FREETOWN — A delegation from Somaliland has awarded Sierra Leone’s Minister of Information and Civic Education, Chernoh Bah, with an excellence award, citing his leadership in promoting civic awareness and improving communication between government institutions and citizens.
The award was presented on Saturday at the close of the 2025 Civic Festival at the Miatta Civic Centre in Freetown. The delegation said the recognition reflected what it described as the visible impact of the ministry’s work in strengthening transparency, public engagement and civic education.
Since his appointment in 2023, Bah — widely known as Ceebah — has overseen reforms aimed at expanding public access to government information. These have included weekly press briefings, nationwide town hall meetings, civic education campaigns and the annual Civic Festival, according to the Ministry of Information and Civic Education.
The 2025 Civic Festival brought together government ministries, private sector representatives, civil society groups and development partners. The event featured exhibitions on agriculture, natural resources and culture, alongside debates, panel discussions and performances by local artists.
Presenting the award, a representative of the Somaliland delegation said the recognition extended beyond Somaliland to the wider East African region. The delegate said the group had followed the ministry’s work remotely and travelled to Sierra Leone to observe its civic engagement initiatives firsthand.
“We travelled a long distance to be here because we have been following the work of the ministry,” the delegate said. “This award recognises exceptional leadership, integrity and commitment to civic education.”
Accepting the award, Bah thanked the delegation and said the recognition was significant because it came from international observers who had independently assessed the ministry’s work.
“Sometimes the work we do is taken for granted,” Bah said. “But our colleagues from Somaliland followed our activities and expressed interest in learning from our approach to civic education. We are grateful for this acknowledgement.”
Bah said the delegation had requested to attend the Civic Festival after learning about it online, adding that the ministry remained open to partnerships and knowledge-sharing with other countries in the region.
The Civic Festival is organised annually by the Ministry of Information and Civic Education as part of broader efforts to strengthen democratic participation and civic awareness in Sierra Leone.
