Tourism Ministry Cleans Lumley Beach
By Mackie M. Jalloh
On Saturday, International Youth Day, over 500 youths joined the Ministry of Tourism and line ministries and agencies, with support from Orange-SL, to clean up the entire Lumley beach, which is the gateway to Sierra Leone’s Tourism.
In an exclusive interview with the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Madam Dr. Kadijatu Grace Kamara, she said that the idea to clean the beach on that day emanated from the Minister of Tourism, Nabeela Tunis, after which they were able to engage their partners, the Youth Ministry, Orange-SL, National Tourist Board and other stakeholders to come on board to clean the beach. She furthered that President Bio had told the world that Sierra Leone is a safe place to visit, and this engagement is to ensure that the scenario befits the President’s description of the country. She furthered that this even will give the youths a sense of responsibility and accountability, and youths must take conscious steps to fix their country. Tourism business, she stressed is everybody’s business.
Emerson Kamara, Deputy Commissioner NAYCOM, said International youth day set aside to discuss and identify potential of young people, and is celebrated annually. So decided to work with the Tourism Ministry to hold this engagement, to get the youths off the drugs, as idle mind leads to various unproductive actions. He stressed that the tourism sector has the potential to develop the youths and provide jobs for youths. There are various areas they can serve, like beach guide, beach security, vehicle parking guide etc. He stressed that after setting up the cleaning system of the beach well, they can provide adequate avenue for revenue for youths and the government, as many visitors coming to the beach will have the desire to come back. Youths will be given basic skills, like beach parking lot guard, beach security guard, etc. This will enable youths get sustainable salaries, as well as interaction with good people.
Immah Yonnie, Director of Youth Affairs Office Of The President, explained that the cleaning exercise will encourage more youths to move away from drug abuse. She said that the Commission is not happy with the way things are going with the youths, with a good number of them engaged in drug abuse, especially this dangerous drug called kush. Thus, organizing this even, especially on International Youth Day, they showing the youths that they believe in them and that there is better life than kush, which is destroying them. She furthered that it is the desire of President Bio to see a thriving youth population, as can be seen in the belief he has reposed on young ministers in his government. She admonished all youths in the country to forget about kush and embrace a better life, adding that other programs are being designed to engage the youths in the country.
