By Amin Kef Sesay
In a bid to give an opportunity to young people in the country to bring out their best ideas, innovation and creativity to fight corruption, the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Africa Young Voices Media Empire (AYV), Africell-Sierra Leone & Children and Youth Awareness Forum (CYAF) has on Thursday 17th September 2020, launched the ACC National Creative Competition during an auspicious event held at the Africa Young Voices Media Empire Headquarters on Wesley Street in Freetown.
Present at the ceremony were Ambassador Anthony Navo Jr, Commissioner ACC, Francis Ben Kaifala, Deputy Commissioner of the ACC, Augustine Ngobie, Patrick Sandi, Director of Outreach of the ACC, Margrette Murray, Public Relations Officer of the ACC, John Konte representing the CEO of Africell and Anderson Lansana of the CYAF-SL CEO among others.
The National Creative Competition, that was launched, will allow Sierra Leoneans across the country to compete on how to fight corruption through spoken words, paintings and video documentaries in order to win a cash prize of Fifty million Leones (Le50 M).
Speaking during the launch, the Commissioner of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), Francis Ben Kaifala, expressed profound gratitude to the Africa Young Voices Empire and Africell-Sierra Leone for their support in making the launch a success, which he described as not only important but timely in the fight against corruption.
He said as a Commission they have been working tirelessly to fight corruption in the country noting that with the launch of this creative competition he is with the strong conviction that such will help in the fight against corruption in the country. “The world will not change if the young people give are damn,” was a slogan which ACC Commissioner chanted in order to inspire young people to take up the mantle in the fight against corruption.
He added that they will continue to work with different institutions in the fight against corruption, adding that he is of the strong belief that the world will change if young people give a damn.
The Commissioner said one of the works of the leadership of the ACC is to tap into the potentials of young people and also help them to understand that if they must make meaningful contributions to nation building they must uphold the fight against corruption.
He said the competition will tap into the potentials of the young people of this country stating that this will give young people the leeway to bring their ideas, innovation and creativity to see how best they can use them in the fight against corruption for which these young people would be rewarded.
On his part, the Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Young Voices Media Empire, Anthony Navo Jr, applauded the ACC for partnering with them to launch the National Creative Competition, adding that his institution has the platform to fight corruption by using young people themselves who constitute about 60% of the country’s population and that with the inclusion of young people in the fight against corruption as key players it will be a plus to the ACC to combat corruption in the country.
He assured the ACC and their team that as an institution they will do all within their reach to ensure that the ACC information is disseminated to the wider public.
The AYV CEO disclosed further that the AYV & Partners are currently constructing a creational center worth over five thousand United States dollars that consist of 6 studios, 2 theaters etc.
He said it is the first time in the history of this country for us to have a young man as Commissioner of the ACC who is so passionate about the fight against corruption and this time round by using the creative minds of young people.
Anthony Navo encouraged young people to make good use of the given opportunity and see it as their own contributions towards nation building, disclosing that the platform will also create employment and other opportunities for young people in the country.
Executive Director of Children and Youth Awareness Forum (CYAF), Anderson Lansana, expressed appreciation to ACC, AYV & Africell for launching the ACC National Creative Competition 2020, which he described as a historic event.
He said with the launch of the competition such will serve as a testimony of the Commission’s efforts in the fight against corruption, adding that it will also show that the country is ready to fight corruption . Anderson pointed out that the Chief Executive Officer of the Africa Young Voices Media Empire, Anthony Navo, has been a great and God given player and a source of inspiration.
He said Navo has been working in the interest of young people in the country also expressing delight that young people are been called to join the fight against corruption.
Anderson assured that through the competition young people will surely contribute towards the fight against corruption in the country.
In his own contribution, John Konte, representing the CEO of Africell said the telecoms company is playing a great role in the fight against corruption further underscoring how they will continue to support the campaign against corruption in the country.
The Vote of thanks was done by Samuel Wise Bangura.
