The Plight of the Girl-Pupil: Could Menstrual Period Be a Possible Explanation to High Dropout Rate among Girl-pupils?

By Amadu (Wurie) Jalloh

Excerpt:
"Hundreds of parents have mounted furious protests against a school after a girl killed herself for being shamed over having her period, it has been reported.
The 14-year-old Kenyan schoolgirl hanged herself at home after alleged being humiliated in front of her class.
Her mother said a teacher had called her 'dirty' for soiling her uniform and ordered her to leave the class in Kabiangek, west of the capital Nairobi.
'She had nothing to use as a pad. When the blood stained her clothes, she was told to leave the classroom and stand outside,' the mother was quoted as saying in Kenyan media."
Source: William Cole for Mailonline, 12 September, 2019 (sourced 12 September, 2019 at 13:38)

Meanwhile, did you know that the Common Wealth Secretariat (2012) reported that 1.8 million lives would be saved annually if all girls in Africa attained secondary school education with an increase in earning capacity of 10-20percent for girls and women in every extra year of education?
According to the School Census Report 2010/2011, Girl-pupils account for 48% of all school going children in Sierra Leone (cited by GoSL, 2013-2018 Agenda for Prosperity, p. 138). The number is, nonetheless, feared to decline drastically at every level further up as girls' net attendance across secondary schools averaged 33% compared to their counterparts (boy-pupils) with 40% in 2010; and more worrisome is the report that statistical evidence in 2004/05 academic year revealed that only 17% of Girl-pupils could complete senior secondary education compared to 35% for boy-pupils.

Now to my concern:

Sad and unfortunate incident. My heartfelt condolence to the family of the teen girl that couldn't stand the bully of a teacher, and decided to hang herself to death. If true, i would recommend his immediate expulsion, and of course policy actions that would give support to the girl-child in school.

In 2017, whilst assisting a student in her final year thesis project as an enumerator collecting primary data from respondents, chiefly Girl-pupils, I had a one-on-one interview with a Girl-pupil asking her to list frequent (possible) excuses for absenting from school. Whilst I was eagerly waiting to hear something related to Household chores or abuse when she surprisingly mentioned PERIOD.

*How Could Period Be A Possible Explanation?*

For a half-second, I wanted to dodge that subject (as the research variables did not extend to that), but I had a hunch that I should ask her about how that could be the case. By now I was curious, I had never thought of that as a barrier to their education.
She deliberated that she wouldn't attend school sometimes when on her period, especially if she has no menstrual pad or perfume to wear because she was attending dual-sex school; and most importantly so because she shares chair with a boy-pupil whom she feared would either bully her or be discomforted when not with a high quality-pad or not wearing perfume.
She further elaborated that sometimes the menstrual pain itself will stop her from attending, hence unintentionally missing class.

It's unfortunate that I could not convince the researcher to feature that finding into her final thesis report, her proposal had been approved with a defined scope and variables.
Albeit that being the case, I would ever since that day discus the issue with friends who are always seemingly thrilled by the finding, too.

Few weeks ago I discussed this with a colleague who is also passionate about promoting education. He suggested we take action. Days later, he called me requesting me to join a guild of youths proposing to start an NGO addressing issues related to the girl-child, which I am presently part of now

In the meantime, I emphasise that the subject needs attention. Social Science Researchers should investigate this phenomenon and proffer possible solutions to them.
On several occasions I tell friends that most of us that have attained University education in Sierra Leone and other patriarchal communities across the world have our sisters and girl-siblings to thank for concentrating on our study and eventually excelling to higher level.
I can still remember days when waking up from sleep early in the morning I would find my sister alongside my mom doing the house chores (washing the plates, mopping the floor, and dusting the furniture) while I prepare with ease to hurry up to school. She would sometimes magically complete her chores and hurriedly join me on my way to school.

How May that Have Helped Me?
Well, come to think of it that they would have little time to rest or look at their books in the morning in bid to fulfil society's placement of them. We  sometimes have the chance to open our books and revise few lines before going to school, which opportunity they would hardly have as a result of their engagement with work. From there, they would enter the classroom tired/weak and consequently losing focus. The teachers, who mostly careless, would either jeer them up yelling at their names (that's if they are lenient with them) or whip them on their head to wake them up.
And  when those girls fail their exams, we (I mean some of us boys/men) would consider them weak and not serious. We would forget that they are mostly the ones sacrificing their time to prepare us to school and keep our homes clean and hunger free.
The battle with house chores for them sometimes even continue at school where some teachers would ask them to take charge of cleaning the classes. And when they return home, they would cook and do other works till almost one third of the night. If we could care to ask what that smoke does to their eyesight. They would wake up again first thing in the morning under the same pressure. Their eyesight could get blurry or painful sometimes as a result of the smoke from kitchen, but we would ignorantly call them lazy and dull when they complain.

The above are just a few other possible causes to their massive failure, eventually leading to the high dropout rate among them, which we have understudied as social scientists.
We cannot continue to blame *teenage pregnancy* all the time. To me, *teenage pregnancy is a dependent variable that could be related to poor parental care and neglect, poverty, lack of sexual and reproductive heath education, etc.*

Governments and their development partners should work together to address this seemingly covert issues.

Meanwhile, parents have a greater role to play. I have always insisted that our girl-child need more financial support than our boy-pupils, especially when they reach puberty age. They need more money to keep themselves in social circles as a result of society's expectations of them-- they are expected to be neat, adorable, calm and brilliant, and of course glowing, which expectations are financially and emotionally expensive (would have to search for the author of that piece).

I wouldn't also hesitate to recommend that, as part of the Free Quality Education, Government introduce first-aid care for pupils across secondary schools in Sierra Leone to address issues related to light injury and menstrual pain/period for pupils. Girl-pupils should also be given menstrual pad and deodorants after every two or three months to help keep them in school. Many girls are victims to abuse and teenage pregnancy as a result of parents neglegence to supply them with sanitary provisions periodically. Menstrual pads and deodorants are as important to a girl/woman as a book and pen are important to every pupil/student. In their bid to secure such things, many girls have fallen victims of sexual abuse and harrassment from men older than them by far.
*My Opinion*
®SAWN

I FOUND A FLOWER

I found a flower in a murky distance
At a time the sun had barely uncovered its face
From the fine silk of nocturnal semblance
Spilling its radiance across the horizon
As birds tweet to prick silence from its slumbering mute

I approached closer to demystify
This enticing figure so to ensnare the butterfly
And cause a distraction to other wandering insects and all it could amuse --
For in its fragrance they could either lie aside to squander
Or resist and yet fear to look back lest they submerge in blunder

There were more open flowers spreading their corollas
In layers -- wide and vast as though to entrap the soft dew
And fluid of a morning anew
A holy spell they should amass
To moisturize their elegant petals

Now I wouldn't dare approach this close
And stand aloof and get lost in its flare
And enthralling glare
While I a man who've observed many a doofus
Stare in trance its elegance and sheer

Beauty are distracted from its intrigue
So I stretched a hand to give a gentle
And glorifying touch to its unique
And yet delicate and flamboyant foil:
Its body as smooth as a cocoon

And moistly as the silky gown worn
By the fon in a cold night in a Cameroonian
Hamlet deep in the dewy forest
Across the mountainous plateau
Where the sparrow's song will give silence a comforting rest

I found some flowers --
Some red, some yellow, some in their budding grace
And many more in a demising and yet humble phase
I found them right on top of a spiralling string
That runs down low unto a supporting base

I found a flower and I found me too
I saw those twists from their string and they must have been strenuous and persevering too
I saw their roots running deep inside the mud and smelly filth
And I saw some butterfly and humming birds sucking their nectar fluids
Despite their stinky roots and filthy stoop -- such is what life alludes

©Amadu Wurie Jalloh
®SAWN
26/09/2019

Civilization: That One Thing That Dares Us to Act!

By Amadu Wurie Jalloh
18/09/19

In 2014, the Students Analysts and Writes Network of the University of Makeni conceived the idea of publishing the first students' magazine for the university. The group minted to use the initiative to identify with more writers on campus and create a platform for them to make their voices be heard so to boost their skills and self-esteem. By then my genre of write-up (interest) was only poetry. But I wanted to fit in more prominently by writing an article- though there was a column given for poems, but I wanted to convey something complex but in a more simple language. I had been contemplating on things we do that those before us had done differently, as well as things they did decades, if not centuries away that have not changed a bit until now. It is so I dared to write my first 'article' since I entered university-- a path I have enjoyed treading upon since then. Meanwhile, the normal length of articles accepted for publication then was three pages (double space): I wrote a five pages article, and tried to compress it to have a maximum of three pages, but I still couldn't because then it became illegible that way, so I resolved to having four pages article on the topic civilization. It unfortunately couldn't pass the eligibility test, and was eventually dropped. But the good thing was, I managed to print several copies of it to post on different notice-boards across the township of Makeni.
Now, after years of observation, I have realized that I should make another call for a reform in our education system because it's my believe that it has not been responsive to the challenges we are faced with as a nation (I am trying my best not to infer that the education system in the whole sub-Saharan Africa needs an overhaul, but I am aware that we share common challenges).

When the subject CIVILIZATION is mentioned in most gatherings amongst Sierra Leoneans, the discus will mostly be centered on one of the following: ONES LOOK, APPROACH, and mostly, THE PECULIAR WAY OF LIFE OF A PARTICULAR GROUP OF PEOPLE. Meanwhile, in as much as that conventional wisdom offers a somewhat correct definition of the term, I, however would say it's not an accurate definition of the term because it's not all encompassing-- it makes a narrow definition of the term civilization.

The fundamentals of CIVILIZATION are: 1) challenges; and 2) answers

Humans, by nature of our being, are among the most vulnerable and weak mammals; but it's our ability to use our mental faculty far exceeding any other mammalian animal to overcome everyday's challenges that has today placed us in the spot among Apex predators, and most importantly, one of the most (if not the most) adaptive animal to have ever inhabited planet EARTH: we have managed to live and strive in the most weather extreme places. Our footprints, due to our aggressive survivalistic instinct, have even exceeded this planet to the moon. We basically have civilization to thank for that.

What About Our Education System?

Since civilization is in essence the responsive impulse to manage, prevent and resultantly overcome the environmental, social and economic challenges we are faced with as a society, the education we give should therefore be equivalent to the answers we seek as a striving nation.

But what are the challenges we need answers to as a nation?

The biggest challenge we are faced with as a nation of Africans is DARING TO DARE.

It would seem like we do not have the courage to respond to our everyday challenges as Africans. Our educational system has been a mere string pulling us towards the answers of another man's challenges-- the West. If you are wondering what I mean by this, come to think of how many graduates the nation of Africans have produced since the spread of Western Education, and how far have we gone in terms of solving our challenges as a nation. Why is it that even after decades of formation we are still host to some of the world's most poorest people? Why is it that despite the fact that our lands are fertile for growth we are still challenged with feeding ourselves? Why is it that despite the fact that our continent, and the country to be precise, is awashed with two third of the world's mineral resources used by industrialized nations to prosper, we yet cannot manufacture or produce end products in our land? Why would a country blessed with massive rains that would wash it population to the sea, and rivers that will obstruct commuters find it hard to provide basic pump-water facility to its citizens who would drink unclean and contaminated waters year round and die in pity? Why would a country with so many challenges not produce the finest entrepreneurs? The questions are numerous, we can spend a day long asking them. Meanwhile, one thing for sure, our education system has not been tailored to give answers to our questions, but rather fit in to give services to a provision that is never there in the first place. Our education system is simply tuned to the Challenges of other cultures and not necessarily ours.
We are made to go to school and learn about other civilizations. We are made to learn what they say, know about, or think about our CIVILIZATION. We are made to learn about what they were challenged with, and what they did do to get the answers to their problems. And most importantly, we are trained to fit in to their call to assistance to overcome their challenges. We simply cannot do anything with our education if we do not get employment in any of their multilateral organizations established by the Westerners in our lands to extract and exploit the very mineral resources under our feet to uplift them to the next level whilst we remain dependent upon what they throw down to us as a solution. Our nation's economy will suffer drought of they fold up their mining activities in our lands. Our NGOs will crumble if they do not donate to feed our poor and uplift our deprived. We simply are hopelessly dependent on their (un)friendly gesture. Worst still the very books we read in the library seeking answers to our problems are written by them.
The big question remains: Who in their complete sense would feed you with accurate information on how to dominate the world, and eventually theirs? None! And why do we keep believing that studying theories of Western origin can save us as Africans?

Dare to Dare

I admit, we have a lot to take from the West as examples and lessons, to make our own way out of our problems. Western education has offered us a lot gains, but surely we should not be too confident to say it will give answers to our challenges as a nation. We should dare overhaul our education system to be responsive to our challenges: unemployment, food in-security, natural disasters, diseases, infrastructural deficiency, and most importantly lack of the ability to manage and provoke science and innovation.
Our education system, in essence, should be CIVILIZED. It's high time we started training our students to become entrepreneurs. Teach them to learn to love the environment and make them understand the relativism paradigm. Teach them to do away with fatalism and bring onboard their rich knowledge on curative herbal medicines and research to treat mysterious diseases. Teach them to dare believe they can fly to the sky, hence they should find way to. Teach them that water and fire are the source of every divine scientific reality we are enjoying and we should amass enough Knowledge on how to make more use of them. Teach them to teach the young ones how to think critically and how to think a solution to a problem.
What if we could start teaching our students in the sciences in Sierra Leone how to repair phones, how to develop a computer programme, how to dismantle and assemble a computer, how electrify a house, how to fix a car or a bike, how to design furniture, etc... What if we could bring all the young innovators in Sierra Leone into the classrooms to teach or facilitate lessons in science and innovation teach our high School and university students? What if we can give a new meaning to the dissertations/thesis our Agriculture students are expected to submit a research report on a topic their department master approve before graduation from college into something more practical? What if we can allocate to them lands to start an agricultural experiment on a specific crop or specimen, which they would monitor and report about in their final year to provide a substantive information on what we rely on fr survival? What if our Art students at the university could be assigned to rewrite the history of Sierra Leone to make it more rich, analytical and local as a dissertation upon graduation? What if they could also be given, as an option to writing a phase of our history, the chance to write a film script about local heroes or models fit for cinematography? What if we just dared to ask all the questions about the poor education system we have and try to figure out a possible working solutions?
Because now, more than ever, our challenges as a nation have dared us to act to solve them or we risk perishing in abject poverty, disasters, hunger, diseases, and of course from climate change.
We have for so long relied on import. We import all the household utensils, we import our food, our cloths, our cars and our teachers. When for instance you ask how long we have been using a pestle and mortar to pound and grind the things we eat in Sierra Leone, historians may tell you we have been using them for centuries. You can go and come back to Africa and still find the African using the same device and technology they have been using centuries ago with no modifications but those brought by the Chinese or Westerners. We take pleasure in buying from them what we could make for ourselves, and later rush to them for help. When you buy from another nation (especially the West and now Asia), you are given them the support they need to buy all you have so to help them engineer their civilization. The most unfortunate reality is, when we are blessed with some genius, we careless them, we refuse them the support they need to answer our problems- consequently loosing them to the West who have become a bank volt for the world's prodigies.
It's so I take to say our education system needs more than pay improvement for its hardworking teachers, it needs more than extension of the years for formation, it needs more than regulatory measures to help curb examination malpractice and corruption, it needs more than employing more teachers, and of course it takes more than payment of school fees. It needs OVERHAULING to respond to the challenges we are faced with as a developing country. In simple term, it needs to be CIVILIZATIONAL CENTERED.
©AWJ
®SAWN

Our Dilapidating Infrastructure: The Result of A Compromise or Climate Change?

By Amadu Wurie Jalloh
22/09/19

While we commend the Government for its prompt action to mend the damage across the road connecting Freetown to both the East and South, we should also not hesitate, like #Mahamood_Fofana puts it, to question their commitment to sustainable development. We cannot afford to spend millions of Leones after billions of USD would have been allocated to the same construction projects in the not too long ago past. Investigations should be mounted to know the causes of frequent dilapidation of roads that are refurbished only recently. Is it a compromise from the side of the monitoring and supervisory team? Or is it, as the reports put it, as a result of torrential rainfall?
In either case, we are doomed. It is estimated that Africa loses over USD$ 50 billions annually to corruption. Some of the corrupt practices involve the illegal transfer and use of state funds and resources. When procurement regulations are scorned by public officials to favour certain groups (cronyism) at the expense of public good, the nation will pay huge price either in values or lives. We should be vigilant as a nation. We cannot continue to praise sing our politicians without thorough scrutiny to ensure they deserve the praise. We have already seen the conditions of newly constructed or refurbished roads rapidly degrading (more than expected) in Sierra Leone. Their conditions, considering their lifespan, would in fact make any observer want to ask if Sierra Leoneans are at war with their roads. If at all we are not using bulldozers as normal means of transportation, what then is the possible causes of their rapidly dilapidating condition?

Meanwhile, we should not forget that Sierra Leone is listed among top 20 countries in Africa prone to climate change by the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) and International Alert (IA), which status is something to consider in the strategic development plan of successive Governments. Yet we continue to observe successive Governments deliberately shunning experts opinions on the climate by declaring genocide against our forests. In essence, despite seemingly global commitment to reversing climate change effect, most African countries are doing little or nothing with the limited resources it has to curb the deforestation practices. They would attend this year's climate summit at the UN to present bogus claims and lies. Of most importance to them is the World Bank's pledge to pump in USD$22 billions in fund to fight climate change in Africa. However, without true commitment, those monies will be diverted to advancing mere political agendas or misappropriated altogether by public officials, hence leaving us to wallow in poverty and sufferance. For instance, despite the natural disasters that have struck the country in recent times causing the lost of lives and properties with billions of Leones, we have shown no progress or commitment to tackle the causes of their occurrences. From the side of the Government, building permits are still awarded to people who build on top of the hills and demarcated green zones causing land clearing and deforestation without any commitment to replace lost trees or green spaces. And from the ordinary citizen's part, we are flouting institutional regulations to build houses in demarcated disaster prone areas at the expense of our lives and wealth. It is becoming more apparent that due to Climate change, rains are becoming heavier, storms more destructive, and other natural disasters more frequent and dangerous. Our planet is getting hotter every year. Hence,if the report that says the cause for the collapse of the bridge between Freetown and the East and Southern regions is torrential rainfall is correct, then it means the time to act is now. We have been warned by several events overtime. We cannot afford to wait for a more costly outcome or result to braze our self for actions.

Procurement regulations should be strictly adhered to ensure effective and efficient service delivery. Independent monitoring teams from civil society groups should complement Government's effort in monitoring and evaluating construction activities of companies. Investigations should be mounted to look into every construction activities across the country to take proactive measures to prevent economic loss and lost of lives in any looming danger. Companies should also be called to account for any mismanagement or upon suspicious use of substandard building materials.
Government should further take action to sensitize more people on the state of global climate change and the need to plant more trees. We should put emphasis on modern agricultural practices (best practices). Mix cropping and other advanced techniques should be popularized to enhance both food and environmental security.
We need more than prompt reactive measures to solve our problems, we should act proactively and put politics aside to ensure such happenings are prevented from occurring. The state may have lost millions of Leones already in that short while pause in economic activities across the regions.
*My Opinion*
®SAWN

HEY, I AM JUST LIKE YOU!

It is not the colour of my skin,
But the longing of my soul:
It hopes to find safety and happiness in your fold!
It's not the tone of my voice,
But the melancholy of a child of the Earth
Whose song about life has been pitched
By the rugged, incessant visits of misfortune and hardship!
It is not the hair on my head,
But the fear of death
That has ravaged the lands I once called home to foment its might
Among the ranks and file of our diabolical tyrants
Who've pledged to not rest until the whole world submit to their whims!
It is not the colour of my eyes,
But the dreadful and shameful things they have witnessed
Men do unto their kinds whilst our reactions are nothing but a pretentious guise!
No! It is not the way I perceived the gods and their ways,
But the way we've hold unto the one thing we called our home!
Blinded by greed and ignorance while we plunder its riches
We just can't seem to understand there is no good end to our selfish wishes!
No, I haven't risked my life crossing the dessert and seas
To come steal your jobs and denote a bomb in New Year Eves!
How I wish you could understand that
I am just like you!
A child of the universe who wish to cling unto the Earth until a little bit longer!
Please give me a helping hand

Let me take another grasp of breath!

© Amadu Wurie Jalloh
®SAWN

(Photo Credit: anonymous)

Massive Failure in External Examination: A System Devoid of Accountability?

It's rhetorical to assume that the only panacea to massive failure in external examinations in Sierra Leone is to upgrade the education standard of the country.
This paradox has been resounded in the just released WASSCE results which, by all indications out there, is the worst result since after the War in Sierra Leone. Many people have taken to social media blaming students' unpreparedness, immaturity, and incapability for the mass failures. Proponents of this believe that the reenforcement of regulatory and supervisory measures by the government, and of course making punishable the act of selling grades, are a possible explanation of the plague, which is not far from the truth. But we however cannot factor out 'lack of accountability and transparency' in the conduct of exams and reward of grades to students.
We have seen (or heard about) instances where authentic examination questions are leaked to students prior to the examinations and no one from the WAEC is caught culpable; whereas students' results are seized on the pretext that they are suspected of sharing ideas or answers.
WAEC, as a body entrusted with conducting public examinations in the sub region should upgrade their system to meet international standards and criteria inculcating more accountability and transparency features or system.
One area that needs upgrade is the area of students results. If students can access their examination grades using their index numbers, they should also access their graded examination-papers using the same index number via online, if the system is programmed to ensure transparency and accountability.
We should not always assume that the students must have failed and WAEC is credible and uncompromising when it comes to awarding grades. WAEC is also a business entity that makes profit for operational cost and sustainability from having pupils to take exams. The more pupils the have, the more profit they would be making. Hence, we should not also factor out possible capitalism tendencies.
When a student fails an examination, s/he does not only go through traumatic experience. S/he would feel incapable (pseudoefficacy); s/he would feel useless; s/he would have to spend time waiting and preparing again in doubt of where they got it wrong; his/her parents would probably give up on their education and support; and worst case scenario is: they would probably dropout of school and become wayward or forced to grow up fast in the street where they would end up fending for themselves and, or their families. Therefore, we should not take lightly the issue. It also has its economic implications on the nation as more years and money (from our GDP) would be spent preparing the labour force of the country.
Hence, WAEC should be more transparent and accountable to citizens of the subregion by making accessible marked examination papers of each student using the same index number.
The facility will not only enhance transparency and accountability, but it also will help boost public confidence of the system, and help institutions and the students factor out (discover) the common mistakes they commit in examinations. This will help them in their studies in up coming exams.
Meanwhile, the system as it is now, is not different from a game of chance.

*My Opinion*
©AWJ

Violence in Football: How to End a Prospective Career Opportunity for Our Youths

A FOOL has five distinct features: 1). They look for a reason to get angry; 2). They get angry when they see no reason to get angery; 3) And when they finally get angry, they always direct their anger to the wrong person or purpose; 4). But also be sure that they would get angry because others are not angry; and finally, 5). The are only happy when they make everyone angry. Such are the attributes of the FOOLS that attempted the shameful attack at our brothers from Liberia.
AND THEIR AIM?
None, but to get us all (Liberians and Sierra Leoneans) angered, which they may have succeeded doing. They wish to sow the seed of rancor between the twin nations, but they shall fail for in majority are the calm and rational people from both nations.
Like one Facebooker deduced, every country has its STUPID few, and it’s unfortunate our Liberian brothers were greeted by our few stupid ones. I want to take this opportunity to apologise on behalf of the plentitude level headed Sierra Leoneans for the misbehaviour of our few freely roaming yet-unidentified insane brothers. The attack is uncalled for and does not in anyway represent the sentiment of our peace loving citizens.
Meanwhile, as Sierra Leoneans we have more reasons to be angry for their insolence. We should denounce their violent action. In as much as this will threaten the peaceful coexistence and interaction between the two of us, the actions of our Sierra Leonean brothers have its economic and social implications.
Few months ago Sierra Leone was under FIFA ban for something unrelated to violence, but interference and subjugation of a to-be independent SLFA by the state who indicted some of its top-ranking members on corruption charges. Whilst many of us applauded the Government’s laudable venture in its timely allocation of funds for organizing and resuscitating the Premier League competition while we reluctantly pursue a course to justice under the pressure of a ban, some of us were with the realization that it’s a cumbersome task for a crumbling economy-- the president had earlier on described the economy as 'the worst since independence' with external debt standing at USD$ 2 billion and internal debt at USD$ 600 million when he took power in April 2019. It could have been a lesser burden for the Government if it were done in partnership with SLFA– a huge chunk of that money would have been redirect to other important sporting projects. This is not in anyway to demean soccer, but like seriously, soccer is not the only existing sport in Sierra Leone, other sport activities and talents need support, too. It’s unfortunate though that our Ministry of Sport is now synonymous to ministry of soccer, exclusively. When, for instance, government supported the Sierra Leone Premier League Board with Le 3.5 billion to organize soccer competition alone in 2019 (the highest any administration has ever given to the Board), other sporting activities were neglected. Government could not afford spending more money into any other sporting activity as a result of the total lack of partnership, which rendered other potential sporting career crippled. That is the result of doing it alone. The ban cost was immense in both fiscal term and business term for other sporting groups. 
It is no secrete that even greater economies in the West cannot afford to lose FIFA’s support in strengthening soccer game. It’s both an economically viable and socially relevant industry.
Our African youths have prided themselves playing in the West and competing with big names in Football, whilst at the same time supporting their families and livelihood initiatives in a continent with little hope for the youth. Sierra Leone has experienced the pride and joy associated with seeing their own playing at international level. Legends like Mohamed kallon, Kai Kamara, and many more have football to thank for their status and self-esteem.
The aim of the games go beyond winning a place in the league, but helping foster economic and social relationship between nations.
The attack on Lone star could induce many punishable actions by FIFA and of course football entities across the continent, especially at this time when concerns are directed at discouraging xenophobic happenings in South Africa over their black compatriots. It has cost lives and properties worth million USD. FIFA cannot risk hosting any games in Sierra Leone if security is not ensured. One perfect case scenario of this is the impromptu decision of Afcon to strip Cameroon of the privileged to host the 2019 African Cup of Nation for security and other reasons- moving it to Egypt. The economic implications of  violence are huge. That means our brothers would not represent our country at international level where they would be easily spotted by international teams.
The event also has negative effect on our image as one of the most peaceful countries in the continent. That alone has helped boost tourism and multinational businesses confidence to invest in Sierra Leone. At this time when the economy is at its worst shape, we cannot afford repelling Prospective investors into the country. That would mean more prospective job loss.
Finally, we should not take pride in ban, it’s fiscally expensive. Our government should work with SLFA in organizing local competitions. That would reduce cost and save enough for other projects, especially sport and recreation that would boost social and economic affairs. Many of us find happiness in watching football and sports; we make friends attending football and sport events; we find comfort in the palpable hardship in the country watching games and sports; and our youths find employment in either organizing or playing the games. These are opportunities we cannot afford to lose– at least not now when the USD is whipping our buttocks so hard.
Football is leisure and business.
Peace
*My opinion*
©Amadu Wurie Jalloh (AWJ)

You could click read the site below to read the first edition of the writeup (by the same author: Amadu Wurie Jalloh or AWJ) featured in Cocorioko Newspaper Opinion Column:

https://cocorioko.net/violence-in-football-how-to-end-a-prospective-career-opportunity-for-our-youths/?fbclid=IwAR15nLvdQZOVax3FQJX-5YJzzh6KgFa5DxOWcw9q-LSXfol58tTlaQKSdZM

 

Visa Upon Arrival in Sierra Leone: Prospects and Challenges

The Visa upon Arrival Policy for visiting tourists and business person into Sierra Leone has just been launched by the Minister of Tourism Memunatu B. Pratt PhD. This for many pan-Africanists is also one step closer to the 'Single Passport' for African nations being highly anticipated for by Pan Africanists as visitors from across the West African Sub-region will not be required to pay for Visa.

The initiative is expected to open opportunities to new businesses and other job market opportunities for Sierra Leoneans, and of course boost diplomatic relationship between Sierra Leone and its sister nations in the continent and the world across.

In the meantime, while we patiently wait in anticipation of good things, I believe we should be thinking about possible adjustments to make in order to realize its full benefits.
We are not among countries with alarming unemployment rate, but I can assure you that our employed many are underemployed (salary scale and earning are too low and not catching up with inflation trend). Major reason being the lack of other job option as the the public sector still accounts for the highest employment in the country. Our workers cannot afford to save, and people that do not save can hardly invest. As a result, the greater proportion of our employed labour force mostly rely on one source of income, which is bad for SMEs.

Secondly, the private sector is weak, local businesses are finding it hard to compete with foreigners in the market. The Asians are at the top of affairs when it comes to business. They are the big importers of stock and, consequently, they control the economy and pricing. Though there is no official figure on the remittance inflow and outflow, but activists are concerned that capital repatriation could be doing a great damage to the economy as foreigners are in domination in expertise positions with greater pay across multinational companies and NGOs, and in the business landscape. Hence, the government should consider promoting the Public Private Partnership (PPP) initiative, especially with young entrepreneur.

furthermore, local SMEs find it difficult to qualify for loan in our banking system due to lack of collateral. They mostly rely on foreign businesses to loan them stock and operate their businesses. hence, they are left with little choice but to serve as intermediaries/middle-men selling at higher cost. Therefore, it is imperative for Government not only encourage local businesses to thrive through loan scheme opportunities but lessen the interest-charges for business groups (that way the collateral weight could lessen).
Another challenge we are faced with as a country is the high tariff and service charges (GST). Government want to ensure 20% of its GDP is sourced from taxation, which is actually a beautiful thing to imagine, but extortive for a country with collapsing economy. We need to open our doors to more importers to compete with our sister nations (Guinea and Liberia). This is not the 1900s when ports were something hard to find. Today our neighbouring countries have replenished theirs and are thriving too. We should encourage businesses to import through Sierra Leone to open up more job opportunities and tax collection. We cannot afford to rely on buying Franc Guinea and Dollars to do business in the future. The charges should be lessened to encourage local businesses to thrive and attract more foreign businesses. Unlike Guinea, we share boundary with only two countries, and both of them have ports. Guinea is neighbour to many landlocked countries shipping their businesses through their port.

In addition, in order to attract mega businesses and tourists, we should emphasize general infrastructure overhauling. We should fix the infrastructure of the country, especially Freetown in all infrastructural sense. We have been experiencing flooding and other preventable disasters almost every year. It is clear that Freetown is not well planned and of course over crowded. We need to widen our roads and irrigation system to permit easy navigation and smooth flow of water, respectively. the need for stable electricity supply cannot be overemphasized. It takes more than giving visa upon arrival to make Sierra Leone a business strategic point. We need stable and consistent electricity supply for the operation of manufacturing industries and warehousing. 

investment in Agriculture is also focal to the achievement of this objective. One sure way we could cut down import rate and control inflation, while at the same time ensuring food security, is to invest in agriculture through infrastructural and capacity building related programmes. 
Lastly, but not the least, we should improve our security, in both its physical and economic wise. Opening doors to more people from different nations should be done with caution. The continent is troubled with Islamists extremists, drug dealers, human traffickers, and of course seriously ill people. The last time I checked in at Lungi Airport (07/12/2018) the scanning machine (security apparatus) was not working. You could literally bribe your way in if you have anything to smuggle in. We on-boarded from Bamako, transited in Accra, and Lome, the airports were world class, security wise. Vaccine cards are something we cannot rely on, especially for our sister nations in Africa. They are sold out like cake across the continent, we would have people come in with contagious and untreatable diseases if we are not careful. We need good healthcare centers that are world class. We should be proactive, and promote community policing to counter crimes and report cases.
I however cannot close this piece without reminding us of what is going on in South Africa. Violent protesters are accusing foreigners of taking their jobs. Unemployment rate in South Africa is among the worst in the world. We don't want to see that happen to our youth.
Madam Minister, please encourage our youths to be trained in skill jobs, and promote the local content act.
*My opinion*
©AWJ
®SAWN