Sierra Leoneans in Saudi Fall in Love with President Koroma’s “Agenda for Prosperity”
Following the successful implementation of His Excellency the President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma’s “Agenda for Change” during his first term of office from 2007 to 2012, the development-oriented president’s agenda has graduated into the Agenda for Prosperity. (Photo: HE President Ernest Bai Koroma)
The new agenda seeks to promote sustainable economic growth in order to reduce penury and for the country to achieve medium developed status by 2035.
Economist Hails the “Agenda for Change”
When the Sierra Leone House of Parliament was recently discussing President Koroma’s “Agenda for Prosperity” in the well of Parliament, Mr. Alimamy Bangura, Head of Economics Policy Research in the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development, in his presentation said the Ministry had reviewed the Agenda for Change, its achievements, remaining challenges and lessons learnt.
The agenda, according to the economist, is divided into eight pillars which include economic diversification to promote inclusive growth, managing natural resources, accelerating human development, international competitiveness, employment and labour strategy, social protection, governance and public sector reform and gender equality and women’s empowerment.
Mr. Bangura said that the rationale behind President Koroma’s agenda is to diversify other sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, fisheries and tourism, ensure sustainable management of the country’s natural resources, including the environment, land, minerals, oil and gas, marine resources and forests, address the mismatch between the supply of labour and skills demand in the emerging market, focus on developing and implementing social protection measures for the vulnerable groups and to achieve the prosperity for equal rights and opportunities for women and men must be recognized and the special need of women must be addressed.
World leaders recognize Koroma
Through his Agenda for Change, President Koroma made Sierra Leoneans proud of his leadership especially in the areas of electricity, infrastructural development, free health care initiatives, agriculture, mining, domestic revenue generation and many other achievements that have made him internationally recognized by world leaders, including President Barack Obama, who recently invited him alongside three other African Heads of states to the White House in Washington, to work with them for the strengthening of democracy and good governance in the continent.
Since President Koroma acceded to power in September 2007, most Sierra Leoneans in this part of the world have fallen in love with his penchant for making developmental strides within the four corners of Sierra Leone, his love for humanity and the vulnerable, his political tolerance and fight against corruption.
Saudi Mission on the move
In Saudi Arabia, the Sierra Leone Embassy has reinvigorated its rebranding of the country by selling President Koroma’s “Agenda for Prosperity” to the Saudi authorities, potential investors, the Sierra Leonean community and many other sectors in this country. The Sierra Leone Ambassador and his staff have put mechanisms in place as to how they should persuade potential investors to visit Sierra Leone to do business in the country.
Also, at a recent convocation ceremony at the Islamic University of Madina, where a Sierra Leonean graduated with a Ph. D. in Islamic Education, the Press Attaché on behalf of the Ambassador fully engaged Sierra Leonean scholars that graced the occasion. It was an opportunity for the Embassy to explain the success story of President Koroma as regards his great achievements under the Agenda for Change and his determination to take Sierra Leone to prosperity before he leaves office by 2017.
The Sierra Leone scholars in Saudi Arabia also do appreciate the exemplary performance of their president, that has brought much international recognition for him in particular and the country in general.
To our Sierra Leonean brothers and sisters living in Riyadh, the Agenda for Prosperity means that president Koroma has moved their country from the state of decades of backwardness to one of hope and prosperity for all Sierra Leoneans. They believe that all Sierra Leoneans should therefore join the bandwagon of massive development and ensure that, what has been achieved should be diversified and sustained for generations yet unborn.
To them, the Agenda for Prosperity means that every Sierra Leonean should contribute to the ongoing development, if Sierra Leone should become a prosperous country. They also believe that irrespective of diverse political opinions, Sierra Leoneans should pray fervently for President Koroma to continue making gains in terms of development so that poverty will become a history in the not-too-distant future.
By and large, President Koroma’s achievements in five years have won the hearts of not only Sierra Leoneans but also shakers and movers of the world, who have come to recognize his commitment to development, good governance, democracy and the rule of law.
Through his productive leadership, the president has rekindled the hopes of Sierra Leoneans who are seeing light at the end of the tunnel.
With massive infrastructure development, improvement in electricity supply in Freetown and the provincial cities, agriculture, improved revenue from mining activities and many other economic activities under a favourable business environment created by government, only the sky will be the limit in the successful implementation of President Koroma’s Agenda for Prosperity.
Alhaji M.B. Jalloh, Press Attache, Saudi Arabia
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