Sierra Leone, today 24th March 2005, witnessed another leap in its communications technology efforts with the launch of the country's first independent television station, since the inception of television broadcasting in Sierra Leone in 1963.

Until this period, the only television station in the country had been the government owned Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS/TV). This new development has been made possible by government's avowed move to liberalize the economy and ensure private sector investment. To demonstrate government's commitment, the President, Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, was at the ceremony and officially launched ABC Television, Africa.

The Managing Director and proprietor of ABC Television, Africa, Mr. Alieu Shaw said that the ABC Television, Africa, is a response to the clarion call by President Kabbah when he visited the United States in 2002, for the return home of Sierra Leoneans to help rebuild their war torn country.

Mr. Shaw particularly thanked President Tejan Kabbah for his tremendous strides in ensuring that Sierra Leone achieves peace, for which, he said, they are very much appreciative.

The Managing Director remarked that this is a new day in Sierra Leone, as the people will now be given the opportunity of accessing alternative programmes that will educate them and their children, adding that he is not here to compete with the SLBS, but that he is here to help promote the SLBS/TV.

Mr. Shaw informed his audience that although some people tried to discourage him from coming with the ABC Television to Sierra Leone, he believes that as a Sierra Leonean, and with the aim of promoting free education in Sierra Leone, it is his responsibility to pay Sierra Leone back for all it did for him, adding that the ABC/TV will contribute to job creation as lots of young people are without jobs today.

The Acting Chairman of the Independent Media Commission, Mrs. Bernadette Cole, while congratulating the ABC Television, Africa, advised them not to concentrate on foreign programmes, but to diversify their programmes with the aim of portraying a national outlook so that the programmes will be beneficial to the people of Sierra Leone. She advised them to make their programmes informational, educational, cultural and entertaining, with a view to providing quality programmes that will increase the percentage of informed public, and to work within the policy guideline for television and radio broadcast. She expressed hopes that the station will be made accessible throughout the country.

The Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Prof. Septimus Kaikai, in his remarks stated that television is a tool for national development and serves as a medium for cultural reawakening. He therefore advised the ABC/TV to ensure that films that are destructive to national development, particularly for our young people are not screened.

In his keynote address, President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah said it is always a source of great pleasure for him to be invited to officially open or launch businesses run by Sierra Leoneans, adding that he has always stressed that this country is ours, and it is therefore our responsibility to develop it.

The President advanced that while his government will do everything possible to attract foreign investors, every effort will be made to encourage Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad to invest in their motherland, including the use of their expertise. He expressed satisfaction that his call is not falling on deaf ears as is now demonstrated by Sierra Leoneans including the proprietors of this enterprise.

As a government, President Kabbah promised that they would continue to do everything possible to create and maintain the enabling environment for investors both foreign and indigenous, as the economic development of any country depends to a very large extent on the development and productivity of the private sector.

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