Mercury International Launches a New Product

By Fatmata Lamrana Bah (Intern)

Mercury International, lead company in lotto and sports betting activities has on the 13th November 2017, launched a new product called Nap Chance. Nap chance as the name implies is an extension of the Super Leones and Daily Leones draw of the 5/90 games that gives added winning chances to consumers, said Mr. Olubumi Kamara, Marketing manager at Mercury International.

Olubumi Kamara added that it includes Nap chance Three (3), Four (4) and Five (5) which is also played within the 5/90 game. According to Mr. Bummi, the Super Leones has it winning numbers at the top with compensation from the machine numbers if one happens to see one's numbers in the machine numbers that came out. He pointed out Daily Leones winnings come only from the top numbers with no compensation, adding that the Nap Chance gives an opportunity to play and win, and if one does not win, the money used by the customer to play will be refunded.

Mr. Bummi further described the game as interesting because in "Nap Chance 3", if the entire numbers a customer played came out, they win 1,600.000 at 1000 Leones and that if two numbers came, they also win a sum of 27,000 and get a refund of the money played if one number comes out. He revealed that Nap chance 4 and 5 increases the winning sum and the compensation sum, with the same process.

He rounded up by encouraging customers to come on board and try out this New Product as with Mercury International lottery products, one is assured of winning big cash every day!!

US$20M Grant for mining sector

Sierra Leone will receive a US$20 million International Development Association (IDA) Grant for the second phase of the Extractive Industries Technical Assistance Project (EITAP 2) to help strengthen governance, increase geological knowledge, and support to the artisanal mining sector in the country. Under the first phase of the Extractive Industries Technical Assistance Project (EITAP 1 (2009-2016)), Sierra Leone laid the foundation for improved governance in the mining sector. It supported new legislation, institutions, capacity building and increased transparency. These attracted new investments to the sector allowing its revenues and associated activities to make significant contributions to the country’s economic growth. Among the most important achievements was the support provided for the creation of the National Minerals Agency (NMA), the sector’s regulatory and survey institution.

The objective of this follow-on project is to continue to build on the improvements tomineral sector governance vis-à-vis strengthening the legal and regulatory frameworks and supporting the implementation of the recently updated Minerals Policy and Artisanal Mining Policy,incorporating the principles of the African Mining Vision (AMV) adopted by African Heads of State in 2009.Implementation of both the new Minerals Policy and Artisanal Mining Policy will also address issues of transfer pricing, revenue management, dispute resolution, harmonization of land policies, skills development and improved environmental management in the sector.

The project further seeks to enhance geological knowledge, including building Sierra Leone's geological infrastructure by supporting the government to conduct an airborne geophysical survey of the whole country as well as complete the coverage of geological maps of Sierra Leone.  The longer-term impacts are expected from increased investor interest which will produce valuable geological information of use not only to the mining industry but also hydrologists, the agricultural sector, and rural planning.

EITAP 2 will also strengthen the Geo-Data Information Management System (GIMS) and the expected outcome is to provide basic and reliable geological information necessary to facilitate the promotion of private investments in the mining sector, identify areas that may be reserved and to support the planning of the socio-economic development of the country. In support of these activities, a Data Management Policy and guidelines is currently being prepared for definition of collection, storage, use and dissemination of the country’s geodata.

“The country currently does not have a proper inventory of geological data or a modern survey map that is essential for a modern minerals sector. The airborne survey will help provide basic and reliable geological information necessary toimprove knowledge about the country’s mineral resources potential. This will help the country improve value from its resource endowment,” said Parminder Brar, World Bank Country Manager for Sierra Leone.“The project will also benefit the people of Sierra Leone and artisanal mining communities from improved environmental protection, the mitigation of social impacts, and attention to the distribution of benefits from mining operations, including increased access to employment and other economic benefits.”

Although it is widely agreed that the artisanal mining sector in Sierra Leone is significant in terms of numbers of artisanal miners and production quantities, there is only anecdotal evidence to support this claim. EITAP2 will fund a formal Baseline Study on Artisanal Mining in Sierra Leone, to quantify, document and analyze the extent to which artisanal mining happens, where it happens, who does it, what they mine, and why. The project will also fund the piloting of a “Green Gold” branding project to promote cleaner gold production processes amongst artisanal miners.

The Ministry of Minesand Mineral Resources, the National Minerals Agency (NMA), the Petroleum Directorate, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the National Revenue Authority,among other government entities involved in the extractiveindustries sector governanceand oversight, will benefit from institutional reform and capacity building. The international investmentcommunity will also benefit through improvements to the regulatory regime and Geo‐Data Knowledgeand Management that will facilitate foreign direct investment.

1,000 Low-cost Houses for Mudslide and Flooding Victims

By Abdul Malik Bangura

Eversince Sierra Leone’s President, His Excellency Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma called for support to salvage the condition of August 14^th 2017, flooding and mudslide victims in the country, Sierra Leone hardworking Ambassador to the Republic of Korea, His Excellency Omrie Michael Golley has tirelessly engaged the People of Korea Republic, so as to see how the south-south east Asia country would help in resuscitating the plight of vulnerable Sierra Leonean citizens who are affected by the twin shocks.

                     

Against this backdrop, His Excellency Omrie Micheal Golley has finally jet into with three Korean experts in infrastructural low-cost housing.

The experts, who are from the South Korean JUAN Construction Company, arrived the shores of Sierra Leone on Tuesday 28^th November 2017, and the team comprises Mr. Hoseon Seong, Chairman of the construction company; and another two namely Huian Kim and Kichang Kim.

During an interview with this writer on Wednesday 29^th November 2017, Ambassador Omrie Golley spoke about the purpose of the visit of the Koreans, which he said is to conduct expert and preliminary testing of the proposed site for the construction of one thousand (1,000) low-cost housing units for the victims and affected persons of the mudslide that hit Freetown, Sierra Leone’s capital on August 14^th 2017.

Also delving into the financing of the low-cost housing for flooding and mudslide victims’ project, Ambassador Golley said thirty (30) million dollar (USD) has been put aside for the construction of up to a thousand low-cost housing units. Ambassador Golley said the Koreans have already got a proposed site for the construction of the 1000 low-cost housing at Six (6) Miles in the outskirt of Freetown.

Ambassador Omrie Golley also confirmed that already, the Korean delegation has on Wednesday 29^th November 2017, held a meeting with the Sierra Leone Honourable Minister of Works, Housing and Infrastructure, Alhaji Ibrahim Kemoh Sesay, and also the official visit to the Minister was followed by a visit at the proposed site for the construction of the low-cost houses.

Meanwhile, it is worthy to note that the efforts of Ambassador Omrie Golley to come with Korean experts in Sierra Leone is a fulfillment of earlier promise made by Ambassador Omrie Golley through this writer in one of his earlier interviews from his Embassy in Seoul, South Korea’s capital. 

In that interview, Ambassador Golley made a passionate statement on Monday 11^th September, 2017, to delve into the massive assistances to Sierra Leone by the Republic of Korea in the aftermath of our August 14^th mudslide and flooding disaster that claimed the lives of more than five hundred (500) people, displaced more than three thousands (3000) people and left hundreds more still missing.

Earlier on, whilst elaborating on the more assistance of the Korean people to Sierra Leone, Ambassador Omrie Golley said apart from the huge financial assistance the Koreans gave to Sierra Leone, he was also able to get Sierra Leone to be among twenty two (22) countries that were officially invited by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport of the Government of the Republic of Korea, to attend the Global Infrastructural Cooperation Conference (GICC) that was held in Seoul from the 4-6 September 2017.

He said, the GICC Conference created an opportunity to get Sierra Leone involved in it, so that through the country’s Ministry of Works, Housing and Infrastructure, Sierra Leone was able to present a case for more Korean support in the construction of low-cost houses for affected victims of the August 14^th mudslide and flooding disaster.

Ambassador Omrie Golley further added that the conference was attended by Korean Government institutions, as well as construction companies, financial houses including banks in the public and private sector, and NGO's.

In addition, Ambassador Omrie Goley confirmed that after the conference, he was able to organize a meeting on Tuesday 5th September 2017, between the Korean Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Hyunmee Kim and the Sierra Leone Works Housing and Infrastructure Minister, Hon. Alhaji Ibrahim Kemoh Sesay. At that meeting, His Excellency Ambassador Omrie Golley confirmed that Hon. Alhaji Kemoh Sesay recounted the unfortunate mudslide and flooding tragedy that hit Freetown of the 14th August 2017 and made an urgent appeal to his Korean counterpart for support for the construction of low cost housing units for the displaced.

On the night of Wednesday29^th November 2017, a senior government official who also spoke to this writer on the Support of the Koreans to Sierra Leone acknowledged that the dedicated and patriotic work of Ambassador Omrie Golley in serving the Government and People of Sierra Leone has been very outstanding. He added that apart from the fact that he was the first Ambassador from Sierra Leone to South Korea, “but also the Ambassador has been able to navigate through all the difficulties of setting-up a new mission.”

On the phone late Wednesday night Mohamed Kallon, one of the survivors of the August 14^th Mudslide in Regent Community, who commented on the supports from the Koreans said the news is welcoming to them and that it is a swift and timely efforts from Ambassador Omrie Golley. He also expressed eagerness to see that the work is quickly rolled out and it is done within the shortest possible time.

Meanwhile, just like the mudslide and flooding disaster, under the dedicated stewardship of Ambassador Omrie Golley, Sierra Leone also saw massive efforts from our Korean counterparts during the Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak, all, including the 1,000 low-cost housing is to ensure that President Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma delivers in his Agenda for Prosperity.

Salone to Benefit from US$200 Million Off-Grid Electrification Project

Sierra Leone is among nineteen countries in West Africa that will benefit from a regional off-grid electrification project that will provide beneficiary countries with needed support to foster a sustainable and scalable off-grid solar energy market to meet the electrification needs of its unserved populations under the Lighting Africa Program, supported by the World Bank Group.

The US$200 million Regional Off-Grid Electrification Project (ROGEP) is expected to help address the key barriers to attract private sector participation in promoting off-grid solar electrification in the fifteen ECOWAS member nations plus four other countries – Cameroon, Central Africa Republic, Chad and Mauritania.

The project, which will be implemented by the ECOWAS Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE), will support two major work streams. The first work stream focuses on the development of a “Regional Market” and will have a budget allocation of about US $60 million. These funds will contribute to market assessment studies and the identification of policy barriers, as well as help to create a unified regional market for solar products in the nineteen project countries by harmonizing trade policies and strengthening the countries’ bureaus of standards with the adoption of a regional quality standard for standalone solar. The project will also ensure provision of an entrepreneurship development facility; provision of seed funding to local startup entrepreneurs; and provide incentives to attract impact investors through provision of matching grants; while reducing the risk from public institutions to the private electricity service providers.

The second work stream deals with mitigating “Access to Finance” barriers for private enterprises. This follows a financial intermediary approach and will be implemented through Regional Development Banks (RDBs). The RDBs will help manage lines of credit which can be accessed by commercial banks, debt funds, micro finance institutions, leasing companies, securitization firms, and others.

The unelectrified, living mainly in rural areas of Sierra Leone, usually lack access to energy services, and primarily use small diesel or petrol generators and kerosene lamps for their lighting and energy needs. They typically spend 10 to 30 times more on these poor-quality energy sources than those living in urban areas, who benefit from grid connections, often with subsidized tariffs. As standalone solar systems become progressively cheaper – resulting in lower start-up, operation and management costs – they can significantly reduce consumer energy expenditures, while simultaneously improving the quality of the energy services while mitigating the health risks associated with burning kerosene and other similar lamps.

Due to advancements in solar PV technologies, standalone off-grid solar now has the potential to significantly transform electricity access in Sub-Saharan Africa, in particular for consumers who are far from the grid network and unlikely to gain access even in the medium term. Even those who can expect to get access to the grid network in a couple of years can use standalone solar systems instead of burning kerosene and candles, or living in darkness while they wait.

Successful lessons from existing Lighting Africa supported projects will be scaled up under ROGEP to extend electricity to households and commercial enterprises following a market based model. Two pilot initiatives are ongoing in Niger and Nigeria to identify suitable mechanisms, including technical specifications and commercial arrangements, to electrify public institutions under the project. Lessons from this pilot will inform the project design.

Market assessment of the project countries will be completed by April 2018, and the project is expected to take-off after approval by the World Bank’s Board of Directors in September 2018.