The 5/90 lottery draw stands out to be the most popular product from Mercury International which is played predominantly by market women and the aged.
It is expected that the fourteen thousand two hundred winning tickets could have an average winning of Le 200,000 each as the lucky winners turned out in most of Mercury payment centers across the country to collect their money hence their winning tickets are been validated.
The Managing Director of Mercury International Martin E. Michael described the winning as a great day for the company’s valued customers, saying that, “this happens to be the highest winning on the 5/90 lotto product since it inception; and that as a company we are happy to have such winnings from their esteemed costumers. As a company, we’ll ensure all our winning costumers receive their monies without any delay. In fact, we’ve started payments in all of our payment centers across the country”. the MD affirmed.
The Managing Director also boasted that as a company, they have a strong reserve to enable them make payments to their winning costumers at any time there is a big winning.” We will like to entreat the public that Mercury as a company is capable and also capacitated to do payout to future winners”. the MD assured.
The marketing manager, Mercury International Olu Kamara said “I am extremely delighted that costumers could win such a huge amount”, citing that this will motivate others to be part of Mercury games. Mr. Kamara also confirmed that he has deployed more staff to payment centers to help in ensuring costumers are paid without delay.
“We are encouraging those that are eighteen years and over, who are yet to be part of Mercury games to be part our games, because, with Mercury International they have life changing opportunity of becoming millionaires”. Olu admonished.
Mariatu Kargbo, a fish seller, joyously state that she is thankful to Mercury International for given her the opportunity to win such a huge amount after playing just Le 2,000.
“I’m happy for Mercury International for providing the platform not only for me but for thousands of other women out there that rely on Mercury for life changing moments like this. When I realized I have won this afternoon when listening to Radio Mercury FM 92.0, my daughter asked me if indeed Mercury is going to pay me; now that I have collected my money, am going to tell not only my daughter but other people who are of the feeling that Mercury is not real”. Mariatu Confessed.
President Koroma receives state of Human Rights report
President Ernest Bai Koroma yesterday January 18 received at State House the Annual State of Human Rights Report 2015 from the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone.
Whilst receiving the ninth State of Human Rights Report from the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone yesterday, President Ernest Bai Koroma assured the Commission that his government will take necessary steps for the protection and promotion of human rights in the country.
The President stated that considering where Sierra Leone was coming from; the war and Ebola, “ we can say we are moving though we challenges”.
Presenting the report to the President, Commissioner Brima A. Sheriff noted the State’s first reporting obligation to the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights in 2015. This was the first report to the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, 34 years after Sierra Leone signed the Charter. The State’s second cycle Universal Periodic Review report was submitted in October 2015. In accordance with Section 7(2)(e) of the Human Rights Commission of Sierra Leone Act, the Commission supported the government in the preparation of these two periodic reports. The Commission was also in attendance during the submissions of both reports in Banjul, Gambia and in Geneva.
The Commission also commended the government and Parliament for ratifying the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights on the Rights of Women in Africa commonly known as the Maputo Protocol on the 2nd July, 2015. This protocol protects the rights of women taking into account the cultural and traditional context, and the special needs of African women. It further strengthens existing legislation on women and children’s rights. The Commission therefore urges government to take measures to fully implement the provisions of the Maputo Protocol.
Commissioner Sheriff further stated noted the steps taken by government to improve on the enjoyment of human rights in Sierra Leone, such as the operationalization of the Sierra Leone Legal Aid Board and the Independent Police Complaints Board (IPCB). Both institutions seek to make justice more accessible and promote accountability for human rights violations. The Children’s Commission also became operational in February 2015 to monitor and coordinate the implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the rights and welfare of the child, the Child Rights Act and to advise government on policies aimed at the improvement of the conditions or welfare of children in Sierra Leone.
Stressing further, Commissioner Sheriff said in May 2016, the Global Alliance of National Human Rights Institutions conducted a review of the Commission’s compliance with the Paris Principles that sets out the requirements for a fully functioning National Human Rights Institutions. I am pleased to inform you that the Commission maintained its grade ‘A’ status after going through the process. “While the Commission is grateful to the government for its invaluable support in ensuring this we encourage the government to do more by increasing its financial support to the Commission”.
The report was later launched to the Press and would be presented to the Speaker of Parliament to be debated.
