By Amin Kef (Ranger)

The Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security has announced that enforcement of the Work Permit Act, 2023 will be expanded to Sierra Leone's international airports, seaports and land border crossings beginning Monday, 29 June 2026, as part of the Government's nationwide drive to strengthen compliance with labour and immigration laws.

The announcement follows a three-day compliance and enforcement mission to Bo and Kenema led by the Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, who reaffirmed the Government's commitment to ensuring that all foreign nationals working in Sierra Leone possess valid work permits and resident permits in accordance with the law.

The latest move comes after five foreign nationals travelling on an Air Peace flight from Kenema on Friday, 26 June 2026, were denied boarding during immigration clearance after failing to present authentic resident documentation. Although the action was taken under existing immigration procedures, the Ministry described the incident as a clear demonstration of the Government's determination to strengthen compliance at all official entry and exit points.

Speaking at the conclusion of the enforcement mission, the Minister said the airport action sends a strong signal that Sierra Leone's labour and immigration laws will be strictly enforced.

"Today's airport action sends a clear message that compliance with Sierra Leone's laws will be rigorously enforced. Beginning Monday, our enforcement will be expanded to include work permit compliance at airports, seaports and land border crossings. Every non-national who is required by law to hold a Work Permit must be able to produce one, together with a valid Resident Permit. Employers also have a legal responsibility to ensure their foreign employees are fully compliant," he stated.

Mohamed Rahman Swaray emphasized that Sierra Leone remains open to genuine investment and skilled foreign professionals but stressed that all investors and foreign workers must respect the country's legal framework governing employment and immigration.

The nationwide enforcement exercise formed part of a broader compliance mission during which the Minister engaged employers, conducted workplace inspections and met with the Southern and Eastern Regional Police Commands to strengthen collaboration between the Ministry, the Sierra Leone Police, the Sierra Leone Immigration Department, the Office of National Security and other enforcement institutions responsible for implementing the Employment Act, 2023 and the Work Permit Act, 2023.

Commissioner of Labour and Employment, Sinneh Bockarie, said stronger coordination among state institutions would significantly improve regulatory compliance while protecting Sierra Leone's labour market.

"Labour compliance is a shared national responsibility. By working together, Labour, Immigration, the Police, the Office of National Security and our implementation partners are strengthening regulatory compliance, protecting the integrity of Sierra Leone's labour market and enhancing national security," he said.

During the inspections, officials visited several workplaces in Bo and Kenema, including Splash Purified Water Company, First Tricon Limited, Dorwaila Hotel and Hill Top Hotel, where employers were directed to address various violations relating to employment contracts, workplace safety, payment of the national minimum wage, NASSIT registration and work permit requirements for foreign employees.

At Splash Purified Water Company, inspectors discovered that the recently approved national minimum wage of Le1,200 had not been implemented for eligible workers. The company was issued an Improvement Notice and given seven days to correct salary discrepancies and occupational health and safety concerns.

First Tricon Limited was also instructed to regularize the work permit status of all foreign employees, submit workers' contracts for verification, register with the Occupational Safety and Health Department and ensure full compliance with labour and social security laws.

Addressing Managements of businesses visited during the exercise, Commissioner Sinneh Bockarie said the Ministry has abandoned its previous complaint-driven approach in favour of proactive nationwide inspections.

"We are no longer waiting in our offices in Freetown for complaints before taking action. We are taking the Ministry to workplaces across the country to ensure employers comply with the Employment Act and the Work Permit Act, 2023. These inspections enable us to engage employers directly, identify areas of non-compliance, provide immediate guidance where necessary and enforce the law effectively," he said.

The Ministry has advised all employers and foreign nationals to ensure that valid resident permits and work permits are obtained before engaging in employment, warning that compliance inspections will continue nationwide as Government intensifies enforcement of the Employment Act, 2023 and the Work Permit Act, 2023 to safeguard workers' rights, promote lawful employment practices and strengthen workplace standards across Sierra Leone. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/labour-ministry-extends-work-permit-enforcement-to-airports-seaports-land-borders-begining-today/

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

The Director General of the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation Authority (SLCAA), Musayeroh Barrie, has reaffirmed the Authority's commitment to strengthening public health surveillance and aviation safety by intensifying the implementation of the Sierra Leone Health Travel Portal at the Freetown International Airport (FNA).

As part of efforts to enhance border health security, the SLCAA convened a high-level stakeholder engagement that brought together airline representatives, officials from the Ministry of Health, the National Public Health Agency (NPHA), and other key aviation partners to advance the operationalization of the digital Health Travel Portal.

The engagement focused on addressing practical implementation challenges while strengthening collaboration among stakeholders to ensure the effective deployment of the platform, which is designed to improve passenger health screening, facilitate the collection and management of travel health information, and strengthen disease surveillance before travellers arrive in Sierra Leone.

Addressing participants, Director General Musayeroh Barrie said the meeting was convened to determine the way forward for the full implementation of the portal while resolving operational concerns previously raised by airline operators.

She noted that although several discussions had already taken place regarding the initiative, the latest engagement was specifically designed to focus on implementation realities and develop practical solutions that would enable the system to function efficiently.

Barrie emphasized that the participation of airline representatives was essential to ensuring they fully understood the procedures for accessing passenger health information through the portal. She added that the engagement also provided an opportunity for stakeholders to identify operational bottlenecks and recommend practical measures to improve implementation.

"The SLCAA is working closely with our partners to ensure that every traveller complies with the Health Travel Declaration requirement before arriving at the airport. This is an important measure to protect public health and strengthen our national health security," she stated.

The Director General urged all passengers travelling to Sierra Leone to complete their mandatory Travel Health Declaration before arrival, stressing that compliance would significantly contribute to protecting the country's borders against the importation and spread of infectious diseases.

She described the Health Travel Portal as a critical component of Sierra Leone's broader strategy to strengthen disease surveillance, improve border health security, and promote safe, efficient and seamless travel through the country's main international gateway.

Participants at the engagement first received a comprehensive presentation outlining the portal's functionality, operational processes and expected outcomes before engaging in detailed discussions on implementation challenges, stakeholder responsibilities and recommendations for effective deployment.

According to the SLCAA, the Health Travel Portal is a digital platform developed to improve health screening procedures, facilitate the collection and management of essential passenger health information, and strengthen disease surveillance before travellers enter Sierra Leone.

Officials explained that the platform will play a significant role in preventing the spread of infectious diseases, including Ebola, while enhancing the country's preparedness and response to potential public health emergencies. By enabling authorities to collect accurate health information before passengers arrive, the system will support timely interventions where necessary and improve coordination among relevant government institutions.

Beyond strengthening disease prevention and emergency response mechanisms, the portal is also expected to improve passenger processing, enhance data management and align Sierra Leone's aviation health systems with international best practices.

Barrie underscored that the successful implementation of the initiative would depend on sustained collaboration among government institutions, airline operators, health authorities and other stakeholders within the aviation sector. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/slcaa-dg-intensifies-implementation-of-health-travel-portal-at-freetown-international-airport/

Sierra Leone has recorded another significant milestone in its human capital development drive, with 25 Sierra Leonean students graduating from various universities across the Russian Federation, including 10 who qualified as medical doctors from the People's Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University).

The graduation ceremony, held on Saturday, 27 June 2026, at Korovy Val in Moscow, brought together a high-level diplomatic delegation, university authorities, academic and scientific staff, graduates and their families. The event marked the largest cohort of Sierra Leonean medical graduates from RUDN University to date, highlighting the growing educational cooperation between Sierra Leone and Russia.

Among the graduating doctors, Dr. Alfred Osman Kamara and Dr. Hawanatu B. Marrah distinguished themselves by earning the prestigious Red Diploma, awarded to students who graduate with outstanding academic excellence.

Delivering the valedictory address on behalf of the graduating Class of 2026, Dr. Alfred Osman Kamara, who emerged as the best graduating student in medicine with honours, reflected on the sacrifices, determination and resilience that defined their academic journey.

Speaking before an audience that included Sierra Leone's Ambassador to the Russian Federation, Mohamed Yongawo, members of the diplomatic corps, university leadership, faculty members and proud parents, Dr. Alfred Osman Kamara described the achievement as a testament to perseverance and international cooperation.

A former President of the National Union of Sierra Leone Students in Russia, Dr. Alfred Osman Kamara acknowledged the support of President Julius Maada Bio for prioritizing human capital development through education. He also expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Higher and Technical Education, under the leadership of Dr. Ramatulai Wurie, for its continued commitment to supporting Sierra Leonean students studying abroad.

He equally thanked the Government of the Russian Federation and President Vladimir Putin for extending scholarship opportunities to international students, noting that the initiative had transformed the lives of many young Sierra Leoneans.

"His commitment to global education has opened doors for countless young minds and turned distant dreams into reality," Dr. Kamara said.

He paid special tribute to Ambassador Mohamed Yongawo, revealing that the graduating medical cohort was made possible through a special diplomatic engagement in 2021 that secured a quota for Sierra Leonean students to pursue general medicine at RUDN University.

Dr. Alfred Osman Kamara also commended the leadership of RUDN University, particularly Rector Oleg Alexandrovich and Director Alexey Yuryevich, for creating what he described as "a home of limitless opportunity, academic rigor, innovation and above all, true international friendship."

He further recognized several distinguished lecturers and mentors, including Professors Viktor Evseevich Radzinsky, Irina Alekseevna Zhirova and Martynov Alexey Yuryevich for shaping his medical career, while thanking Elena Valeryevna Kaverina for nurturing his passion for scientific research.

"Studying at a medical school is by no means an easy process, but thanks to you, all apparent difficulties and obstacles have always turned into easily surmountable goals and subsequent achievements," he stated.

Beyond the success recorded at RUDN University, Sierra Leone celebrated a total of 25 graduates from Russian universities this year across a range of academic disciplines, including bachelor's degrees, master's degrees and doctoral programmes. The achievement reflects the country's growing investment in education, international academic partnerships and the development of skilled professionals capable of contributing to national progress.

In his closing remarks, Dr. Alfred Osman Kamara reminded his fellow graduates that earning the title of medical doctor comes with a profound responsibility to serve humanity with professionalism, compassion and integrity.

"We have come a long, thorny path, of which each of you can rightfully be proud. We are now officially Medical Doctors, and this title carries with it enormous responsibility," he said.

The ceremony concluded with Ambassador Mohamed Yongawo presenting certificates of recognition to the graduating students on behalf of the Sierra Leone Students' Union, celebrating their outstanding achievements and encouraging them to return home equipped with the knowledge and expertise needed to contribute meaningfully to Sierra Leone's healthcare system and national development.

The historic graduation stands as another testament to Sierra Leone's commitment to investing in education, strengthening international partnerships and producing a new generation of highly skilled professionals prepared to advance the nation's development agenda. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/sierra-leone-celebrates-25-graduates-from-russian-universities-10-qualify-as-medical-doctors/

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

The Minister of Transport and Aviation of Sierra Leone, Ambassador Colonel (Rtd.) Alhaji Fanday Turay Esq., has officially handed over as Chancellor of the Regional Maritime University (RMU) and Chairman of the University's Board of Governors after completing a two-year tenure marked by institutional reforms, regional cooperation and significant academic growth.

The handover ceremony took place on Friday, 26 June 2026, during the 35th Meeting of the RMU Board of Governors held at Nungua in Accra, Ghana. In his farewell address, Ambassador Fanday Turay reflected on the progress achieved during Sierra Leone's chairmanship, expressing satisfaction that the University is stronger and better positioned for future growth than when he assumed office in 2024.

Addressing fellow Ministers, board members, university management, academic staff and delegates from the University's six Member States, Ambassador Fanday Turay described his tenure as one driven by collaboration, commitment and a shared vision to strengthen maritime education and training across the West African sub-region.

He highlighted several major accomplishments recorded during his leadership, noting that the admission of Guinea-Bissau as the sixth Member State represented a significant milestone in the University's expansion and regional integration agenda. According to him, the inclusion of Guinea-Bissau further strengthened the institution's role as a leading centre for maritime education in West Africa.

The outgoing Chancellor also pointed to substantial infrastructure development made possible through contributions from Liberia and Sierra Leone, which have enhanced the University's teaching and learning environment. He said those investments demonstrate the commitment of Member States to building a stronger institution capable of meeting the growing demand for skilled maritime professionals.

Ambassador Fanday Turay further disclosed that the University achieved a more than 30 percent increase in student enrolment during his tenure, reflecting growing confidence in the quality of education and professional training offered by the institution. He noted that the increase in enrolment, coupled with sustained financial stability, has placed RMU in a stronger position to expand its academic programmes and research activities.

Among the key achievements highlighted was the successful resolution of longstanding governance and leadership challenges that had affected the institution. He commended the Board of Governors and all stakeholders for working together to improve governance structures and promote institutional stability.

He also announced that the University secured two prestigious research grants from the Lloyd's Register Foundation, describing the achievement as a major boost to RMU's international reputation in maritime research and innovation. The grants, he said, will support research initiatives aimed at addressing critical challenges within the maritime sector while strengthening the University's global academic partnerships.

The outgoing Chancellor praised fellow Ministers, Board Members, the Acting Vice-Chancellor, the University's Management, the Committee of Experts and the Sierra Leone delegation for their unwavering support throughout his tenure. He acknowledged that the progress recorded over the past two years was the result of collective leadership and teamwork among all Member States.

Ambassador Fanday Turay welcomed the Board's agreement on a clear roadmap for appointing a substantive Vice-Chancellor, describing the decision as an important step towards ensuring continuity, effective governance and long-term institutional stability.

He also expressed optimism that ongoing discussions with the Government of Ghana regarding longstanding institutional matters would produce lasting solutions that would further strengthen the University's operations and governance framework.

As part of the official transition ceremony, Ambassador Fanday Turay formally handed over the University's flag and key institutional documents to his successor, symbolizing the peaceful transfer of leadership.

Reaffirming his commitment to the Regional Maritime University, Ambassador Fanday Turay described RMU as a strategic institution for developing Africa's maritime workforce and advancing regional integration through education and professional training.

He disclosed that approximately 400 students are expected to graduate during the University's forthcoming 20th Congregation, describing the milestone as another testament to RMU's continued growth and relevance.

Concluding his address, Ambassador Fanday Turay thanked the Member States, Board of Governors, Management, staff, students and development partners for the confidence and support they accorded him throughout his tenure. He emphasized that while leadership positions are temporary, his dedication to the Regional Maritime University and the advancement of maritime education in Africa will remain a lifelong commitment. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/amb-fanday-turay-hands-over-rmu-leadership-following-two-years-of-institutional-transformation/

By Amin Kef (Ranger)

Secure Her Empowerment for Peace (SHE4Peace) has intensified calls for greater attention to men's mental health, with experts, policymakers, advocates and youth leaders urging Sierra Leoneans to create safe spaces where men can openly discuss emotional challenges without fear of stigma.

The appeal was made during the Elevate Men's Seminar 2.0, held on Saturday, 27 June 2026, at Toma Resort under the theme, "It's Okay to Say: I Am Not Okay," with discussions centered on "Breaking the Silence: Youth Voices for Men's Mental Health, Positive Masculinity and Social Transformation in Sierra Leone."

Hosted by Augustine Kandeh, Programmes Manager of SHE4Peace, and moderated by Ariana Oluwole, the seminar featured a panel discussion, wellness and mindfulness sessions and interactive dialogue involving Government officials, mental health professionals, legal practitioners, journalists, youth advocates and community leaders.

Speaking in an exclusive interview, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of SHE4Peace, Mariama Sahid, said promoting men's mental health is essential to achieving genuine gender equality and sustainable peace.

She explained that although SHE4Peace remains committed to advancing women's participation in leadership, peacebuilding and development, the organization also recognizes that men are indispensable partners in building stronger communities.

"We cannot advocate for peaceful families, inclusive communities and sustainable development while ignoring the mental wellbeing of men. When men struggle in silence, the effects are felt by women, children, workplaces and society as a whole," she said.

Mariama Sahid noted that the Elevate Men's Seminar was designed to provide a safe environment where men could openly discuss their struggles, access reliable information and receive support without fear of judgment. She emphasized that supporting men's wellbeing does not diminish efforts aimed at empowering women but instead strengthens families and communities.

Director of Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Services at the Ministry of Social Welfare, Ansu Konneh, highlighted the importance of changing societal perceptions surrounding masculinity. He observed that many men have been conditioned to suppress their emotions, often resulting in emotional distress, substance abuse and family breakdown.

He disclosed that the Ministry is implementing a Positive Parenting programme, which has revealed increasing levels of family dysfunction caused largely by absent parenting and weakened family values. According to him, stronger mental health support for men will contribute significantly to healthier homes and more peaceful communities.

Legal practitioner and Founder of the Patriotic Advocacy Network Sierra Leone (PAN), Ansumana Keita Esq., shared his personal experience of losing his father at the age of thirteen, recalling how he was discouraged from expressing grief because he was expected to remain emotionally strong as the family's only son.

He called for more platforms that encourage men to express their emotions freely while advocating for continued dialogue on legal and policy reforms affecting men. He also encouraged men to strengthen relationships within their social circles, noting that emotional isolation often contributes to mental distress.

Broadcast journalist and youth advocate Marina Terry stressed that men's mental health should not be viewed solely as a men's issue but as a family and national development concern. She urged women to recognize that men also experience emotional pain and should feel comfortable discussing their vulnerabilities with their partners.

Country Director of the Mental Health Coalition Sierra Leone, Joshua Duncan, encouraged men to reject harmful social expectations that discourage emotional openness. He maintained that true identity is shaped by purpose, contribution to society, and personal values rather than financial success.

Pharmacist and Founder of PN Pencil Sierra Leone, Buya Nabie Bangura, warned that substance abuse continues to threaten the wellbeing of many Sierra Leoneans across all age groups. He called for the establishment of a national mental health council to coordinate policies and institutionalize mental health interventions nationwide.

Youth leader and disability advocate Ishmail G. Kamara also urged society to become more inclusive by recognizing the unique mental health challenges faced by persons living with disabilities. He reminded participants that financial success alone does not define manhood, emphasizing that meaningful impact comes through service, strategic thinking, and positive relationships.

Supported by Freetown Innovation Lab 3, IBTK Foundation, RCBank, and several civil society partners, the seminar concluded with participants reaffirming their commitment to breaking the stigma surrounding men's mental health and promoting positive masculinity.

Participants agreed that creating safe spaces for honest conversations, strengthening family values, and expanding access to mental health services are essential steps toward building healthier families, peaceful communities and a more inclusive Sierra Leone. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/she4peace-champions-mens-mental-health-calls-for-inclusive-approach-to-gender-equality/

By Dr. Yakama Manty Jones

Every African Government I have worked with has had political will. This may sound surprising given how often reforms stall, projects underperform and citizens lose confidence in public institutions. I have sat across the table from Presidents, Ministers, senior civil servants and their technical teams and I have rarely met a leader who did not want to deliver. The problem is rarely the absence of commitment. The problem is that political will is often mistaken for a delivery system. It is not.

I call this the delivery gap: the distance between political commitment and citizens’ experiences. Citizens do not experience speeches, frameworks or manifesto commitments. They experience whether public services work when they need them. When these outcomes fail to materialize, the gap is rarely a gap of intention. It is a gap of architecture.

Governments do not fail because they lack plans. Africa may be the most over-planned continent in the world. National development plans, sector strategies, reform roadmaps, vision documents, most countries have all of them and most are technically sound. Yet citizens do not experience plans. They experience services. Between the plan and the service lies a space where many reforms quietly die, not from sabotage, but from drift: goals too broad to own, accountability spread too thinly and review cycles too slow to catch problems before they become crises.

Three myths keep this gap alive. The first is that political will means leaders care. Most do. The second is that political will guarantees implementation. It does not, because commitment is not a system. The third is that more political will solves delivery problems. It rarely does, because the constraint is seldom enthusiasm.

So what does a Government actually need? It needs two things: a Delivery Operating System and the capability to sustain it.

The Delivery Operating System is the repeatable set of routines through which Governments translate political commitment into measurable results. It starts with ruthless prioritization, choosing the handful of outcomes that matter most. It organizes Government around those outcomes. It diagnoses the real constraints before acting, because activity without an honest diagnosis is just motion. Diagnosis informs financing, staffing, incentives, data needs, procurement and risk mitigation. From there, priorities are translated into practical implementation plans with milestones and named owners. Every priority needs one accountable team, from senior leadership to the last-mile service provider, who knows their name is attached to the result. Spread a target across a committee and you have not shared responsibility. You have diluted it.

What follows is execution. Routines that keep reforms moving and remove obstacles as they appear. That discipline depends on data. Not the kind that arrives once a year in a report nobody reads, but on live, operational information that can answer four questions on demand: are we on track, where are we falling behind, why and what needs fixing now to get us on track.

That data only matters if it lands in a room that takes it seriously: structured performance reviews, held often enough to matter and where leaders ask what changed, why, who is removing the bottleneck and by when. I have watched that shift happen in different rooms. It is not dramatic. It is the entire difference between a Government that talks about delivery and one that does it.

The final element is adaptive problem solving and learning. Most Governments monitor. Far fewer learn. The purpose of data is not reporting. It is identifying problems while they are still small enough to fix, understanding why they occur and adapting before today’s obstacle becomes tomorrow’s institutional failure.

Even the best-designed operating system will fail if Governments do not invest in the capability to sustain it: a culture in which leaders reward execution as much as announcement, institutions and civil servants equipped to manage increasingly complex reforms and technology that makes performance visible and accountability harder to avoid. These allow delivery to survive a change of Minister, a change of Government, a change of fiscal fortune.

The lack of this architecture explains why so many good policies underdeliver. Human capital and women’s economic empowerment, for example, are rarely short of strategies. Governments frequently cannot answer simple questions. Are children learning? Which districts are falling behind? How many women sustained businesses beyond programme support? Which interventions produced lasting income gains? Without shared priorities, named owners and timely data, Ministries can each report progress while citizens experience none of it.

None of this is purely technical and it would be dishonest to pretend otherwise. Some reforms fail not because Governments do not know what to do, but because incentives are misaligned. Delivery often requires institutions to change behaviours, surrender discretion, share information they would rather control and accept scrutiny they would rather avoid. These are political challenges, not technical ones. The political cost of admitting a missed target is immediate, but the benefits of genuine reform are long-term. No dashboard fixes that asymmetry on its own. Only leadership willing to absorb short-term discomfort for long-term credibility does.

The real question is what kind of states we should build. Individual reforms come and go with election cycles and ministerial reshuffles. Delivery capability does not. Governments that build and sustain delivery operating systems will continue delivering long after the leaders who initiated those reforms have left office. Those who rely solely on the commitment of exceptional individuals will see progress fade with every political transition.

Citizens do not live inside policy documents. They live inside the consequences of whether those documents are implemented. Political will starts the reform. A Delivery Operating System turns that will into action. Delivery capability ensures that action endures.

Political will matters. Capability is the currency that pays for it.

About the Author

Dr Yakama Manty Jones is an economist, entrepreneur and international development consultant who supports Governments across Africa in strengthening public service delivery, improving public financial management and advancing human capital development. She is a senior public official and thought leader on public policy, systems approaches to public service delivery, inclusive growth and human-centred design. Dr. Jones is also the founder of Data Mansah, which trains youth in mobile data collection and data-driven advocacy and the Yak Jones Foundation, which promotes literacy among children in Sierra Leone. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/political-will-is-not-enough-build-the-capability/

The Sierra Leone Association of Communications and Public Relations Professionals (SLACPRP) has intensified efforts to strengthen the country's communications industry with the completion of its nationwide membership drive, positioning itself as the first dedicated professional body for communications and public relations practitioners in Sierra Leone.

The initiative comes at a time when strategic communications, public relations, digital media and corporate affairs are playing an increasingly important role in governance, business and national development.

SLACPRP was officially introduced through a virtual soft launch on 8 November 2025 under the theme, "Advancing Excellence in Public Relations and Communications: Harnessing the New Media and AI." Three days later, on 11 November 2025, the Association opened its first nationwide membership drive, inviting professionals from public relations, strategic communications, media, marketing communications, advertising and corporate affairs to become founding members of the country's first professional association dedicated exclusively to the communications sector.

Following overwhelming interest from practitioners who were unable to participate during the initial exercise, the Association reopened applications on 19 May 2026, with the second phase concluding on 19 June 2026.

According to the Association, the strong response reflects the growing demand among communications professionals for a unified platform that promotes collaboration, professional development, ethical practice and industry recognition.

SLACPRP's vision is to advance professionalism, strengthen ethical standards and align communications and public relations practice in Sierra Leone with international best practices.

Speaking on the significance of the initiative, Interim President, Sallieu Sesay described the formation of the Association as a historic milestone for the profession.

"This is a defining moment for our industry. Until now, our communications and public relations professionals have stood apart—talented and passionate, yet without a shared home to grow, learn and lead together. SLACPRP is about giving our profession a unified voice, creating a space for continuous learning and connecting practitioners to global opportunities," he said.

He added that under its interim leadership, the Association intends to serve as both a professional home and a strategic institution capable of strengthening trust, influencing national conversations and promoting excellence in communications practice.

SLACPRP has identified several priority areas for its work, including professional networking, peer learning, continuous skills development, knowledge sharing, ethical practice and policy advocacy. The Association also plans to foster partnerships with Government institutions, private sector organisations, academic institutions, Civil Society groups and international partners to improve the visibility and impact of communications professionals across the country.

Interim Vice Chairperson, Harriet Mason, said the Association is committed to building an inclusive professional community that supports practitioners at every stage of their careers.

"We want every communications professional to feel seen, supported and connected. Our collective strength will shape how Sierra Leone tells its stories, both at home and to the world," she stated.

Membership is open to both individual practitioners and institutions involved in communications-related work. The Association believes that a strong and united membership will help advance excellence, innovation and collaboration within the profession while contributing to national development through effective communication.

Interested professionals can obtain membership information and registration forms through the Association's official website and social media platforms. SLACPRP has encouraged practitioners across the country to engage with its activities and become part of a growing network committed to shaping the future of strategic communications and public relations in Sierra Leone.

The Sierra Leone Association of Communications and Public Relations Professionals describes itself as a professional network dedicated to promoting excellence, ethics, innovation, capacity building and policy advocacy within the communications and public relations industry, while empowering practitioners to influence public discourse, strengthen corporate reputation and contribute to national development. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/slacprp-launches-nationwide-drive-to-unite-communications-and-pr-professionals/