ECOWAS Volunteers: Three Years of Dedicated Service to Sierra Leone
The ECOWAS Volunteer Program in Sierra Leone has concluded the three-year assignments of nine volunteers who served in various communities and institutions from 2023 to 2026, particularly in the health and education sectors.
The end-of-service ceremony, held on August 20, 2026, at the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development in Freetown, brought together government officials, ECOWAS representatives, supervisors, host institutions, and other stakeholders.
The ceremony was chaired by Mr. Komba Momoh, Deputy Development Secretary II and Head of the ECOWAS National Office, who also recognized the volunteers’ important contributions to their host institutions.
The ECOWAS Volunteer Program Country Coordinator, Mr. Preaches G. Gbessagee, delivered a farewell message on behalf of the Director of the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Center, Francis Njoaguani, thanking the volunteers for their contributions and encouraging them to remain connected to the ECOWAS family.
The ECOWAS Resident Representative, Ambassador John Azumah, also praised the volunteers as ambassadors of ECOWAS and encouraged them to continue serving their communities, maintain the relationships they built in Sierra Leone, and pursue future opportunities within ECOWAS.
The Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Hon. Kenyeh Barlay, commended the volunteers for their dedication, selfless service, and positive impact on schoolchildren, patients, young people, and communities. She described their service as an important contribution to regional solidarity, peace, development, and integration.
Speaking on behalf of the volunteers, Mr. Obinna Joseph Ziba expressed appreciation to the ECOWAS Commission, host institutions, supervisors, coordinators, and other stakeholders for their support.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of certificates and locally made traditional Sierra Leonean outfits to the nine outgoing volunteers in recognition of their three years of dedicated service.
The program celebrated not only the completion of their assignments but also their lasting contribution to Sierra Leone and the strengthening of ECOWAS regional integration.
