October 4, 2021
BY MOHAMED M. SESAY
As Concord Times newspaper get set to host a result driven summit on Friday the 8th of October 2021, the Head of the Planning committee Benjamin Gabriel has on Friday the 1st of October, informed Journalists that the Former President of Liberia H.E Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has graciously consented to deliver a keynote address at that auspicious event.
Addressing a battery of journalists in a press conference held at the Concord Times’ Edward Street Office, the Head of the Planning Committee Benjamin Gabriel disclosed that the summit is geared towards providing a strong impetus for regular exchange and corporation among political leaders, policymakers, civil society organizations, international partners and business leaders.
He added that the event will also identify key areas for action in the Post Covid-19 recovery dispensation and also highlight good practices, lessons learnt and strategies for the successful interventions and engagements with women and youth.
“I am glad to inform you all that the Keynote speaker of this Summit is no less a person but H.E Ellen Johnson Sirleaf former president of Liberia and Africa’s first democratically elected female president and 2011 Nobel Prize for Peace winner. The event Chair is Dr. Kandeh K. Yumkella, former United Nations Under-Secretary-General and leader of the opposition National Grand Coalition Party”, he said.
Benjamin Gabriel also disclosed the following personalities such as Amb. Madina A. Wesseh Esq., Secreatry General Mano River Union Freetown Sierra Leone, Mr. Chernor Bah, Co. founder and Chief Executive Officer at Purposeful Freetown Sierra Leone, Ms. Michala Mackay, Director and Chief Operating Officer, Director of Science and Technology and Innovation Freetown Sierra Leone, Ms. Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr, Mayor Freetown City Council, Ms. Valnora Edwin, Chairperson African Women Leaders Network Freetown and Ms. Marcella Samba Sesay, Executive Director and Chairperson Campaign for Good Governance Freetown Sierra Leone, are the expert presenters of the summit; .
Also highlighting the historical background of the Summit, Benjamin Gabriel disclosed that Concord Times launched its first interactive platform in 2008 for policymakers, civil society organizations, experts and academia, in order to discussion and debate about Sierra Leone’s socio-economic and political development.
He recalled that the inaugural lecture was delivered by Professor Amos Sawyer, former President of Liberia and erstwhile chairman of the Africa Peer Review Mechanism APRM). He added that the said summit was at that time chaired by the late former President of Sierra Leone Ahmed Tejan Kabba.
On his Part, the Acting Editor of Concord Times Communications Patrick J. Kamara also expressed observed that Concord Times is Sierra Leone’s most respected Newspaper which was established in 1991 by two Nigerians –Kingsley Lington and Anthony Hemjirika. He said the Newspaper has been consistently practicing good journalism and won several awards for its abiding value as an important tool in the search for peace, human rights, development and good governance efforts in Sierra Leone.
Patrick Kamara also noted that Concord Times embraces corporate responsibility as significant and requires contribution to the empowerment of underprivileged girls and women in rural Sierra Leone. He assured that a vital component of the long awaited summit will be centered around women’s empowerment, training and advocacy which is the more reason they invited Madam Ellen Johnson Sirleaf who is a champion of women’s economic empowerment.
“We are soliciting donations of items such as sanitary pads, toiletries, under vests for underprivileged teenagers and women in the rural Sierra Leone. We hope that your organization would kindly support this cause, giving the dire need for such items in the poor communities”, he appealed.