March 25, 2021
By Mohamed M. Sesay
The Speaker of the Fifth Legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament Hon. Sidi Mohamed Tunis has in a presser assured Sierra Leoneans that the ECOWAS Parliamentary Session hosted in Sierra Leone will help sell the country’s tourism sector to the international community and also gain its desired visibility.
The Right Honorable Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament asserted that the Speakership of the ECOWAS Parliament was accorded to him through the determined support and campaign of President Julius Maada Bio. He said the campaign was supported by the people of Sierra Leone. He said he purposively chose Sierra Leone as a host for the two weeks ECOWAS Seminar in a form of compensation to the people of Sierra Leone because the seminar will create the most desired visibility of the beautification of the country’s tourism sector.
He further confessed that he equally chose the theme “involvement of ECOWAS Parliament Members in monitoring the application of the protocol relating to community levy”, because over the years the payment of the community levy has been very appalling across the region. He disclosed that the President of the ECOWAS Commission was in agreement to urge Parliamentarians within the member states to support the issue of the community levy to the notice of the public so that they can put measures together in promoting the community levy.
As part of his expectations, Hon. Tunis added that when all of the members from the ECOWAS community would have left the country, they will be taking to their respective countries the good news about the Sierra Leone.
He added adding that many countries within the member states only know Sierra Leone for the eleven years civil war. He said about sixteen member states are currently within the country and therefore, they will surely take with them the indelible peace in Sierra Leone, development in Sierra Leone, the touristic features of Sierra Leone and the potentials in Sierra Leone.
“I have almost most of our delegations here and that by itself I am very happy as a Sierra Leonean bringing all of these people to Sierra Leone under my leadership. My expectation is that by the time all of them again leave this country, they will be taking the good news about Sierra Leone. They will be taking along with them peace in Sierra Leone, Development in Sierra Leone, tourism in Sierra Leone and potentials in Sierra Leone. so these are the advantages that we as country will have out of this particular ECOWAS session in addition to the actual reason why which is the implementation of the community levy”, said Honorable Tunis.
On her part, the Commissioner for Finance of ECOWAS Parliament Mrs. Halima Ahmed confessed that she is honored to be part of the seminar particularly hosted in what she described as a historic city of Freetown. She added that, she will remain grateful to the Speaker of the ECOWAS parliament for the honor he (Speaker) has accorded her and her department by not only inviting them to take part in such important seminar, but also selecting the theme “the involvement of members of the ECOWAS Parliament in monitoring the application of the protocol relating to community levy”.
During his Welcome address, the Head of Delegation of the Sierra Leoneans Member of the ECOWAS Parliament Honorable Chernor Maju Bah (Chericoco), thanked the ECOWAS Parliament for the unanimous decision they made in electing a brother Hon. Sidi Mohamed Tunis as the Speaker of the fifth legislature of the ECOWAS Parliament. He added that they have been eagerly looking forward to the hosting of the ECOWAS Seminar in Sierra Leone adding that, immediately after the nomination and election of H.E Hon. Sidi Mohamed Tunis sometimes in March 2020, they started preparing for the welcoming of member states to the first major activity outside Abuja. He assured member states that Sierra Leone is a very peaceful and friendly country and therefore, they should consider the visit to Sierra Leone as “home away from home.”
He described Sierra Leone as one of the major cities that could be reached by using all means of transportations- road, air and sea.
He continued that the country had had a bitter experience such as the Civil war, the Ebola pandemic, and now the novel coronavirus diseases but that has not made Sierra Leoneans lost their general friendly disposition.
“We are and we believe that we are the friendliest in Africa. Therefore colleagues, I implore you to take maximum advantage of this peaceful, nice and welcoming generosity of Sierra Leone and its people. The streets are safe, people are welcoming and accommodating so don’t confine yourself to your hotels only, go out and enjoy the hospitality of Sierra Leone and Sierra Leoneans”, Hon. Bah assured.