By Hassan Osman Kargbo
As a way to support the 44th Anniversary and Official Opening of the Centre of Excellence in Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEEI), at the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), University of Sierra Leone, the former Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament and current Member of Parliament representing Pujehun District, Rt. Hon. Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, has doled out the sum of Two Hundred Thousand Leones (NLE200, 000.00) support to the IPAM CEEI project.
The CEEI hub, designed as a transformative centre for students, will offer practical training in entrepreneurship, business development, and innovation, equipping students with the skills and resources necessary to create their own job opportunities. Through programs focused on business planning, digital innovation, and product development, as well as mentorship from industry experts.
According to Rt. Hon. Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis, the CEEI hub would be crucial for students preparing to navigate an evolving job market in the country, adding that students would no longer seat and wait for jobs after graduation, rather they would establish a job opportunities for themselves in the country.
Dr. Sidie Tunis’s noted that his family has a long history of supporting education in Sierra Leone, including scholarships and other initiatives to enhance student development.
Referencing his previous contribution to this particular initiative at IPAM, few weeks ago, the SLPP IPAM executive formally acknowledged a financial contribution from Hon. Sidie Mohamed Tunis amounting to over 300 Thousand Leones, for the Operation Light IPAM Initiative.
However, the former Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament during the statement session reaffirmed his commitment and support to the education sector of Sierra Leone.
“My wife and I have allocated a yearly budget of 2 Billion Leones into a scholarship scheme that is expected to run for five years, totalling Ten Billion Leones (NLE10B)”, he said, and added that his support and contribution will continue to touch the length and breadth of all learning institutions across Sierra Leone.
The contribution of Rt. Hon. Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis to IPAM isn’t only a plan to improve student’s performance in creativity and innovation, but to sustainably strengthen long lasting investment opportunity for students, to help augment the quality of education in Sierra Leone.
It was climax by given Rt. Hon. Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis a thank you award and receiving the award, Hon. Tunis noted that his dedication and commitment to student’s development initiatives across Sierra Leone would be continued irrespective of the circumstances.
Moreover, Abdul Wuri – Team Lead of Team Tunis at IPAM, also pronounced a donation of 10 Thousand Leones to the ongoing IPAM CEEI project.
They also thanked Rt. Hon. Dr. Sidie Mohamed Tunis for investing in the human capital development initiative, and providing pathways for youth empowerment opportunity as initiated by President Julius Maada Bio, and the Big Five Game Changer in the country.
