By Mariatu Esther Tamba
FREETOWN, Sep 28 (SALONE TIMES) – Africell Sierra Leone in collaboration with the Sport Writers Association of Sierra Leone (SWASAL) on Wednesday 22nd September, 2021 at the Africell American Corner, Bathurst Street, Freetown launched and signed a memorandum of understanding for the SWASAL sports update service.
The MC, Mr. Abdul Azis Kamara prior to the signing said the program is to officially launch a service that will be of utmost importance to not only sport loving fans but also to the Sierra Leonean populace.
That it is for them to be familiar with their sport personalities. He said that they will ensure to give the support needed by media houses for the smooth running of their work, adding that the SWASAL update service will be beneficial to Africell subscribers.
The President of SWASAL, Sahr Morris Jr. in his statement said the event is not only a special moment for the membership of SWASAL but also a historic moment for telecommunication and sport journalism especially in the new age of mobile journalism which will aid in sport reporting in Sierra Leone.
He said that since Africell started operation in Sierra Leone in 2005, the company continues to grow in all areas. “You cannot separate Africell and Sport neither separate sport from Africell as they have been doing extremely well to support sport in this country,” he noted.
Morris said event is to further strengthen and deepen the partnership between the telecommunication giant, Africell and the parent body of sport journalists in Sierra Leone.
He maintained that SWASAL is one of the oldest and most vibrant affiliate bodies to SLAJ.
He cited that their sister organization which is the Gambia Sport Journalists Association also enjoys sporting gestures from Africell in Gambia where 20 of their members both print and electronic were sponsored to cover and report a match between scorpions of the Gambia and Senegal for the first-round qualifier of the 2016 African nations Championship.
Today’s event signals a good prospect for SWASAL and will go down in the history books, he said.
He explained that in 2011 Africell SL was the only telecommunication company to support SWASAL in their Mercury/SWASAL annual sports awards.
The Chief Corporate Affairs Officer of Africell, Joe Abass Bangura said that the signing of MOU between SWASAL and Africell is symbolic.
He noted that there is power/value in sport all over the world as it is a significant tool for socio-economic transformation of people’s lives and that it has the influence to bring together tribes, religions and politicians despites their differences.
He said Africell has been the biggest supporter of sporting activities in Sierra Leone from the resurrection of football in 2006 to date citing examples of games they have supported.
He informed that the launching and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding with SWASAL is to get the latest daily local sports updates and news about Sierra Leonean sport personalities both at home and abroad with Africell SMS with the short code 390. Using Africell phone by sending SUB to 390 for Le300 daily and its auto renewal.
The officially signing of the MOU was done by Joe Abass Bangura and Sahr Morris Jr.
