Published: Monday, 11 May 2015 16:03
The relationship between Alhaji UNS Jah as he was fondly called and FOCUS 1000 staff and friends, stems as far back as in the 1980s when he was appointed as the national coordinator and social mobilization consultant for the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI). Alhaji UNS Jah has a very strong passion for the growth survival and development of children, which made him an undisputable favorite for this post. Charged with the responsibility to see Sierra Leone reach a fully immunized coverage of 75% from a merge 5%, Alhaji UNS Jah displayed leadership, responsibility, innovation and direction that lead to the birth of two giant faith based groups (Islamic Action Group (ISLAG) and Christian Action Group, CHRISTAG) which have positively influenced successful outcomes of immunization in Sierra Leone.
In 1990 UNS Jah helped Sierra Leone achieve Universal Child Immunization with coverage of 75%. With the experiences gained U.N.S JAH continued his support to Child survival and development programmes by effectively participating in the polio eradication campaign in the 90s working with the Ministry of Health and collaborative partners such as UNICEF, WHO and Rotary International.
Alhaji UNS Jah had many other health laurels.
- He served as the deputy chairman of the disciplinary committee of the Sierra Leone Medical and Dental Council which was set up by the government of Sierra Leone to regulate medical practice and ethics and
- Until his death he was Chairman of the Board of Directors of a Sierra Leonean based and health oriented organization- FOCUS1000. This organization is committed to making the best investment in the most crucial time in a child’s life: the first 1000 days – i.e. the number of days from conception and pregnancy until the child reaches the age of two years, in recognition of the health risks that the expecting mother and child are exposed to during this period. The main objective of FOCUS 1000 is to ensure that the child reaches his maximum potential.
- Apart from that enviable position of chairman, Alhaji U.N.S. Jah was National coordinator Islamic Action Group (ISLAG) a faith based group charged with the responsibility of engaging communities countrywide for the uptake and scaling up of child survival and development initiatives. He was indeed a champion for women and children
You will agree with me that the credentials already analyzed are enough to make U.N.S. Jah qualify as a man worthy of emulation, but for him this was not enough. During his lifetime this great man acquired many other laurels.
Alhaji UNS Jah was a:
- Seasoned civil servant fully engaged in commerce and industry. He was national coordinator of the currency campaign committee and at the bank of Sierra Leone that changed the old West Africa Pounds to the present Leones in the 1960s.
In politics:
- He was councilor at the Freetown city council and in charge of greater Freetown, information and public relation.
- Deputy Minister of social welfare in the late Dr. Alhaji Tejan Kabba lead government.
- He was the National chairman of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party from 2005 to 2009 and now an elderly states man.
- He was GRAND Officer of the order of the Rokel, GOOR, in recognition of his dedication in public services, education, children affairs, politics and religion.
- He was also a commissioner for Oaths and member of several education boards and institutions in and out of the country.
- UNS Jah is one of the founding members of the Inter-Religious council.
He is an efficient social scientist from the renowned University of Belgrade and a proud product of the St. Edward secondary school.
What more can a man achieve. The element was so mixed in UNS Jah that even nature can safely say unto all mankind, “this man was a good man.” May his soul rest in perfect peace.