AFRICA THOUGHT – News features, commentaries, analyses, interviews & Op-ed. Kush first emerged in Sierra Leone half a dozen or so years ago…The composition of the drug varies from place to place. Fentanyl and tramadol are said to be ingredients, as is formalin, a disinfectant…The drug has become commonplace across Sierra Leone, with whole neighbourhoods and communities addicted to the narcotic. But putting a precise figure on usage rates is difficult… The [Sierra Leone Psychiatric] Teaching Hospital provides isolation treatment, which lasts between three to six weeks, and antipsychotic drugs to help wean patients off their addiction. But it is the only facility of its kind offering active care to kush patients in Sierra Leone. Indeed, there are just five

AFRICA THOUGHT – News features, commentaries, analyses, interviews & Op-ed. Ok, let us try an experiment. If I ask you to think about a famous person from Sierra Leone, who comes to mind? If you are local, or are familiar with our country, I am sure some names will come to your lips. In most cases, however, you probably will not know of any famous Sierra Leoneans. Well, guess what? We are here to change this! Keep reading this article to learn about 8 famous people from Sierra Leone – from the past and present, male and female, from Freetown or beyond. Did we forget anyone? 1. Idris Elba Let us start with the one and only Idris Elba! Idris

AFRICA THOUGHT – News features, commentaries, analyses, interviews & Op-ed. By Caleb Onyeabor/Exclusive to The African Times/USA Ghana, a beacon of stability in West Africa, stands at a critical juncture in her history. The December 7, 2024, presidential elections will not only determine who leads the nation for the next four years but also chart the course for its economic recovery, social cohesion, and democratic future. With a confluence of challenges – from a crippling economic crisis to rising youth unemployment and political polarization – the stakes have never been higher. *The Contenders: Familiar Faces and New Aspirations *Two familiar figures dominate the political landscape:  Mahamudu Bawumia, the incumbent Vice President: Riding on the popularity of his economic expertise and technocratic image, Bawumia,