocked, harassed, and humiliated in Parliament just moments before her husband, President Maada Bio, was scheduled to deliver his speech at the State Opening went too far. Her protest against the unprecedented disrespect shown to a first lady has received sympathy from some parts of the Sierra Leonean public. While members of parliament and her political rivals have been quick to mock her, many people acknowledge the chall...

  Fifty years ago, on July 19, 1975, I looked in fear at the lifeless body of Ibrahim Bash-Taqi hanging on the high brick wall of Pademba Road in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Taqi was executed by hanging alongside former finance minister Mohamed Forna, Army Lieutenant Habib Lansana Kamara, and Paramount Chief Bai Makarie N'silk at Pademba Road. The turmoil began after a disputed election in 1967, which led to a military coup that overthrew Sierra Leone's civilian government following independence. This military rule lasted just over a year and ended with another coup that reinstated Siaka Stevens, whose All People's Congress (APC) had won the 1967 elections. Between 1968 and 1969, tensions grew between the APC and the opposition Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), which had governed from 1961 to 1967. Dissatisfaction increased among some APC members, leading to the formation of the National Democratic Party (NDP). This party fueled opposition against the APC through newslett...

Jason Kindrachuk, PhD, an associate professor and Canada Research Chair at the University of Manitoba, has been discussing emerging viruses and Ebola on social media. This weekend, he shared his insights with over 20,000 followers regarding the Mpox outbreak in Sierra Leone, emphasizing the urgent need for vaccines as the situation worsens. Mpox is a dreadful and preventable disease, and the call for vaccines is critical as cases continue to rise.  Deutsche Welle Africa has reported that Sierra Leone has confirmed 3,011 Mpox cases and 14 deaths since the beginning of 2025, reflecting a 50% increase in just 10 days. The outbreak now spans all regions of the country. In response, authorities have converted a police training center in Freetown into a 400-bed treatment facility. Mpox, a viral disease related to smallpox, has been spreading increasingly in Africa since 2022, leading the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare a global health emergency in 2024. Other African countrie...

" While it is possible to find a place to rent in Sierra Leone, what makes sense price-wise doesn't come with the amenities ," writes Vickie Remoe in a recent checklist she published for Millennials and Gen Z planning to live and work in Sierra Leone. Rental properties that include amenities are priced for expatriates, Vickie cautioned. Additionally, renting in Sierra Leone comes with the financial burden of paying rent a year or two in advance. "You may be able to afford it the first time around, but depending on the kind of salary or income, continuing to do so after a year might stretch you," she said.  Reading Vickie's tips left me with more questions than answers: 1. What does she consider as amenities? Do they include, say, running water, a rain garden, a well pump in the backyard, and a solar-powered electric generator? 2. What does Vickie mean by rentals are priced for ex-pats? 3. What are the comparative rent prices across Sierra Leone? Is she talk...

Tracey Marke's grandfather was a prominent lawyer. He owned property in Hamilton, Freetown, and his son, Tracey's father, worked hard as a businessman to become the most prominent landholder in Hamilton in the 1960s.   There was a stretch of wetlands in Hamilton called " Portoh " that was used by the community. This area was eventually grabbed by local politicians, depriving Hamilton villagers of valuable food planting land. "After learning about how Prince Harding and his wife Anne Marie had been trespassing, I got a fence erected to protect the land," Tracey wrote in March 2020 . "When Prince Harding and his wife realised what was happening, they went to my caretakers with thugs. They threatened to break down Josephine Soya-Bongay's fence.  I wasn't too worried about this threat as it would be impossible to traverse land belonging to Josephine to get to mine without destroying her fence or gates. "In March 2020, I was told that Mrs. Anne ...

Since the Ebola epidemic exploded into Sierra Leone in May 2014, the disease has claimed more than 1,250 lives and the virus continues to outpace efforts to contain it. In October, Save the Children warned that a rate of five new Ebola cases an hour in Sierra Leone means healthcare demands are far outstripping supply. According to the World Health Organization, 24 percent of the total number of 6,000 Ebola cases in Sierra Leone have been reported in the past three weeks. Although doctors and nurses in Sierra Leone are laboring to combat the Ebola outbreak, which is putting enormous strain on the limited healthcare facilities, and emergency medicine volunteers have flown in from various countries to help in the fight, Sierra Leone remains a country with widespread transmission. In response, a new medical organization plans to tap Sierra Leonean born doctors, nurses, and public health professionals around the world to fill the gap. For more information on the US-Sierra Leone Healt...

The National Organization of Sierra Leoneans in North America (NOSLINA) is planning a third airlift of equipment in response to Sierra Leone’s plea for help with battling widespread and intense transmission of Ebola. Currently, Sierra Leone's Ministry of Health and Sanitation urgently requires medication, rubber gloves, aprons, goggles or face shields, surgical or high filtration masks, leg covers, and shoe covers, amongst other items. Three months ago, NOSLINA airlifted materials to combat the Ebola virus. The initiative — which involved delivery of more than 4,750 pounds of cargo, followed calls from diplomatic representation led by Ambassador Bockari Kortu Stevens in Washington D.C. The items were transported to Sierra Leone from the United States through coordination of Airlink, a 24/7 disaster response organization that links vetted charities such as NOSLINA with airlines for air and cargo transportation, and with global logistics companies. The aircraft arrived at Fr...

Dr. Ibrahim Diallo There has been a lot of news coverage lately about Ebola in Sierra Leone. By all accounts, it’s an ugly situation—transmission rates rising, aid appearing too little, too late, airlines canceling flights, countries suspending visa applications, Sierra Leoneans facing stigma, and overall economic loss for the country. And that’s not even taking into account the after-effects on thousands of children who are now orphans.   "While we have been away from home, our hearts are with our families, friends and neighbors we would like to help during this difficult moment," says Dr. Ibrahim Diallo, chairman of the US-Sierra Leone Healthcare Coalition. "They expect us, their diaspora, to stand up and tell their stories."           The 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa has dramatically raised awareness of the global burden of infectious disease and raised questions about the preparedness of public health systems.  The Ebola epid...

Photo courtesy of Ulreen Turay After 22 years in America, Miriam Conteh-Morgan returned to Sierra Leone in November 2013. A lot has changed, for sure, and some things are not quite how she remembered it. "I returned to Sierra Leone after 22 years in the United States. Lived in Ohio and was associate professor and library subject specialist at The Ohio State University.  Decision to return home based purely on my personal situation. Played with the idea for about 5 years, during which I visited every year, testing the waters for periods ranging between 3 weeks and 5 months." Last November, Miriam finally felt it was the right time. "So leaving my adult son and daughter, a brand new (8 week) grandson, I took the plunge. Wasn't easy leaving them, my very satisfying job, and a way of life, but the pull of home was stronger." Miriam came back to the University of Sierra Leone, where she taught in the Linguistics department before leaving in 1991-1992. ...