Friday’s edition of Sierra Leonean dailies feature diverse issues, from politics to spending to service delivery.
The Calabash newspaper leads with a story on ongoing visit to the United States by a government delegation headed by Vice President Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh to negotiate Sierra Leone’s fate on the possible funding under the US Millennium Challenge Corporation.
VP Jalloh reportedly meet with some Members of the US Congress as part of his engagement this week.
The headline reads: ‘6 Congress Members host VP Juldeh Jalloh and delegation.’
Sierra Express Media leads with a story on the spending of the government.
The headline reads: ‘Unchecked spending legalized.’
The story is about the recently passed 2020 Finance Act which provides for the president, Vice President and Speaker of Parliament to spend monies allocated to them for international travels without having to account for how they spend them to the public.
‘As citizens urge him not to sign 2020 Finance Act… Bio’s governance credential on the line,’ screams Salone Times. This is another take on the increasingly vexing issue of the 2020 Finance Act which gave the president, VP and Speaker carte blanche to spend imprest for international travel. According to the story, there is growing call for the president not to sign in on the Act for it to become law.
The Public Review reports on an operation by the Police against fake government documents. The headline reads: ‘Crack down on fake government documents.
The Weekly Analyst says debate on the 2020 budget has begun in parliament, following the passing of the controversial 2020 Finance Act.
Politico Newspaper leads with a bizarre story on dysfunctional sewerage systems in the capital city, Freetown, which has led to faeces flowing in parts of the city.
‘Faeces flow in Freetown,’ the headline reads, accompanied with a photo of a road barricaded by some residents to prevent speeding vehicles splashing the offensive liquid on them.
Peak Newspaper leads with a story on the preparation for the World AIDS Day 2019 commemoration on December 1.
The headline reads: ‘NAS [National AIDS Secretariat] braces up for World AIDS Day.
KC/as/APA