By: Sahr Morris Jr. (Intern)

 Sierra Leone's Minister of Sports, Ahmed Khanou on Tuesday 13th December 2016, presented a cheque of Two Hundred and Twenty Million, One Hundred and Ninety-six Thousands Leones (Le 220,196,000) to the historic Mercury 4/50 Jackpot lottery winner Abdul Abu Kalokoh.

During the symbolic handing over ceremony of the cheque at 44 Bathurst Street in Freetown, the Sports Minister applauded Mercury International Sports Betting and Lottery Company for what he described as the company's relentless and unchallenged contribution to national development.

Major iron ore producer Sierra Leone’s economic progress has taken a double hit in recent years with the drop in global commodity prices and the Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak that struck West Africa in 2014.

Now EVD free and on a mission to diversify its economy, its government has made tourism one of its priority sectors for development.

President Koroma and key ministers are in China this week to appeal directly and personally to the Chinese political leadership, especially president Xi Jinping. They desperately need help – and they need it fast.

Sierra Leone is at risk of falling apart, due to rampant corruption, economic mismanagement and politicisation of business and everyday public life.

The FIFA general secretary and the Sierra Leone Football Association, SLFA, held in Freetown, Sierra Leone, on the 19^th November 2016. At this joint meeting on Saturday 19^th November 2016, the following clearly came out as issues to be resolved in order to sanitize and to find the way forward for the development of the football in Sierra Leone:

1.      The meeting recognized the role of government in the development and promotion of football in the country.

The Managing Director of Sierra Leone's  leading and undisputed Sports Betting and lottery  Company, Mercury International, Martin Michael on Thursday 17th November, 2016 disclosed the Company's plans to splash out another  Le100 million extra bonus to the 4/50 Jackpot amount.

The Le100 million bonus is set aside for the Friday 25th November, 2016 and it is the third extra bonus marking the 114th edition of the 4/50 Jackpot lottery game since its inception in March 2016.

By Khalilu Sillah

President Ernest Bai Koroma has commissioned phase one of the Dream Atlantic Villa Estates constructed by the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation-Sierra Leone Limited (CCECC-SL) at Lumley beach in Freetown.

Giving a general background of the company, General Manager Sun Man said the company was established in 1979 under the approval of the State Council of the People’s Republic of China as one of the pioneers performing international contracting and economic cooperation.

By Hawa Dauda

Ministry of sports and the national sport council have issued a press release informing the general public about the postponement of the stakeholders’ consultative meeting which was slated for 1 November 2016 until further notice.

By Mohamed Kai

The Sierra Leone Council of Chief Executives in collaboration with the African Council   of   Chief   Executives   and   the   Africa   Media   Foundation   has   presented excellence award to Milla Group as the best industry player in 2016.

It said that they had exhibited outstanding performance towards Sierra Leone’s socio-economic development aspirations.

By Hawa Dauda

The Director of Sports, Ibrahim Bangura has announced the date for the verification of delegates for the upcoming delegate conference of the Association.

 The announcement  was made at  a meeting with delegates  and other members of the association at the Atlantic Hall , Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown  by the Director of Sports, Ibrahim Bangura.

By David Remie Wilson

Sierra Leone Brewery Limited has launched the ‘MI NA KING; campaign on its new King Leone Beer in the Sierra Leonean market over the weekend

Speaking at the launching ceremony, Marketing Manager, Sierra Leone Brewery Limited, Desmond George said they decided to create a new brand purely Sierra Leonean to embrace the culture and give their customers pleasure, leisure and entertainment.

Managing Director of Sierra Leone State Lottery Company, Charles Kamara has expressed fear on the way and manner by which betting processes are being carried out in the country and urged the Parliamentary Public Account Committee to set up a regulatory body that would regulate betting companies in the country.

According to Mr. Kamara “a regulatory body will help Sierra Leone State Lottery to operate effectively with international standards. He furthered that every Commonwealth state has a regulatory body that protects the state’s lottery companies.

Israel T. Okujagu country Manager of Sierra Leone Bottling Company Limited has told Members of Parliament (MP’s) especially the Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Trade and Industry that amongst several things his company is said to have spent about $ 8,000 in the country. (Photo: Country Manager Israel T. Okujagu of Sierra Leone Coca-Cola Company Limited)

Country Manager Israel Okujagu said this wards during a Parliamentary summoned on Monday 6^thJune 2016 at the New Administrative Building OAU Drive Tower Hill, in Freetown.

The price of oil rose slightly despite a meeting of the Opec oil producers' group failing to set a cap on the amount of oil the group produces.

Brent crude ended Thursday 0.4% higher at $49.94 a barrel. Prices initially fell but then reversed course when figures showed that US crude stockpiles had fallen in the past week.

Mr Sadiq Sillah, Chairman of Pujehun District Council admonished senior staff at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security that as elected officials, they have no qualms in challenging them to account for their service delivery functions to the agriculture sectors, particular in the areas of farmers welfare and the supply of seeds and inputs for agricultural production. Speaking at the Ministry’s annual retreat at Makeni City Hall, Mr Sillah congratulated the Minister for the delivery by Mr Leslie Scott, a member of the President’s delivery team on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security when he addressed Council Chairmen and other officials in Freetown just two days prior.

Director of Sports, Ibrahim Bangura has said the Sierra Leone Handball Association (SLHA) is one of the best structures in the country
He made this statement when he was officially opening the Level One coaching course on Monday 23rd 2016 at the Squash Court at the Siaka Stevens Stadium in Freetown.

The World Bank, U.S. Embassy and the European Union have reiterated their commitment to collaborate with the Government of Sierra Leone to help strengthen the country’s Fisheries Sector through rebuilding of fisheries stocks, setting up of a sustainable fisheries management system that will result in improving livelihoods, government revenues, and attract responsible private sector investment.  Briefing the local media today during a joint press conference held at the World Bank office in Freetown, heads of the three missions recognized the huge potential and centrality of the fisheries sector to improving the revenue base of the country, and that they were collaborating with the Government to address the issues inhibiting the growth of the sector.

The acting Principal of Milton Margai School for the Blind, Mr Lansana Kamara, has said that the leading betting company, Mercury International Sierra Leone Limited has rescued them at the right time.
A delegation from Mercury International headed by the Board Chairman of the Charity Foundation, Mr Samir Hassaniyeh donated a total sum of Le 20 million to the school on Wednesday 18th May 2016 at their school campus on Wilkinson Road in Freetown.

The newly appointed Minister of Sports, Ahmed Khanou, on Thursday summoned a meeting between the Executive of the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA) and the aggrieved stakeholders to commence peace dialogue between the two parties for the first time since 2013.

The Veteran Cycling Club (VCC) scribe, Eustace Thompson has said the veteran association welcomes the decision of the National Sports Council to intervene in the Cycling Association impasse.
They said the decision to hold an elective congress is in place as this executive is illegal, adding that staying in office as demonstrated by this illegal body, which mandate had expired over a year ago is unconstitutional.

By James Tamba Lebbie

Putting this brief piece together is a deliberate decision. And among many reasons, the desire to write it is borne out of the necessity to make an attempt to throw some light on the misconceptions of the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR).

In my view as a public relations tutor, the use of such an expression in so many different contexts has demonstrated either ignorance of the concept or a deliberate attempt especially by corporate institutions by cherry-picking the philanthropic aspect of CSR – corporate philanthropy – which by all means, has the proclivity to boost their corporate image.

In Sierra Leone for instance, each time a business house or corporate institution doles out funds or assistance in some other form to organisations, clubs or other groups, either the benefactor or beneficiary will refer to such assistance as being in line with the former’s corporate social responsibility. Essentially therefore, CSR has become synonymous with doing good in the community or society in which the corporate institutions exists and operates. Against this background, any attempt at elucidating this concept should begin with some historical trace of the evolution of the theory of corporate social responsibility.