[August 23, 2011] ABC Holds Inaugural Advisory Group Meeting Today Tweet Freetown, Aug 23, 2011 (Concord Times/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) -- The Attitudinal and Behavioural Change (ABC) secretariat in consultation with the Ministry of Information and Communications will today organise the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Group of the Secretariat at the Ministry of Information conference room. It should be recalled that President Ernest Bai Koroma approved the setting up of an Advisory Group to guide the activities of the ABC secretariat. The Group comprises representatives from six institutions: the Supreme Islamic Council, the Council of Churches Sierra Leone (CCSL), the Coalition of Civil Society, Women's Forum, the Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools and the Youth Commission. The Executive Director of the secretariat will serve as secretary to the Group. The Group is to exercise strategic oversight of the secretariat and advise the Executive Director on any aspect of the problem of attitudinal and behavioural change in Sierra Leone. It is also to defend and serve as a mouthpiece for the ABC secretariat's promotion and advocacy, and assist in fund raising to meet with its programme budget. Minister of Information and Communications Alhaji I.B. Kargbo, in approving the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Group, said it is government's initiative to launch a campaign against negative attitude and behaviour in Sierra Leone so that it will not adversely impede socio-economic development in the country. He emphasised that the ABC campaign should be people focused and oriented and that programmes should be designed to meet the needs of specific target groups to positively skew attitude and behaviour to national development. Mr. Kargbo envisioned the establishment of ABC clubs in all institutions and communities countrywide for public ownership of the programme, maintaining that the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Group is the first step towards that direction. Executive Director of the Attitudinal and Behavioural Change secretariat, Dr. Ivan Ajibola Thomas said the inaugural meeting of the Advisory Group is the commencement of a process of rebranding and repositioning of the secretariat to most effectively carry out its functions and mandate. He clarified that the government prioritised attitude and behaviour change to get Sierra Leoneans to change their negative attitudes to enable them transform the country from a failed state to a peaceful, progressive and developed country to take its rightful place in the Commonwealth of Nations. During the inaugural meeting, the ABC secretariat Draft Strategic Plan of Action will be tabled for discussion and acceptance. The plan will transparently define the mandate, vision and values, and the programme of activities of the secretariat together with its financial implications. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]