Amadu Lamrana Bah

Annually, Sierra Leone is losing an estimated US$ 50 million to illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. This, according to Sierra Leone’s newly-elected President Julius Maada Bio, is one of the critical challenges in the fisheries sector coupled with limited accessibility to the international market. President Bio, who was addressing the 5thParliament of Sierra Leone during the State Opening, said one of the key objectives of his ‘New Direction’ administration is to create a profitable fisheries industry that will contribute significantly to socio-economic development through sustainable management and utilization of the country’s marine resources as well as conserving the environment. “My administration will focus on improving marine resource governance and sustainable management of fisheries, reducing illegal fishing, improving the quality of marine products and developing fishing infrastructure,” he said.

On Monday 14th August,2017 Sierra Leoneans were awaken to another disaster of mudslide and flooding that has claimed the lives of over 200 people. The unavailability of skilled manpower,required equipments for such a rescue effort is a serious challenge and the hope of bringing out survivors has dwindled or probably no more even though the search continues at Mount Sugar Loaf,Regent Village.