Sierra Leone’s Minister of Youth Affairs-Mohamed Orman Bangura has told over 35 youth groups that his Ministry is transparent and will not condone any form of corruption.
Led by Alieu Ibrahim Kamara aka Koyo (SLPP former MP Candidate of Constituency 122), the youth groups paid a courtesy visit to congratulate the Ministers of Youth Affairs on their appointment by President Julius Maada Bio.
Addressing the crowd amidst cheerful applause, the Minister of Youth Affairs, Mohamed Orman Bangura reiterated that his ministry is transparent and accountable to the public. He therefore called on all to visit and cross-check any information before misinforming the public. Hon. Orman Bangura said “we are here to action the long awaited change clamoured for by all Sierra Leoneans.”
He said change was here and that the only way to achieve it was to be transparent and fight against corruption.
He said he was strongly working with his Deputy to ensure they roll out the New Direction’s development trajectory plans, thus assuring that the wrong perception about Sierra Leonean youth would positively be changed.He admonished them to grab the available opportunities, key among them is education.He said in September, 2018 the free quality education will kick start, adding that more Tech-Voc trainings will also be available.
“Let me use this medium to encourage you all to utilise this opportunity to your own advantage,” he admonished.
He appealed to all present to make themselves available for training programs and make sure they are ready to be educated.
He called on the youth groups to start the campaign and have enormous respect for education.
Minister Bangura maintained that, “we must explore entrepreneurial opportunities to help curb the problems of youth unemployment.”
He concluded that under the New Direction the power is in the hands of the people.
Hundreds of young people from across Sierra Leone, led by Koyo (Mr. Allieu Ibrahim Kamara) yesterday, Monday 18th June 2018 paid a courtesy call on the Ministers of Youth Affairs at the National Stadium Hostels at Brookfields.
Koyo said fostering a good working relationship between the Ministry and Sierra Leonean youth is among the key reason why the paid the impromptu visit.
“It is no mistake that His Excellency the President-Julius Maada Bio appointed two fine gentlemen in the persons of Mohamed Orman Bangura as Minister and Lusine Kallon as Deputy,” Koyo said.
He noted that Minister Orman and his Deputy Kallon are not only within the youth age bracket but had been part and parcel of the youth. He said,” let us give them the required support to change our stories.”
According to him, if the Ministers are supported they will rebrand and give a facelift to the Ministry in order to change the stories of all Sierra Leonean youth.
He went further to state that they Ministers inherited the highest youth unemployment and the expectations are high but those expectations will be addressed collectively.
Koyo on behalf of the youth groups submitted that youth entrepreneurship, vocational and skills training programs are pivotal in capacitating and empowering the youth. He stressed that the New Direction people’s manifesto captures the challenges faced by the youth and also proffered solutions to those challenges.
In his address, the Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs Hon. Lusine Kallon thanked the youth groups for their visit and to acquaint themselves with the Ministry.
He stated that President Bio has put together workable solutions in the New Direction people’s manifesto which will benefit and uplift the living standards of young Sierra Leoneans.