By: Ahmed Yusuf Turay
Member of Parliament representing Constituency 129 in the Western Urban Area Hon. Emmanuel Saidu Conteh who also doubles as Deputy Chairman on Tourism And Cultural Affairs has called on multi sectorial development partners to develop and promote Tourism as it’s key towards national development. He made this statement at a one day session organized by the Ministry of Tourism And Cultural Affairs UNWTO World Tourism Celebration on the Theme: “Tourism Inclusive Growth In Achieving SDGs and Agenda 2030 in Post COVID-19 Era”, on Wednesday 27th September 2021, at the New Brookfields Hotel, in Freetown. Hon. Conteh further stated that it’s important to note that COVID-19 restrictions has been adversely affected tourism sector not only at domestic level but international perspective. He said that in order to achieve the importance of the theme; on the SDGs goals their is need to protect and promote the environment among other wild life. He added that the goal around tourism needs to be popularize the theme around the government Mid Term Plan (MTP), for national development noting that their should be a strategic plan implementation exercise be involved with resources capacity building with regards to the theme; agenda in order to make the world a better place he said; as a country we cannot achieve the global agenda without implementing the local agenda which is the mid term development plan he added. He maintain that their should also be a plan policy development framework for capacity building around national development within the SDGs goals and agenda 2030. The inclusive growth in tourism needs to be looked at for local options as the best wayforward to promote domestic tourism as according to him that will face lift the tainet sites by rebranding and popularizing touristic attraction of sites and making the negative image of Sierra Leone tourism been a destination for tourists he said.
He also noted that as Members of Parliament they have three (3), Constitutional mandates to represent, make laws and provide oversight thereby during the UNWTO World Tourism Celebration day Hon. Emmanuel Saidu Conteh also served as one of the most outstanding successful moderators of four panelists during a high level panel discussion on the SDGs on the topic “Effective Policies and Institutional Capacity To Improve Tourism Financial Management”, while several statements including questions and answers as well as recommendations were also made including the Minister of Tourism And Cultural Affairs Madam Memunatu Pratt, the National Tourist Board, among others whilst the UNDP Resident Coordinator Dr. Babatunde Ahonsi delivered and served as keynote speaker.
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