Freetown — President Ernest Bai Koroma is expected to join former Presidents Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of Sierra Leone and Professor Amos Sawyer of Liberia for Concord Times 16th Anniversary at the Miatta Conference Hall in Freetown.

Organized in honor of its late editor James Oguoguo, murdered by rebels in January 1999, the newspaper has endeavored to bring these statesmen to discuss challenges of good governance in post conflict democracy.

Dr. Kabbah, who has also worked as an international civil servant for almost two decades, yesterday assured the organizers that he was all set to chair the occasion.

"I was going to have a meeting with the Sierra Leone Muslim Congress but I have given you my word and I don't want to renege on that," he told the paper's editor.

On the occasion of the country's 41 Independence Anniversary Dr Kabbah had told citizens that democracy was challenging; democracy was demanding and that democracy was also an expensive form of governance. "It is not cheap." Guest speaker Professor Amos Sawyer is one of Africa's most sought after speakers. He has also said that he was looking forward to participating in the Anniversary Lecture. He is highly experienced on issues pertaining to good governance and has an international reputation as an advocate for good governance in Africa.

In the past, he has given a number of lectures both at the world's most respected academic institutions and at numerous important international fora. He currently heads Liberia's prestigious Governance Commission, a think-tank that looks into various governance-related issues and makes recommendations to government.

As host, President Koroma is expected to officially declare the occasion open. He is a beneficiary of the country's democratic success in recent times.

Also expected to be at the Lecture are cabinet ministers, members of parliament, heads of parastatals, diplomatic corps, students, academics, media practitioners, civil society, traditional leaders and others.