AYV News, September 15, 2023

LAKE Group of Companies has held a successful meeting with the Ministry of Communication, Technology, and Innovation at the Ministry’s office at Youyi Building, Freetown.

LAKE Group of Companies delegation was led by the CEO and Founder, Alhaji K. Tarawally (Laj-K). It was received by the Deputy Minister of Communication, Technology, and Innovation, Ibrahim Sannoh.

After introduction of members from both ends, Laj-K expressed delight and appreciation to the Deputy Minister for giving an audience to LAKE Company. He referred to the Deputy Minister as a friend and brother with whom he shared a long history. He congratulated the Minister and Deputy on their appointment and wished them well in their new offices.

Laj-K said the purpose he requested for a meeting with the Ministry is to officially present the new executive of LAKE Group of Companies to the Ministry and to partner with them, noting that entertainment can always go with technology and innovation. Laj-K remarked that LAKE Production, through its subsidiary companies, has always supported the government in terms of promoting the Creative Industry and rebranding the image of the country positively. He said that, over the years, LAKE Production has brought in prominent international musicians like Kizz Daniel and many others to the country, which he said has boosted the entertainment industry and brand the image of the country.

Laj-K added, “LAKE is the centerpiece of entertainment in the country, and we want to partner with the Ministry of Communications, Technology, and Innovation to see how best we can inculcate technology and innovation into all aspects of the entertainment industry.” He furthered that the entertainment industry cannot succeed without technology and innovation. He informed the Deputy Minister and team that LAKE Production already has a series of events lined up, including the Miss Freetown Beauty Pageant that is to be held in November 2023, the National Music Awards in March 2024, the National Music Festival in October 2024 and the 5th Edition of the National Entertainment Awards (NEA) that will take place in April 2024. He said that it was apt to commend and appreciate all of such creativities and innovations.

“The reason we are here to collaborate and partner with the Ministry of Communications Technology and Innovation is to ensure that there is success for all,” he said. He ended by calling on the Ministry to look into the issue of monetizing Sierra Leone’s YouTube space so that Sierra Leonean artists and content creators can start benefiting from the platform.

Deputy Minister of Communications, Technology, and Innovation, Ibrahim Sannoh, expressed his appreciation for the beautiful presentation and said that he was impressed with the build-up of LAKE by having young people, especially women, at the executive level. Mr. Sannoh noted that he is particularly impressed that LAKE Group of Companies is seeking to partner with the ministry.

He said LAKE is a youth-focused company primarily in the informal sector. He noted that if the partnership succeeds, it will create technology and innovation awareness through entertainment by taking the entertainment space to digitization.

The Deputy Minister called on LAKE Production to digitize most of their entertainment activities, like buying forms and doing registrations online, buying tickets online, and other digital stuff. He also said that LAKE should consider their themes in their events. He further called on LAKE to resonate their themes to the Big Five Agendas of the Government to ensure we all contribute to achieving the goals.

Themes like “Bridging the Gap Between Tech and Innovation or The Role of Technology and Entertainment in Feed Salone” should be considered for their upcoming events.

He ended by thanking the LAKE Group of Companies for their hard work. He said LAKE should create a meeting space between the Ministry of Tourism and Communications, Technology, and Innovation for better partnership and collaboration. He stated that “entertainment is one of the quickest means to success, and I want to encourage you all to continue doing what you do best and always brand the image of the country well.