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01 March 2022

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31 January 2022

The newly appointed Managing Director of the oldest indigenous commercial bank in the country, Sierra Leone Commercial Bank (SLCB), Yusufu Abdul Silla will today Monday 31st January, 2022 assume office to the delight of the entire staff.

Yusufu Abdul Silla is a well-qualified and result-oriented Financial Services and Banking professional with over fifteen (15) years of successful experience in positions of increasing responsibilities and duties.

The proficient gentleman is also a top performer with an enviable track record of consistently meeting and mostly exceeding set targets and customer expectations. In addition, Yusufu A. Silla is exceptional in educating customers on Mortgage and Banking products and recommending best options that meet their needs. He is also a team player with well-polished communication skills, good interpersonal relations, verbal, written, presentation and rapport building respectively.

The new Managing Director is also richly endowed with the following skills: a good leader, self-sufficient, goal-oriented, people-oriented, excellent time management skills, analytical, cheerful, savvy relationship-building, highly motivated and positive, excellent verbal and written skills, team player and can prioritize workload respective.

With regards job history, Yusufu Silla served as Acting Managing Director from September 2019 – September 2020 and Managing Director from 2020 to date at the Commerce and Mortgage Bank Plc. During that period, he was charged with the responsibility of stabilising and turning around the bank which was running at a loss and almost about to collapse due to poor management in the past.

Consequently, he succeeded in leading the Bank to turn its fortune around and moving performance from a loss position of Le28billion to a profit before tax of Le14.6 billion as reported in the Bank’s 2020 Audited Financial Statement.

Mr. Silla was also Director of Business Development from January 2016 – September 2019 at the Commerce and Mortgage Bank Plc. In this capacity, he reported directly to the Managing Director and was primarily charged with developing the commercial banking business after the company had secured a banking license. He succeeded in growing the bank’s commercial client portfolio by 30% during his tenure in this role.

The new Managing Director was also Director of Credit Management from January 2013 – January 2016 at the HFC Mortgage and Savings SL LTD on 30 Liverpool Street in Freetown respectively. In this capacity, he was primarily responsible for the entire credit granting process, including the consistent application of the company’s credit policy, periodic credit reviews of existing customers, and the assessment of the credit worthiness of potential customers, with the goal of optimizing the mix of company sales and bad debt losses.

As Head of Mortgages, Mr. Silla was principally responsible for setting up the Mortgage Department and for introducing the concept of Mortgage Finance into the Sierra Leone's lending space. This introduced recruiting and training of staff and creating the relevant mortgage operations, credit and insurance manuals.

Mr. Silla was also Senior Mortgage Consultant from January 2005 – July 2008 at the Britannia Finance and Mortgage Limited – 252 Belsize Road, London, NW6 4BT, and Mortgage Consultant from January 2004 – July 2005 at Clarence House Financial Limited - Richmond Surrey TW9 2JN.

The new Managing Director has an excellent educational background befitting an academic. From 2001-2003, Mr. Silla graduated from the London Metropolitan University with a Master of Science in International Banking and Finance. He has vast knowledge in International Finance, Banking Operations and Strategy, Domestic and International Banking, Corporate Finance, Research Methods, Portfolio Management and Quantitative Methods, macroeconomics.

Between 1991 and 1996, Mr. Silla graduated from the oldest University South of the Sahara, Fourah Bay College (FBC), University of Sierra Leone (USL) with a Bachelor of Science in Pure Economics with Honours.

He is also versatile in Macroeconomics Analysis, Microeconomic Analysis, Quantitative methods, Development Economics and Business Methods.

Mr. Silla was also an active student government representative and one of the shakers and movers of the FBC Students’ Union Government during the war years.

The new Managing Director also did professional training and came out with flying colours, including Certificate (Credit Assessment Tools & Techniques) National Banking College, Ghana, April 2009, Certificate (African Perspective on Real Estate & Housing Finance) National
Banking College, Ghana, February 2009, and CeMAP (Certificate in Mortgaging Advice and Practice) Institute of Financial Services, May 2004 respectively.

It could be recalled that prior to Mr. Silla’s appointment, Mr. Bockarie Kalokoh, who is now the Deputy Minister of Finance II, was the Acting Managing Director of the SLCB following the sudden death of the substantial holder, the late Fidelis Turay of blessed memory.

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23 February 2022

Vista Bank (SL) Ltd opened its doors to the people of Kabala and its environs for Business at Gbawuria Road Kabala Town on Monday, 21st February 2022. 

In a ceremony attended by key stakeholders in the community including representatives from other Financial Organizations, Trade Unions, and NGOs the Managing Director Mr. Pa Ousman N’Jie thanked all present and stressed that the reason for bringing Vista Bank to Kabala was borne out of the increasing demands of our customers doing business in Kabala and its environs and to offer the people of Kabala the opportunity to benefit from Vista Bank’s exceptional and customer friendly services.

He went further to urge the people of Kabala to take advantage of the opening of the bank which is poised to meet the needs of all and sundry (Farmers, NGOs, Government Institutions, Mining Companies, Unions, etc.).He also encouraged them to take ownership of the bank as the bank is not there only for profit-making

but to contribute positively to the growth of both Kabala and Falaba Districts.
Representatives from the Traders’ Union expressed their delight in the establishment of the Vista Bank Branch in Kabala and appealed to Management for the Bank to replicate the support they have given to Traders in other parts of the country. The Deputy Managing Director, Mr. Harold Creighton-Randall ended by thanking guests for gracing the occasion and assured them of the Bank’s commitment to providing efficient and effective service to the people of Kabala.

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24 January 2022

In Fitur in Madrid, Spain where the 2022 International Tourism Trade Fair is underway since 19-23 January, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt graciously met the Spanish royal family, King Felipe VI and Queen Kerizia.

Madam Pratt was among dozens of Tourism Ministers from across the globe that attended the prestigious meeting with the Spanish King and Queen aimed at creating durable social networks amongst touristic countries, with Spain being a leading international tourist destination.

Fitur is a global meeting point for tourism professionals and the leading international tourism trade fair.

The focus of the fair, where Sierra Leone has a unique cultural booth, is on Sustainable Tourism Development; taking full account of its current and future economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and host communities.

Along that line, Madam Pratt has met with colleague ministers from across the world, dozens of tourism partners and the media from different countries as she showcases the unique tourist experience that Sierra Leone has to offer to an international market.

Madam Pratt has also met with officials of the United Nations World Tourism Organization, a specialized organ tasked with the promotion of responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism.

UNWTO dedicates itself to meeting the specific needs of member states and supports them in their efforts to develop and promote the tourism industry as an engine for socioeconomic growth and poverty alleviation through the creation of employment.

With tourism expected to grow in the coming years, Madam Pratt also met with top airline operators including the British Airways General Manager in Madrid, Juan Carlos Alvarez Flores.

Also, the General Manager of the National Tourist Board (NTB) madam Fatmata Carew held fruitful discussion with key tourism stakeholders at the Trade Fair and assured them that Sierra Leone has the platform for safe investment into Eco Tourism and hospitality.

"You all are welcome to our beautiful country Sierra Leone and we are ready to receive you all at anytime in our country" Madam Fatmata Carew noted.

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31 January 2022

Since the 1930s when mining started in Diang Chiefdom Koinadugu district, no tangible impact is said to have been created on the community. However, residents now say that with the coming of Cheng Li Mining Company in two years, they have recorded massive developments.
The 660 million Leone paid as Surface Rent by Chengli Mining Company to Diang and Sambaya chiefdoms is in line with the Mines and Minerals Act. The law says…
Handing over the Cheques to the for the land owners, the Fassally Tawarally Country Director Chengli Mining Company SL said his company will continue to adhered to the regulations of the mining sector, build the capacities of the communities and open opportunities for especially young people.
Cheng Li mines gold in Koinadugu district Northeast of Sierra Leone.
As a large-scale mining license holder, they are required by law to put 0.01% of their proceeds into community development.
In addition to that obligation, the company has pledged to provide water facilities for the two Chiefdoms, and starting the construction of five hundred million leones chiefdom court barays project and increase the number of scholarships as well as paying the salaries of teachers.
Paramount Chief, Sheku Magba the 3rd of Diang Chiefdom said Cheng Li Mining Company has paved their road network, given academic scholarship to over one hundred indigenous children, provided teaching and school learning materials for five hundred children as well paying the salaries of teachers, facilitated the installation of telecommunications network coverage, provided employment to hundreds of locals within the chiefdom and donated football gears.
The people of Diang and Sambaya chiefdoms were happy for such an investment and a source of livelihood for their communities saying that is an upliftment from Cheng Li Mining Company.
They testified that even before the commencement of operations by Chengli Mining Company, they had already started benefiting from numerous developmental projects.
National Minerals Agency Community Liaison Office Manager, Henry Kamara reaffirmed government’s commitment to creating the enabling environment for private sector investments to thrive.
He called on residents to work with the company for the benefit of both the district and the company.