Government Agencies Kick Off Planning for Sierra Leone’s 65th Independence Anniversary
Jayah Koker A planning committee comprising Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) has convened its inaugural meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation to begin preparations for Sierra Leone’s 65th Independence Anniversary celebration, scheduled for April 27, 2026.
The initiative is jointly supervised by the Office of the President, the Office of National Security, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Key MDAs gathered for foundational discussions at the Ministry’s Conference Room on February 27, 2026.
Dr. Ahmed Sannoh, Deputy Director of the Office of National Security, delivered opening remarks establishing the committee’s critical role in the planning process. Sub-committees formed following an earlier main committee session now bear responsibility for executing all planning activities.
“This committee serves as the essential bridge connecting Strategy and Project Finance Committees,” Dr. Sannoh explained. He emphasized that operational precision will directly determine the overall success of planning efforts.
The Deputy Director urged members to commit their full efforts toward providing the guiding leadership necessary for achieving the anniversary objectives.
Following the opening session, members divided into smaller, focused working groups. Each sub-committee assumes specific responsibilities while maintaining unified purpose under the broader Planning Committee mandate.
Mr. Alan C. Logan, Director General at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, offered strategic perspective on event preparation. He indicated that discussions remain in foundational phases, concentrating on structural mapping.
“We are establishing conceptual groundwork thoroughly,” Mr. Logan stated. He noted that programming details, citations, and participant roles will follow once the framework solidifies.
Meeting deliberations identified eight priority areas that will guide planning moving forward. Participants agreed that sub-committee heads must convene their respective groups to deliberate on portfolio issues and formulate budget proposals reflecting their unique requirements.
The collective objective centers on synthesizing individual proposals into one cohesive document. Organizers emphasized that written submissions must emerge from realistic discussions and empirical agreement among committee members.