“When the finance people failed to integrate ECOWAS; the challenge is on you the regulators to integrate the subregion through connectivity. We need better collaboration and coordination from the people who are in this room to ensure that our redundancy system and connectivity system are robust enough,” Chief Minister Dr. Moinina David Sengeh.
He made this clarion call on Wednesday 20th March 2024 during the opening session of the 21st Annual General Meeting of The West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) held at the Radison Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel in Freetown.
He calls on his audience to implore means by which they can promote development through connectivity in the region.
The Chief Minister commended the National Communications Authority (NatCA) and the West Africa Telecommunications Regulators Assembly (WATRA) for hosting the 21st Annual General Meeting in Sierra Leone, underscoring how this indicates confidence in the country and its leadership.
He highlighted how the government has used Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other forms of technology to improve learning outcomes and the lives of citizens in general.
The Chief Minister told his audience about President Bio’s “BIG FIVE GAME CHANGERS” to improve the lives of citizens and the country as a whole, urging the foreign guests present to know more about the government priorities before leaving the country.
These five Gamechangers include: Feed Salone, Human Capital Development, Youth Employment Scheme, Revamping the Public Service Architecture and Tech & Infrastructure.
“Technology and information are core pillars and it matters to us as a nation. People think AI can be only applicable in countries like the United States of America or China and that is not the case. We equally have people with the capacity in the subregion, what is lacking is connectivity and the infrastructure,” he said.
WATRA is an organization through which Telecommunications Regulators work together to broaden access to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) services in the sub-region. Sierra Leone is a member of the 32-member states organization.
Article 6.12 of the Constitution of WATRA mandates the Conference of Regulators to hold an Annual General Meeting (AGM) once every year.
Each AGM shall confirm the host for the following year in conformity with Article 6.21 of WATRA’s Constitution.
During the 20th AGM of WATRA which took place in Bamako, Republic of Mali, in March 2023, the Conference of Regulators passed Resolution AGA20/CR/23/R11 for NatCA to host the 21st AGM of the Conference of Regulators. In compliance with the resolution reached at the 20th AGM of the Conference of Regulators in Bamako, Sierra Leone will automatically assume the position of Chairman of the Executive Committee of the 21st AGM as proud hosts in March 2024.
