May 11, 2021
The International Institute for Productivity and Public Management (IPPUM) has awarded honorary fellowships to eight outstanding Sierra Leoneans for their productivity and accomplishments in their professional careers. The fellowship award admitted all the professionals in to the International Professional Managers Association (IPMA), IPPUM’s affiliate body which is based in the United Kingdom.
The award which was done at a beautiful ceremony at the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko hotel in Freetown on Friday evening marked the official launch of IPPUM and IPMA in Sierra Leone.
Ten people were awarded in total, eight of them as Certified Fellows of IPMA and two of them as Licentiate Members of the IPMA. All ten also received certificates admitting them in to IPPUM.
Explaining the essence of the work IPPUM’s work in Africa, Founding President, Dr. George Smith-Graham said the institute was formed to increase productivity especially in the public sector.
“The institute is a private and independent institute set up to promote the productivity agenda in African countries,” Dr. Smith-Graham said, whiles adding that: “The primary responsibility of the institute is to research, strengthen, disseminate knowledge to organizations, stakeholders and individuals to augment productivity growth…”
“For now, in Sierra Leone we are targeting the top managers who are key decision makers in institutions across the country,” Dr. Smith-Graham later added.
Chairman of the event who is also the President of the Employers Federation in Sierra Leone, Koby Walker said IPPUM couldn’t have come at a better time considering the work his federation is doing to increase productivity among the workforce in the country.
“I am glad it has to do with productivity, we recently launched a productivity portal through which we are going to work with partners to inculcate the paradigm shift in the minds of employment and employees,” Mr. Walker said.
“COVID has brought us opportunities to increase productivity, before we never knew we could stay at home and be productive. Before we never knew we can virtualize our work,” he added.
Justice Fatmata Bintu Alhadi, who was the Special Guest of Honor at the award ceremony said about IPPUM’s work that: “They are trying to address issues close to my heart which is professionalism. It is easy to talk about professionalism in our country but it is difficult to practice because most people just blur the line,” Justice Alhadi said.
She also added that it is important that managers at different level and all spheres increase their professionalism and their productivity.
Those who were awarded were drawn from both the public and private sectors. Some of them are: Dr. Julius Sandy who is the Secretary to President of Sierra Leone, Lara Taylor Pearce, the Auditor General and Ansu Tucker who is the Director General of the Human Resource Management Office.
Justice Alhadi who is an Appeals Court Judge was also awarded as a certified fellow and enrolled as member of the IPPUM.
In the Private Sector, Managing Director of Rokel Commercial Bank Dr. Ekundayo Walter Gilpin was also awarded, highlighting his strides that have helped to transform Rokel Commercial Bank.
“We believe that this will spur u on and help the younger ones. On behalf of IPMA and IPPUM I want to thank you for receiving this award tonight,” Founding President of IPPUM, Dr. Smith- Graham said in his closing remarks.