The Ministry of Information and Civic Education has moved to strengthen its working relationship with the Sierra Leone News Agency following a strategic engagement focused on collaboration, improved coordination, and effective public communication.

The meeting brought together senior officials of both institutions and served as an opportunity to introduce newly appointed directors within the ministry while discussing ways to address overlapping responsibilities between government information officers and SLENA correspondents.

Chief Director Alimamy Lahai Kamara said the ministry remains committed to building a strong and professional partnership with SLENA in support of national development and information dissemination.

He explained that the ministry now operates through two key branches the administrative arm led by the Government Secretary and the professional arm headed by the minister with four directorates working under the supervision of the Chief Director.

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Kamara emphasized that the ministry’s leadership team is focused on delivering the minister’s agenda and supporting emerging national events through coordinated communication efforts.

Managing Director of Sierra Leone News Agency, Lolo Yeama Sarah Thompson-Oguamah, welcomed the engagement and congratulated the newly appointed directors.

She commended the government’s continued commitment to gender inclusion, noting that women currently occupy several senior management positions across public institutions.

Director of Government Information Service, Francess Josephine Kafula, said her office remains open to collaboration and is committed to ensuring transparent public communication while countering misinformation.

She called for stronger coordination between both institutions in order to avoid conflicts and improve efficiency in the dissemination of government information.

Head of Strategic Communications, Abu Bakarr Joe Sesay, said his unit oversees the ministry’s digital platforms, including Facebook, WhatsApp, YouTube, X, and Instagram, as well as photographers, videographers, and graphic staff.

He added that stronger cooperation with reporters would help expand outreach efforts, particularly amid current logistical and financial challenges.

In her closing remarks, Thompson-Oguamah reflected on her early days in journalism, recalling how she once gathered stories from both SLENA and the Government Information Service.

She noted that while both institutions have embraced digital transformation, SLENA continues to provide people-centred reporting, while government information channels remain focused on policy communication.

The meeting is being viewed as a positive step toward stronger institutional cooperation and a more coordinated national information system.