By Alfred Koroma
The International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) is willing and committed to continue supporting Sierra Leone’s National Fund for Public Interest Media (NaFPIM), the Institution’s Regional Director for Africa and the Middle East, Mohamed Makmid Kamara has said.
IFPIM Regional Director made the commitment during a donor partners’ engagement on the essence of NaFPIM, organized on Wednesday 24th April by the Media Reform Coordinating Group (MRCG).
“We are willing and committed to continue supporting NaFPIM,” Makmid Kamara said. “We are very pleased to be partners in this process.”
The Director of Information at the Ministry of Information and Civic Education, Emmanuel Turay also registered government commitment to supporting investment in the country’s media.
NaFPIM which was launched in June last year with support from IFPIM, is targeted at fighting media poverty, and supporting media independence, viability and sustainability. Setting up the Fund is one of seven recommendations that emerged from various media stakeholders’ consultations aimed at addressing the challenges media outlets face in the country.
Giving a welcome address at the partners and stakeholders’ engagement yesterday, the Chairman of the Board of the National Fund for Public Interest Media (NaFPIM) and SLAJ President, Ahmed Sahid Nasrala thanked partners for attending the engagement, saying the presence of the partners mark their interest in ensuring media development in the country.
He highlighted the importance of the Fund and the critical role of a vibrant and independent media in a thriving democracy like Sierra Leone.
“The media plays an important role in nurturing the sustenance of democracy,” Country Director for BBC Media Action, Edward Kargbo also reechoed in his statement. He said the interesting thing about NaFPIM is that, it is truly a multi-stakeholder and locally driven arrangement aimed at bringing together everyone who has a stake in the country’s media.
The engagement was climaxed with presentation made about NaFPIM by Dr. Francis Sowa, head of MRCG. His presentation was followed with comments, questions and answer session from the participants.
