Sierra Leone’s Tourism Minister Participates in International Tourism and Investment Conference

7th April, 2021.

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt has joined international decision makers, tourism leaders and investors in this year’s virtual summit of International Tourism and Investment Conference. The theme for 2021 is: Invest, Rebuild and Restart the African Travel and Tourism Sector.

The two-day virtual summit which is the aftermath of the restraining effects of the worldwide vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 aimed at uniting the broad spectrum of stakeholders of African and global tourism industries in order to tackle the key challenges that are cropping up in global tourism. There was special focus on investment opportunities in the African continent.

Giving her contribution, Dr. Memunatu Pratt pointed out that because of the experience Sierra Leone gained during the Ebola, the country has been able to contain the COVID pandemic and that Sierra Leone was the last country in West Africa to register a positive case of the corona virus. She stated that the government was able to support the tourism sector by providing safety net of three months salary to a number of hotels. She mentioned that the Government of Sierra Leone was taking COVID restrictions very seriously, noting that the Ministry is doing a number of reforms that have to do with hospitality standards.

She maintained that in the midst of COVID, the Tourism Ministry has been able to increase its domestic tourism revenues and that people were now visiting tourist sites more than ever before, with particular reference to the Tobanda Beach in the South which has just been commissioned by the President of Sierra Leone, HE Julius Maada Bio.

She said that a lot of work needs to be done at the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS Level to bring tourism to the forefront, while maintaining that there are a lot of barriers that are preventing regional tourism, connectivity and coordination. She admonished that such barriers call for an urgent address.

Sierra Leone’s Tourism Minister Participates in International Tourism and Investment Conference

7th April, 2021.

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt has joined international decision makers, tourism leaders and investors in this year’s virtual summit of International Tourism and Investment Conference. The theme for 2021 is: Invest, Rebuild and Restart the African Travel and Tourism Sector.

The two-day virtual summit which is the aftermath of the restraining effects of the worldwide vaccination campaigns against COVID-19 aimed at uniting the broad spectrum of stakeholders of African and global tourism industries in order to tackle the key challenges that are cropping up in global tourism. There was special focus on investment opportunities in the African continent.

Giving her contribution, Dr. Memunatu Pratt pointed out that because of the experience Sierra Leone gained during the Ebola, the country has been able to contain the COVID pandemic and that Sierra Leone was the last country in West Africa to register a positive case of the corona virus. She stated that the government was able to support the tourism sector by providing safety net of three months salary to a number of hotels. She mentioned that the Government of Sierra Leone was taking COVID restrictions very seriously, noting that the Ministry is doing a number of reforms that have to do with hospitality standards.

She maintained that in the midst of COVID, the Tourism Ministry has been able to increase its domestic tourism revenues and that people were now visiting tourist sites more than ever before, with particular reference to the Tobanda Beach in the South which has just been commissioned by the President of Sierra Leone, HE Julius Maada Bio.

She said that a lot of work needs to be done at the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS Level to bring tourism to the forefront, while maintaining that there are a lot of barriers that are preventing regional tourism, connectivity and coordination. She admonished that such barriers call for an urgent address.

Afrinity Production draw cognizance to Lagamy Gumaneh, a 24 year old champion debater, an inspirational writer and fanatic champion of Quality Education and Peace. Grew up in Koina and have attended Fatoto Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School before moving to Kombo for his University Education.

He was known in Fatoto as a brilliant and straight A student and has break alot of academic records through out his schooling there.

Lagamy is a YALI fellow who is currently working at the American Corner and equally the UTG representative at the Voice of The Youth inter-tertiary competition.

His rags-to-achievement story prove that with hard work, persistence, talent, and a lot of luck, you really can end up in a better place than where you started.

As a young leader, he is inspired and motivated by the realities of his surroundings. The unavailability of socioeconomic necessities such as peace, quality and accessible education is a propelling factor of his involvement into advocacy.

Lagamy served as the Information Minister of University of The Gambia Debate Association in 2020 and he is presently serving as the President of the said Association.

He cannot do without his family and his grandmother is the one who inspired him the most.

In the next 5 years, Lagamy sees himself in the public sector, a champion major of societal changes and developments.

By Amie T. Camara

Afrinity Production draw cognizance to Lagamy Gumaneh, a 24 year old champion debater, an inspirational writer and fanatic champion of Quality Education and Peace. Grew up in Koina and have attended Fatoto Upper Basic and Senior Secondary School before moving to Kombo for his University Education.

He was known in Fatoto as a brilliant and straight A student and has break alot of academic records through out his schooling there.

Lagamy is a YALI fellow who is currently working at the American Corner and equally the UTG representative at the Voice of The Youth inter-tertiary competition.

His rags-to-achievement story prove that with hard work, persistence, talent, and a lot of luck, you really can end up in a better place than where you started.

As a young leader, he is inspired and motivated by the realities of his surroundings. The unavailability of socioeconomic necessities such as peace, quality and accessible education is a propelling factor of his involvement into advocacy.

Lagamy served as the Information Minister of University of The Gambia Debate Association in 2020 and he is presently serving as the President of the said Association.

He cannot do without his family and his grandmother is the one who inspired him the most.

In the next 5 years, Lagamy sees himself in the public sector, a champion major of societal changes and developments.

By Amie T. Camara

More than 1,800 inmates have escaped from a prison in Nigeria after it was attacked by gunmen, officials say.

The attackers reportedly entered the prison yard in the south-eastern town of Owerri by using explosives to blast the administrative block.

Six prisoners have reportedly returned, while 35 refused to escape.

Police have accused the banned separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra, of carrying out the attack. It has reportedly denied involvement.

The Nigerian Correctional Service has confirmed that 1,844 inmates escaped from the jail in Imo state.

Heavily armed men stormed the Owerri Custodial Centre in the early hours of Monday, after arriving in pickup trucks and buses, the service said.

A police spokesperson said the attackers carried rocket-propelled grenades, machine guns, explosives and rifles.

President Muhammadu Buhari called the attack an “act of terrorism” carried out by “anarchists”. He called upon security forces to capture the attackers and the escaped prisoners.

A spokesman for the Indigenous People of Biafra separatist movement told the AFP news agency that accusations it was behind Monday’s attack were “lies”.

Imo state has long been a breeding ground for separatist groups, while relations between the central government and indigenous Igbo population are strained.

Since January several police stations and vehicles across south-eastern Nigeria have been attacked and large amounts of ammunition stolen. No-one has claimed responsibility for the attacks.

Mariama Danso is a 24 year old Gambian public speaker and Human Rights Activist, who is the current vice president of the University of The Gambia Students’ Union and also a founding member of Peace Hub The Gambia. She is currently an Intern at American corner Banjul.

Mariama is presently the moderator and host for two civic engagement programs through Activista and Action Aid The Gambia which is centred on Peace, women and Youth political participation and human rights.

She is also well Known for her amazing public speaking skills and she committed herself to seeing a well informed society and citizens working on their basic rights and responsibilities towards the state. “Every person is born to a calling and I strongly believe is to use the power of my voice to speak against social and Political mishaps, advocate for a peaceful, tolerant and social justice among others” she said.

Being an outspoken young lady from a very conservative family and society, it was always a challenge for her to get her opinion on certain sensitive discussions. The struggle of fighting through stereotypes of expected gender roles and responsibilities in society was always a challenge to many women like herself.

“Sometimes you take a deep analysis of who you are and what you’re able to achieve then you thank God for the struggles you’ve made to reach to where you want to be”, she lamented.

Danso further said her parents are her greatest source of strength and wisdom and her mother is a fighter who inspired her alot.

The talented young Activist said she see herself in the next 5 years in a world of academics, doing what she love doing the most. And that is lecturing.

By Amie T. Camara

#Afrinity_Production_Star_Of_The_Week

#Ibrahim_Prosper_Bangura_Named_Afrinity #staroftheweek
Ibrahim Prosper Bangura named Afrinity Production Star of the week. The Actor, Blogger and Philanthropist was spot during the making of one of the biggest action movies in Sierra Leone #Human_Trafficking his energy in the entertainment industry led to his present achievement.

Kakua Kingship on fire 🔥 as we had an exclusive interview with one of South most consistent rapper representing the South Boiz #Wy3m

#Wy3m The song “You Go Feel Me” is about me taking my fans to the old me.

And also is about teaching we the young rappers to focus on the career than the crown (👑), cuz you on the career gives you good and better songs.

#Afrinity so is that the only reason?

#Wy3m Another reason again is about respect in what you do in life.
We the young rappers must respect those we met in this field.
You must look up to someone to be a better one.

#Afrinity wow you’re really saying the mind of some hip hop lovers but what’s your take on the recent track of #KRhyme titled King 👑 Of Kaku?

#Wy3m (Laugh) 😀😀😀 My city is fill with self claimed Kings and other title rappers with little effort to put better rap song up their for our city, instead they bring out dead beef songs that doesn’t make sense in anyway and people in other cities are expecting much from the second city, Bo.

#Afrinity Who’s the legitimate owner of the crown 👑

#Wy3mI love Rap and we have talented rappers here in Bo, but we need healthy Rap songs not thrash or abusive Rap songs that doesn’t make sense. Then the battlefield will be set for contenders who’re fit then the fans will be convinced that I’m the King 👑 if my punchlines defeated the others 😀😀😀

#Afrinity wow!!! You’re such an incredible rapper according to our first interaction 😀😀 anyway what’s do you have for your fans?

#Wy3m thanks so much for the platform, my fans do trust and believe in me. Anyway I’m back at it and this is to get the fans back to good and constructive rap songs.
The fans know How Dem SouthBoiz Do it😀😀😀

#Afrinity guys stay connected with Afrinity Production don’t forget to like our page for more Entertainment news and gossip.

#King_Of_Kakua saga continues!!!!!

He’s Lamin Jalloh known as Lamtec,
CEO of New Life Entertainment SL.
Actor, Writer Producer and Director. Lamtec has contributed positively in the Sierra Leone film🇸🇱🎥🎬 industry. He has been starred in many movies in Sierra Leone 🇸🇱 Eg Tears of the Orphan ,Saved by Christ (Jesus is the way) He’s working on another climax hit titled WILD HUNTER🎥🎬🇸🇱 the movie titled Saved By Christ bags 10 norminations in this year’s Faces Of The North Entertainment Awards (FaNEA) which he is expecting nothing less but goodness from his fans.

Afrinity Production draw attention to a 28 year old trailblazing climate change activist Omar Malmo Sambou. For being insistence on planting trees for green earth Gambia which has put the climate change crisis on the front pages and has inspired many young people around the Gambia to take action. He is an Environmental Activist and an accredited Multidisciplinary Researcher.

Omar won the green Awards at the 2020 TFN Heroes Awards and has over ten years of experience in voluntarism and activism on environment and climate change in The Gambia. He is a Lecturer at The University of the Gambia and currently a Doctorate Student in Environmental Science at the University of Brawijaya, Malang, Indonesia.

The Young Gambian Activist holds a BSc (Hons) and a masters (Distinction) in Environmental Science from the University of the Gambia and the University of Brawijaya respectively with a focus on Environmental Resource Management and Development.

Omar also served as the 13th President of the University of The Gambia Students Union and President of the National Union of Gambian Students. He is a former course instructor at The Gambia College and a radio presenter on contemporary environmental issues.He chose this work because of his passion to impact positive change in his society.

His journey is characterized by passion, determination, trust and belief. Like many other young people, “it’s tough but the tough get going” he said.

Malmo Jnr is passionate about planting trees and discussing environmental issues, though he have no idol growing up but he is inspired by the Former Minister of Environment, Pa Ousman Jarju and Bubu Pateh Jallow who is the Lead Climate Change Negotiator for The Gambia at the UNFCCC.

Omar’s inspiring action have touched communities and emboldened movements with historic victories for tree planting.

By Amie T. Camara