This Day Salone

06/02/2026

“…The Netherlands is seeking to persuade European Union partners to consider suspending development cooperation with Sierra Leone over concerns that a suspected Dutch drug trafficker is being sheltered in the country, according to a report by Dutch broadcaster NOS.

The report says the Dutch cabinet wants to increase pressure on Sierra Leone over its failure to arrest and extradite Jos Leijdekkers, a Dutch national also known as “Bolle Jos,” who is wanted on serious drug trafficking charges in Europe…”

The Netherlands is seeking to persuade European Union partners to consider suspending development cooperation with Sierra Leone over concerns that a suspected Dutch drug trafficker is being sheltered in the country, according to a report by Dutch broadcaster NOS. The report says the Dutch cabinet wa...

05/30/2026

“…Yankuba Askia Bio, Director-General of the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbours Authority (SLPHA), has been awarded the Africa-UK Most Outstanding Personality in Port Operations and Management Award, recognising his role in advancing maritime infrastructure, improving port efficiency, and strengthening Sierra Leone’s position in regional and international trade.

The award was presented at the Africa-UK Diaspora Trade and Investment Summit and Awards (AFUDIT-ISA), which honours individuals and institutions making significant contributions to economic development, trade promotion, and investment across Africa.

According to the award citation, Bio was recognised for his “outstanding contribution to Africa’s development” and for demonstrating “exceptional leadership and vision” through initiatives that have delivered tangible benefits to communities and economies…”
https://thisdaysl.com/sierra-leone-ports-chief-wins-africa-uk-award-for-maritime-reforms/

05/26/2026

“…Official figures show iron ore generated more than 800 million dollars in export earnings in 2024, making it Sierra Leone’s most valuable export commodity. Diamonds, rutile and bauxite remain major contributors as well.

But these headline numbers conceal a deeper problem: Sierra Leone is exporting raw wealth while importing finished prosperity.

Iron ore leaves the country unprocessed and is transformed abroad into steel, the backbone of global infrastructure and manufacturing. Rough diamonds are exported before cutting, polishing, certification and branding, stages where their value can multiply dramatically. Cocoa beans are shipped overseas in raw form and later return as high-priced chocolate products sold in European supermarkets.

In nearly every case, the most profitable stages of production occur outside Sierra Leone.

The contradiction is equally visible in agriculture.

Sierra Leone is now among the leading suppliers of organic cocoa to the European Union market. EU trade and market data consistently place the country among the top three exporters of organic cocoa to Europe, often competing for second and third place depending on annual volumes…”

As government officials, mining executives and foreign investors gathered in Freetown for Sierra Leone Mining Week 2026, the language was polished: “value addition,” “beneficiation,” and “shared prosperity.” But beneath the conference slogans lies a harsher economic reality. Sierra Leone...

05/23/2026

Liberia’s health authorities have rejected viral social media claims alleging new Ebola cases in the country, saying there are no suspected, probable or confirmed infections.

In a joint statement, the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and the John F. Kennedy Medical Center said the reports circulating online were false and risked fuelling unnecessary panic.

“Liberia currently has no suspected, probable, or confirmed case of Ebola Virus Disease,” the statement said, urging the public to rely only on official health communications.

The clarification comes after Facebook and WhatsApp posts claimed that Ebola cases had been identified in Liberia among travellers returning from Uganda.

Liberia’s health authorities have rejected viral social media claims alleging new Ebola cases in the country, saying there are no suspected, probable or confirmed infections. In a joint statement, the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL) and the John F. Kenne...

05/22/2026

“…The result sparked celebrations among supporters, who turned out in large numbers at the venue to witness the decisive fixture in Waterloo FC’s promotion campaign.

The WAFA Super 10, organised by the Western Area Football Association, forms part of the qualification pathway for clubs aiming to progress into the National Division One and ultimately the Leone Rock Premier League.

For Waterloo FC, the achievement carries added significance. The club first reached the National Division One play-offs in 2012, marking a rare milestone at the time. This year’s qualification represents only their second appearance at that stage, underlining what officials and supporters describe as a renewed era of progress.

Their push this season has been marked by consistent and impressive performances across the Super 10 campaign, strengthening belief that a long-awaited breakthrough into the Premier League structure is now within reach.

Club officials say the team’s resurgence has been shaped by improved organisation and leadership, with CEO Kasho J. Holland Cole credited with playing an instrumental role in restoring competitiveness and direction within the club…”

Waterloo FC have secured qualification for the National Division One play-offs after a narrow but decisive 1–0 victory over Goderich FC in the Western Area Football Association (WAFA) Super 10 competition played today at the Approved School Playing Field. The breakthrough came in the first half wh...

05/21/2026

“…Leijdekkers, 34, is one of Europe’s most wanted fugitives and has become the subject of mounting diplomatic pressure between the Netherlands and Sierra Leone after Dutch investigators publicly stated they believed he had been residing in the West African country.

According to De Telegraaf, Dutch intelligence services monitored Leijdekkers’ movements within Sierra Leone and tracked alleged travel routes involving neighboring Liberia. The newspaper reported that Dutch special units trained for a possible maritime interception operation involving covert deployment at sea.

The Dutch Public Prosecution Service, known as the OM, has declined to comment publicly on operational details but maintains that Leijdekkers remains a priority target for international law enforcement.

The reports add to growing international scrutiny surrounding Sierra Leone’s alleged role in transnational co***ne trafficking routes connecting Latin America, West Africa and Europe.

Dutch and Belgian prosecutors have linked Leijdekkers to several major co***ne trafficking operations through the Port of Antwerp. This week, Belgian courts sentenced members of a network associated with him over an 11-ton co***ne shipment allegedly concealed in palm kernel cargo transported from Sierra Leone…”

Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf has reported that authorities in the Netherlands prepared at least two covert operations aimed at capturing fugitive co***ne trafficker Jos Leijdekkers, widely known as “Bolle Jos,” during his reported stay in Sierra Leone. The newspaper, citing unnamed investigative...

05/17/2026

Saudi Arabia confirms Dhul Hijjah Moon Sighting, Eid al-Adha on 27 May

Saudi Arabia has confirmed the sighting of the Dhul Hijjah crescent moon, officially marking Monday, 18 May 2026, as the first day of the Islamic month. 

The announcement, relayed by Sierra Leone’s Information Attaché to Saudi Arabia, Alhaji Abubakarr Bah, means the Day of Arafat will fall on Tuesday, 26 May, while Eid al-Adha will be celebrated on Wednesday, 27 May, in Saudi Arabia and several other countries following the Kingdom’s lunar calendar. 

The Day of Arafat marks the climax of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, drawing millions of Muslims to Mount Arafat near Mecca. Eid al-Adha, known as the Festival of Sacrifice, is one of Islam’s most important religious observances.

05/15/2026

“President Julius Maada Bio appeared to publicly side with First Lady Fatima Maada Bio’s defence of his earlier remarks, while simultaneously warning against what he described as “mago mago” politics amid escalating succession tensions inside the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

Speaking at the opening of a new SLPP office in Koidu, President Bio cautioned against attempts to influence political succession through backstage manoeuvring, perception management, or internal political engineering, warning that those relying on “mago mago” tactics should “prepare to wait.”

Political observers say the President’s remarks effectively reinforced earlier intervention by the First Lady, who had moved to correct what she described as misrepresentation of the President’s position amid rising succession speculation…”

President Julius Maada Bio appeared to publicly side with First Lady Fatima Maada Bio’s defence of his earlier remarks, while simultaneously warning against what he described as “mago mago” politics amid escalating succession tensions inside the ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). Spe...

05/14/2026

“Sierra Leone’s public finances are increasingly being squeezed by a dangerous combination of rising domestic borrowing, an expanding wage bill, and soaring debt servicing costs -a fiscal pattern economists warn is steadily shrinking the government’s ability to invest in long-term economic growth.

At the centre of the crisis is the government’s growing dependence on short-term Treasury bills to finance recurrent expenditure while the productive sectors of the economy struggle for credit, investment and expansion.

Official figures from the Ministry of Finance show that recurrent expenditure continues to dominate Sierra Leone’s budget structure, consuming far more resources than domestically financed capital investment.

The government’s FY2025 budget projected total expenditure and net lending at NLe35.3 billion. Of that amount, recurrent expenditure alone accounted for NLe22.1 billion, nearly two-thirds of the budget envelope, while domestically funded capital expenditure stood at just NLe2.2 billion…”

Sierra Leone’s public finances are increasingly being squeezed by a dangerous combination of rising domestic borrowing, an expanding wage bill, and soaring debt servicing costs — a fiscal pattern economists warn is steadily shrinking the government’s ability to invest in long-term economic gro...

05/13/2026

“…The exchange has further amplified conversations around succession dynamics in the SLPP, where internal debates over potential leadership transitions are already emerging ahead of the 2028 elections. While the party has not officially opened nominations for its flagbearer race, political discourse has increasingly centered on a small group of senior figures seen as possible contenders, alongside a broader circle of names circulating in public debate.

Among those frequently mentioned in political discussions are senior government and party figures, including Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh and other established actors within the party structure. However, any formal contest will depend on the official opening of the selection process and adherence to party constitutional requirements…”

Succession politics within Sierra Leone’s ruling Sierra Leone People’s Party has gained fresh attention following an apparent exchange between First Lady Fatima Bio and Chief Minister David Moinina Sengeh over comments linked to the country’s future leadership. The development comes after the ...