Your Excellency Mr President
Honorable Vice President
Madam First Lady and Hands of our Girls Campaigner
Honorable Chief Minister
The Minister of Finance
Deputy Minister of Information
The Chairman of IMC
The President of SLAJ
Editors, Station Managers and Publishers
Members of the Press
Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen
Welcome Speeches can sometimes be very tricky as it has the effect of either enticing the audience to take interest in the event or not want to participate at all.
So I have been advised to make it long enough to address everyone properly but short enough not to bore everyone.
So let me start by welcoming each and everyone of you to this inaugural cocktail with His Excellency the President.
I Want to particularly welcome journalists from the provinces and the international media who are here with us this evening as we strengthen the bond between the presidency and the media. I also want to welcome not just the journalists but also recognize some of the media entities and institutions they represent starting with the Independent Media Commission, SierraLeone Association of Journalists, The Guild of Editors , Women in the media-SierraLeone, SierraLeone Reporters Union, Media Reform Coordinating Group, Sport Writers Association of Sierra Leone and the Veteran Journalists Union.
Your Excellency about eights months ago, your Presidency started here at the Radisson Blu where you took an oath to serve our country so faithfully . And over the past months you have done so with grace , compassion , strong leadership and an abiding commitment to the efficient management of the state . Since this journey started your Excellency , the media has been a vibrant and constructive partner. Therefore , this in augural cocktail is a platform for
Renewal of the friendship , Partnership and engagement between the presidency and the media .
As I welcome you all to this cocktail , the question I want us to reflect on is this ; how do we seek to further this collaboration and partnership between the Presidency and the media? I am by no means asking for a patronizing media because that will be a tragedy for our great country .
This is also because , the president firmly believes and appreciates that the role of the media is the watchdog of society and the conscience of the nation.
Your Excellency, I know probably as you start your
Interaction after the speeches one concern some journalists will raise with you is about accessibility . Understandably, with your workload and daily engagements sir , accessing you especially for media interviews would always be challenging . However, having direct access to me , members of my team or the office is very critical not only for the public to know what is going on and in a timely manner but
most important to provide relevant information about the presidency .
Therefore , I want to sincerely apologise to all those who have found it difficult to reach me directly especially through the phone. My Principal job is to interface between the presidency and the media and part of my new year’s resolution is to make that inter face more effective . I also wish to confirm that this media cocktail will be an annual event to nurture this great bond between the presidency and the media .
As a president who is committed to a transparency , let me also assure the media that you can expect press statements on any issue of national concern bordering on the presidency without having to rely on speculation or rumour.
This is because it is the right of the public to know and my job is guided by that fact . No wonder a friend of mine recently referred to me as minister of press releases. It is hope that the strategy of transparency will lay to rest the sad culture of a section of the media publishing speculation that eventually turn out to be false.
Distinguished ladies and gentleman , as I conclude my welcome I Will also be remiss if I fail to particularly commend someone who has volunteered over the past weeks and months putting all of this cocktail together. She is Betty Jessica Milton and may I kindly ask that we give her a round of applause . Thank you Betty for such a fantastic job.
Finally, Let me also use this opportunity to introduce my team to the media ;
- Mr. Tanu Jalloh- Communications Manager
- Mr. Sulaiman Stephens (commonly known as foolish nor dae yah) – Head of Audiovisual
- Mrs. Hawa Moseray – Senior State House Correspondent
- Ms Betty Milton – Voluneer
- Mr. Mohamed Lamin Massaquoi-Media Officer
- Mr. Lamin Sheriff- Media Monitor
7Mr Muctarr T. Kamara- Photograph
- Mr Patrick Sama- Videographer
- Mr Emmanuel Gbassa- Photographer
Once again I welcome you all to this inaugural cocktail.