The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs (MTCA), and its associated agency, the National Tourist Board (NTB), with support from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), has on Thursday September 17, 2020, engaged journalists in a one-day workshop at the Family Kingdom in the west of Freetown with the theme: “The Role of Media in Promoting Sustainable Ecotourism in Sierra Leone.”
The Hon. Deputy Minister MTCA, Mr. William I.K. Robinson chaired the event. He expressed delight in meeting with journalists, whom he said, are pivotal in promoting government developmental agenda.
He maintained that, the media has the power to promote sustainable ecotourism in Sierra Leone.
The Hon. Minister, Dr. Memunatu B. Pratt, in her keynote address expressed delight to be engaged with the media on promoting tourism in West Africa.
She focused on UNDP’s complementary role in promoting tourism and the drive towards economic diversification in Sierra Leone, and reassured the media of the long term proceeds gained after working with MTCA in the marketing and rebranding process.
She commended His Excellency the President Rtd. Brig. Julius Maada Bio for government’s strong support and for identifying Tourism as a major growth sector for economic diversification in Sierra Leone, encouraged journalist to do more in portraying a good image about country.
The NTB General Manager, Madam Fatmata Kroma in her statement, expressed optimism that the engagement will provide the enabling environment for all players in the sector including the media to make their views heard on how to push the vision forward, and underscored the enormous strides the Tourism ministry has made in promoting the development of domestic and international tourism. She explained, “The CoViD-19 outbreak impedes the progress of the sector, yet it is also an opportunity for us to prepare ourselves for a robust bounce back hence the need for bringing the media on board as partners in tourism development,” she commented.
Speaking on behalf of the UNDP Country Director, Mrs. Bintu Moseray explained that, their interventions in the promotion of Tourism range from the construction jetties, installation of solar cool rooms along the coastal areas and the new sea weed machine to help clean the beach, adding, “Climate change mitigation is among the key factors in promoting sustainable ecotourism, managing our environment and reducing poverty in the sector.”
“socio-economic benefit in the Tourism sector should always go along with good news published by the media. I encouraged also the private sector to invest in green environment,” she added.
Mr. Asmieu Bah, Sec.Gen SLAJ, emphasized that Journalists encounter great obstacles when accessing news, but expressed hope that the training which they had receive will educate them on how to promote sustainable ecotourism. He admitted that regulating the social media is very challenging in Sierra Leone. Bah assured the Hon. Minister of SLAJ’s readiness to work with MTCA at all times in pushing Sierra Leone’s agenda.
The Deputy Chair, Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Tourism, Hon. Emmanuel Saidu Conteh, said Tourism always attracts peace and stability, and revealed that they as lawmakers are responsible for making laws even overnight and representing the people.
The Minister of information and communications, Hon. Abdul Rahman Rado Swaray in his statement, said the country needs, in to grow in all sectors. He encouraged the Ministry to take journalists to touristic sites to write good things about those places.
Swarray commended that, the Minister and her team for the good job over the past years by bringing 300 Danish travel writers, and 700 Budapest-Bamako SL rally participants among others to Sierra Leone. He called on Sierra Leoneans to put the country first, and said, “I am calling on the media to give their support to the Ministry in promoting the Tourism sector.”
By Ibrahim S. Bangura
21/09/2020. ISSUE NO: 7923