Ministry of Information and Civic Education Opens Civic Day Series in Makeni

On Monday 15th September 2025, the Ministry of Information and Civic Education commenced the Civic Day Series in Makeni City.

The event brought together school pupils, university students, bike riders, youth groups, paramount chiefs, civil society groups, women’s groups, the media, and members of the inter-religious council.

The opening session, held at the University of Makeni, featured presentations from the Northern Coordinator of the National Council of Civic Education and Democracy (NaCCED), Mohamed A.S. Kamara; the Director of the Public Sector Reform Unit, Sulaiman Musa Phoray; and the Deputy Minister of Youth, Patrick Gibrilla. They all emphasized the importance of civic education, citizen responsibility, and youth empowerment in national development.

Young participants led discussions on issues such as the role of youth in ensuring the success of the national census and the constitutional review process. “We are no longer leaders of the future; youths are the leaders of today. We want to make sure the challenges we face as young people are addressed in the constitution,” said Mohamed Koroma.

Another group highlighted the role of youth in the fight against corruption. “Young people should be accountable. We should hold ourselves to the same standards we want to hold others to. Accountability in service and stewardship is key,” said Abu Koroma, who also called on the Anti-Corruption Commission to intensify civic engagement.

A special group representing young people with hearing disabilities raised concerns about limited access to public services and equal job opportunities. They commended the Ministry for always ensuring sign language interpreters at public events. “Some of us are graduates, but unfortunately we cannot get jobs because of our disability. We want the government to ensure equal employment opportunities,” said Edmund Conteh through an interpreter.

Officials from the Ministry collected all the recommendations and pledged to forward them to relevant ministries. Some of the issues, they noted, could be addressed directly during the major town hall session scheduled for tomorrow, when hundreds of citizens in Makeni will engage with Ministers and heads of government agencies.

The Day 1 session was moderated by the Acting Director of Information at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, Emmanuel Turay.

The Ministry has encouraged the public to follow its social media platforms for continuous updates on the Civic Day Series.