By Thaimu T Kamara

Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Kenyeh Barlay, has commended nine outgoing ECOWAS volunteers for their three years of dedicated service and contribution to communities across Sierra Leone.

The Minister made the commendation on Thursday, 20 August 2026, during an end-of-service ceremony marking the completion of the volunteers’ three-year assignment under the 2023–2026 ECOWAS Volunteer Programme.

The ceremony was held at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development’s Conference Hall at Tower Hill in Freetown.

The nine volunteers, including seven nationals from other ECOWAS member states and two Sierra Leoneans, served in various communities and institutions across the country, particularly in the education and health sectors.

Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Barlay described the occasion as a bittersweet moment, noting that the outgoing volunteers had spent three years contributing their professional expertise and experience to Sierra Leonean communities.

She said the volunteers arrived in the country with professional skills, passion and a commitment to making a difference, adding that their efforts had positively impacted schoolchildren, patients, young people and other community members.

“You have made a difference to the lives of the many beneficiaries,” Minister Barlay said, while commending the volunteers for demonstrating selfless service and strengthening regional solidarity.

She noted that their work in schools, hospitals and health centres had helped empower communities while creating opportunities for cultural exchange and strengthening relationships between Sierra Leone and other ECOWAS member states.

According to the Minister, the volunteers had left behind a legacy of dedication, compassion and professionalism.

She encouraged the outgoing volunteers to retain pleasant memories of their time in Sierra Leone and assured them that the country would always remain a home for them.

Minister Barlay also expressed appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission for its continued investment in the Volunteer Programme, describing it as an important component of Sierra Leone’s partnership with the regional bloc.

She said the programme contributes to regional cooperation, peace, development and integration by providing young professionals with opportunities to serve communities outside their countries.

The ECOWAS Resident Representative in Sierra Leone, Ambassador John Azumah, also commended the volunteers for their service, describing them as ambassadors of ECOWAS.

He said their work had demonstrated the values of unity, solidarity and regional integration and encouraged them to maintain the relationships they had established during their time in Sierra Leone.

Ambassador Azumah urged the volunteers to continue supporting the ideals of ECOWAS wherever their professional and personal journeys take them.

Delivering farewell remarks on behalf of the ECOWAS Commissioner, the ECOWAS Volunteer Programme Country Coordinator, Preaches G. Gbessaangee, thanked the outgoing volunteers for their contributions, particularly in the education and health sectors.

He encouraged them to remain connected to the ECOWAS family and take advantage of future opportunities within the regional institution.

The Deputy Development Secretary II and Head of the ECOWAS National Office, Mr. Komba Momoh, who chaired the programme, also praised the volunteers for their diligent service.

He noted that many schools and institutions where the volunteers worked would miss their contributions, adding that the programme had played an important role in promoting ECOWAS integration and fostering relationships among citizens across the region

Giving the vote of thanks on behalf of the volunteers, Obinna Joseph Ziba, a Chemistry and Physics teacher in Pujehun, expressed appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission, host institutions, supervisors, coordinators and other stakeholders for supporting the volunteers throughout their assignments.

He particularly thanked the leadership of host institutions for providing guidance and assistance, which he said enabled the volunteers to successfully carry out their responsibilities.

Ziba pledged that the volunteers would continue to uphold the confidence placed in them during their assignments.

The ceremony climaxed with the presentation of certificates and gifts to the nine outgoing volunteers in recognition of their service.

The volunteers received locally made traditional Sierra Leonean outfits bearing the national green, white and blue colours, while their respective supervisors presented certificates.

The ceremony brought together government officials, ECOWAS representatives, school administrators, health-sector representatives, supervisors, development partners and other stakeholders.

The completion of the assignments marks another chapter in the ECOWAS Volunteer Programme, with the outgoing volunteers leaving behind contributions that officials said had strengthened service delivery, community development and regional bonds between Sierra Leone and other ECOWAS member states.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Monday, 24th August 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)