Insight Magazine Issue 1 2018

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EDITOR’S INSIGHT
Welcome to our first issue of 2018. Sierra Leone entered the second quarter of the year, with a new President – His
Excellency President Rtd. Brigadier Julius Maada Bio of the Sierra Leone People’s Party, and we join the rest of our country
in congratulating him on his victory.
WHY THE APC HAS MORE MPS THAN
SLPP EVEN THOUGH THE SLPP WON THE
PRESIDENCY BY YUSUF BANGURA
In this in-depth analysis of voting patterns, Dr Yusuf
Bangura explains why the APC has more seats than the
SLPP. Firstly, he says - there are more registered and actual
voters in the APC’s strongholds in the North and Western
Area than the SLPP’s strongholds in the East and South.
Secondly, and more importantly, given that the SLPP won
the presidential election despite the lopsided regional
distribution of voters, the electoral system of first-past-thepost
is not proportional.
HEAD TO HEAD: A RESPONSE TO DR. YUSUF BANGURA’S
ARTICLE BY ALLIEU SESAY
Allieu Sesay goes head to head with Dr Bangura in this response. In it he argues, that
during the process of de-amalgamation, two new districts were created in the APC
strongholds - Karene and Falaba. This means extra constituencies were created for the
2018 elections compared to 2012. In 2012, there were 112 constituencies, and 132
constituencies in 2018, representing an addition of 20 constituencies. He concludes
by saying that “your analysis on population dispersion and concentration was spot
on. But it was merely advocating for PR than debunking the widely held view of extra
constituencies being one and a major factor explaining the current representation in
the Sierra Leone Parliament.”
His election has ushered in a period of rapid change. The new government has introduced more exacting austerity
measures, including suspending all import duty waivers except those under the Vienna Convention, and exercising the
President’s executive order which directs that funds collected on behalf of the government be transferred “into the
Consolidated Revenue Fund with immediate effect”. It’s safe to say we can expect to see more changes of this nature.
While not quite business as usual, for Sierra Leone’s private sector the post-election period brings a welcome end to the
widespread election-induced business lull. The results of our survey on the business impact of the elections showed that
the majority of firms in Sierra Leone were adversely impacted by the election period. You will find the full report on pages
4-5.
We are delighted to welcome a number of new contributors. Pieces relating to the elections by investment specialist - Fadi
Bassir, Queen’s Young Leader and governance advisor - PJ Mandewa-Cole, and social and political analyst - Yusuf Bangura
can be found on our website www.insight.sl. Fadi Bassir also brings his investment expertise in the Sub-Saharan region to
a piece in this issue on the under-appreciation of equity by SSA business owners and why, in the current under-supplied
environment, it can be an important form of capital.
In an in-depth analysis of the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, another of our new contributors –
international trade lawyer - Beatrice Chaytor argues that fostering intra-African trade and unifying the continental market
is essential for its future growth. Also new to Insight is agriculturist, Mariama Seray-Barrie. She argues that Sierra Leone’s
agricultural sector needs a strategy of integration and provides examples of success from Nigeria and Morocco.
Habiba Wurie, Director of Corporate Affairs at Insight, looks at the competitive advantage provided by Africa’s female
entrepreneurs and gathers advice from some of Sierra Leone’s most notable business women. Our new series – the
Mistake That Made Me – in the Smart Tools for Smart Business supplement - seeks to identify how mistakes can be a
learning opportunity that shouldn’t derail professional success. This month we hear from Ash Songo-Williams of Pendrax
Security, Alfred Akibo-Betts of the NRA and Dr Yakama Manty Jones of the Peninsular Innovative Group.
There is a wealth of information on Sierra Leone’s business environment on our website www.insight.sl, and as always
we’re keen for your feedback. Thank you from all of us at Insight Media and Communications for your continued support.
3
Q&A WITH PJ COLE - QUEEN’S
YOUNG LEADER AND OPENING
SPEAKER AT CHOGM
Queen’s Young Leader and Insight contributor - PJ
Cole was invited to speak alongside Her Majesty The
Queen and world leaders at the Opening Ceremony
of the Commonwealth Heads of Government
Meeting, in London on Thursday 19th April. In this
Q&A he talks about his motivation, the impact of
becoming Sierra Leone’s first Queen’s Young Leader
and the potential of Sierra Leone’s young people.
Insight
Managing Director and Editor:
Memuna Forna – memunaforna@insight.sl
Art Director:
Erika Perez-Leon
Director of Business Development:
Mohamed Wurie- mohamedwurie@insight.sl
Director of corporate affairs:
Habiba Wurie – habibawurie@insight.sl
Advertising Enquiries:
+232 78984202
Website:
www.insight.sl
www.insight.sl