The Hon. Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs has on Monday 9th November, 2020 received another prestigious award from Students’ representative council of the University of Makeni (UNIMAK).
This honorary event took place at the Ministry’s Conference Hall at B28 Kingharman Road, Freetown. During this event, the Director of Tourism Mr. Mohamed Jalloh welcomed the students’ representative to the Ministry and expressed delight in receiving them and for taking this bold step to extend appreciation to the ministry. He also expressed gratitude to the student council for hosting the Minister and team during the World Tourism Day Celebration at the UNIMAK- Auditorium, at Makeni.
The Hon. Deputy Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs shared his profound happiness for the patience and understanding the UNIMAK-Student Union Council have exercised all these while, more especially so when they had wanted to do this presentation earlier but was impossible because of the un-prevailing circumstances.
Marking a statement, Alhaji Sahid Janneh, Minister of Health and Sanitation for the UNIMAK Student Union body expressed profound acknowledgment for the enormous strides undertaken by the Hon. Minister in Promoting Tourism as a vehicle for national development. He also recognised the activities of the ministry in embracing students and youths as key drivers for successful, responsible and sustainable Tourism. In reaffirming his acknowledgement, the student’s Minister of Health and Sanitation presented T-shirts of the UNIMAK- Student Tourism and Peace Club to the Hon.
The Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and her Deputy in honour of their diligent services in using Tourism as a tool to rebrand the image of S/L, job creation, revenue generation through economic diversification were very happy to receive the Award.
The President for the UNIMAK-Students Union, Ibrahim Komkanda Bangura conveyed exceptional gratitude to the entire Tourism Ministry and its sub vented agencies for the tireless endeavour that they have embarked on for the past two and the half years in ensuring that the tourism industry becomes one of the outstanding sector that can compete with other advanced regional and international tourism destination in the world.
The student Union President presented a Student Representative Council certificate of merit to Hon. Memunatu B. Pratt as the best government minister of the year. He also continued with a gesture of a Life time Achievement Award to the Hon. Minister for her productive contributions in proactive marketing of Sierra Leone as an attractive and competitive destination for both domestic and international Tourism.
In her reception, the Hon. Minister gracefully welcomed the laudable gesture from the UNIMAK- SRC. She dedicated her Honorary Achievement Award to His Excellency the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone, Rtd. Brig. Dr. Julius Maada Bio who identified Tourism as a potential sector for economic diversification. She further acknowledged the immense support of the President, Donor Partners, Minister of Finance, including her industrious Deputy Minister Hon. William I.K. Robinson and the entire staff of the ministry and its sub vented agencies that had made it possible for this achievement to become a reality.
She noted that her vision is to see Tourism being respected as a potential course among students and threw her immense support for UNIMAK as the first Institution to establish Bachelor of Science in Tourism and Hospitality which will start next academic year (2021-2022). She further commented on the current status in developing a National Tourism Education Template which will be used as curriculum for Tourism Studies in different Universities and Colleges across Sierra Leone as it is in advance stage now.
She concluded by making a strong commitment in continuing promoting Tourism achievements as an awakening roaring Lion and that nobody can stop this progress in the interest of the people.
