By Foday Moriba Conteh
At the Radisson Blu, Mammy Yoko Hotel, Aberdeen in Freetown, the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs and the National Tourist Board in collaboration with the World Bank Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project unveiled the National Brand Identity Logo and also launched the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification Project (SLEDP).
The Director of Tourism Mohamed Jalloh, in giving an overview, explained how the initial ten million dollars for the Sustainable Tourism Development Project (STDP) was transformed into 40 million dollars to revamp the Sierra Leone Economic Diversification project (SLEDP).
He highlighted that the new logo and slogan is a marketing strategy to reinvigorate the sector by inviting local and foreign tourists to “Explore Freedom”.
This, he hopes, addresses salient issues ranging from removal of trade barriers to marketing and promotion and development of touristic sites.
The Project Coordinator of SLEDP, Mary Jalloh in her presentation of the project components highlighted the project development objective which is to increase investment and growth of small and medium enterprises in non-mining productive sectors. She said the project will also strengthen the business enabling environment, facilitate strategic public investment to improve the competitiveness and environmental and climate sustainability of new investment, support SMEs & entrepreneurs and building capacity of public institutions and private sector operators.
In her presentation of the Brand Logo, the General Manager, National Tourist Board, Fatmata Mida Carew explained the rationale behind its new design saying it represents the true values of what Sierra Leone stands for. She said the Brand logo with the slogan, “Explore Freedom” will be used to continue the relentless marketing of Sierra Leone as a must visit destination.
Delivering the keynote address, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memunatu Pratt said the launching of the SLEDP and one of its products will hopefully entice the minds of local and international tourists, showcasing the natural landscape of our nation, its beautiful people, the national flag and the background that represents its pristine beaches.
Minister Pratt stated that the SLEDP’s three key components of which the tourism sector falls under component two, aims at facilitating SME growth and stimulate entrepreneurship in high-growth productive sectors by addressing critical firm-level and sector-level constraints including low access to information, poor infrastructure, limited access to finance and weak capacity to scale businesses. She called on all Sierra Leoneans to promote and popularize the new national logo with the slogan “Explore Freedom”.
The Deputy Minister of Finance 1, Sheku F. Bangura, the Country Manager, World Bank, Abdu Muwonge, Deputy Minister of Trade, Haja Isata Kamara and the Resident Minister, Western Area, Nabeela Tunis all made valuable contribution towards the discourse.
Minister Pratt together with her colleague ministers jointly launched the Sierra Leone National Brand Identity Logo and unveiled the brand identity promotional materials.
