COMIUM in RAMADAN

20% BONUS FOR ALL

All COMIUM subscribers enjoyed a massive 20% bonus on ALL recharge which allowed them to make FREE calls to ALL NETWORKS and INTERNATIONAL DESTINATIONS 24 hours a day. Salieu Kamara won and took the ticket to Hajj 2007! Sahr Ansumana won and opted for the cash – all $2,800 United States Dollars, approximately Eight Million and Four Hundred Thousand Leones. All this happened courtesy of COMIUM Sierra Leone Ltd, at Paddy’s International Entertainment Complex during a highly emotional grand raffle draw this past Sunday 14th October 2007.

The long queues at Paddy’s on Sunday gave an indication of the excitement to come. The first thirty guests in line all qualified for FREE top-up from COMIUM, the leading mobile company in Sierra Leone. Once inside, the excitement was hard to contain. The audience was in high anticipation, the performers drafted in to entertain the crowd were ready and COMIUM did not disappoint during the Grand Ramadan Raffle draw.

The fantastic prizes – including generators, motorbikes, fridges and freezers, TVs, DVD Players, Flash Drives, Radios and more were displayed in full view of the audience. You see, word had gotten round that a COMIUM raffle was an event not to be missed. It had all started in Makeni four weeks back. For the first time in Sierra Leone, a raffle had something for everyone connected to COMIUM. With the highly educational and fun Ramadan Quiz, all COMIUM subscribers had the chance to win tickets to Hajj or take the cash. The difference with this COMIUM Raffle was the chance for all who witnessed the raffle draws to win something too! The idea is simple – go to a COMIUM raffle, register your COMIUM number and expect. It all started in Makeni!

In Bo, at the Methodist Youth Resource Center, Dambala road, the people were emotionally charged when the first prize winner was announced. At the end of it all, over fifty lucky subscribers had won various fabulous prizes in the raffle draw. Winner after winner could not contain their excitement as they won freezers, generators, CD Players, 29 and 21 inch televisions, fans to keep cool, supermarket shopping sprees, radios and bags of rice.

Some folks were thrilled to witness a Muslim subscriber drawing the number of a Christian subscriber who won a 2.7 KVA generator. “When I heard that COMIUM were in town and doing a raffle on Sunday, I went to Church and prayed for divine intervention. I came to the raffle and now I’ve won this generator which will supply power for my whole family and also my business” said the God fearing man.

The story from Kono was the same. On Sunday 7th October, COMIUM stormed the TNA Court Barray with another never to be forgotten raffle draw. The anxiety began after the first draw when more people started receiving various prizes from CCOMIUM both for the local and national draws. The hall was charged with sensational emotion when the distribution of prizes started. Local musicians and comedians where at hand, to entertain the audience with thrilling performances, never to be forgotten.

Then it was off to Freetown – Paddy’s to be precise - for the grand raffle draw. A few days leading up to the raffle draw COMIUM financially and morally supported the feeding of thousands during the Voice of Islam National Iftaar Day which took place at the Victoria Park. Food was aplenty and the true meaning of Ramadan was observed.

At Paddy’s, Mohamed Kallon, a young and vibrant COMIUM Marketing Supervisor kicked off proceedings with a special welcome for the audience. He pointed out that the Ramadan promotional idea was based on identifying with subscribers and more importantly recognizing the fact that COMIUM succeeds when their subscribers are happy and satisfied. Being at one with subscribers meant that COMIUM had the foresight to deliver the Ramadan Prayer Reminders – which was a series of daily text messages that reminded subscribers about prayer times, especially during these busy times – the Ramadan Quiz was educational and entertaining and the Ramadan Poetry Competition was also a highlight. The 20% bonus was just fantastic for all.

The event went into full gear as Henry Tucker the Sales & Marketing Supervisor stepped in to officially start the draw. It was a highly charged atmosphere with traditional cultural performances spiced with humorous comedy and the latest music performed live by Sierra Leonean artists. Once the rules of the draw were explained, the show was in full swing.

The fun was a BIG part of the promotion, however, as a caring corporate citizen, COMIUM will donate ALL proceeds from the Ramadan Reminders, of which over 6000 subscribers were receiving daily, to charitable causes. With over 90,000 questions answered in the Ramadan Quiz, the Ramadan celebrations by COMIUM were a resounding success.

The press and electronic media were in full attendance and Voice of Islam 102FM – one of COMIUM Sierra Leone’s media partners provided live coverage of the event to their millions of listeners around the world. The winners of the Ramadan Poetry competition were introduced to the Paddy’s audience and they picked the overall winner who received a cheque for $300. The fans of FREE RADIO, available on FM 95.7 added spice and flavor to the lively event, eager to meet their favourite DJ – Master B.

Lawrence Spencer Coker the Commercial Manager of COMIUM Sierra Leone applauded the efforts of all present, the young subscribers who had participated in the raffle and poetry competition and the listeners of FREE RADIO for embracing COMIUM activities in Sierra Leone and that he had a lot more in store for them over the coming months. A special raffle was organised to reward staff of COMIUM who had worked really hard during the Holy month of Ramadan to make sure that the promotions were a success.

As a goodwill gesture, the 20% bonus on ALL recharge offered during Ramadan was extended until further notice and he reminded one and all that this allowed them to make FREE calls to all networks and INTERNATIONAL destinations. He urged them to stay loyal and continue to enjoy this fantastic offer which no doubt, will be copied by other subscribers as they strive to catch up with the leading mobile operator in Sierra Leone, COMIUM

Know your Sierra Leonean Ministers - nominees

The Committee on Appointment in the House of Parliament have started the process of ratifying President Ernest Koroma's ministerial choices. The following are on the list but who will make it through???

Zainab Hawa Bangura - Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation

Ibrahim Ben Kargbo - Information and Communications

Abu Bakarr Jalloh - Mineral Resources

Alpha Bakarr Khanu - Public and Presidential Affairs

Alimamay Koroma - Trade and Industry

Dauda Kamara - Internal Affairs and Local Government

Sam Sesay - Agriculture, Food Security and Forestry

Hafsatu Kabba - Energy and Power - who has promised electricity to Freetown by December

Minkailu Mansaray - Employment and Social Security

Kemoh Sesay - Transport and Aviation

Minkailu Bah - Education, Youths and Sports

John Saad - Works, Housing and Infrastructure

Soccoh Kabia - Health and Sanitation

The key questions still remains, who will make it through and how well do you think they will do? Add you comment and keep checking for updates on ratification and more!

Gambia: Amnesty International demands unconditional release of detained staff

Amnesty International today called for the immediate and unconditional release of its two delegates and a local journalist who was detained with them in the Gambia.

No charges have been brought against the Amnesty International delegates or the local journalist.

The organization confirmed that while Tania Bernath, Ayodele Ameen and journalist Yaya Dampha were conditionally released yesterday evening, they are still not free to leave the Gambia and are currently at the Central Police Station in Banjul, where they had to report back this morning.

"Our delegates were on a public and official visit to investigate the human rights situation in the Gambia, and the Gambian authorities had been informed of their visit," said Erwin van der Borght, Director of Amnesty International's Africa Programme.

"It is completely unacceptable for any government to attempt to impede the work of human rights workers and we are dismayed that our colleagues and the local journalist have not yet been unconditionally released. We are taking this up with the Gambian authorities at a senior level."

The Amnesty International delegates were in the Gambia looking into various long-standing concerns the organization has about the human rights situation in the country, including conditions of detention, arbitrary arrests and detentions without charge.



Public Document
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