Sierra Leone Telegraph: 21 November 2022:
President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone is once again being criticised at home for his ‘love affair’ with flying out of the country, at a time when millions of citizens are facing starvation due to food shortages.
Crirics say that whilst the President who left Freetown over the weekend for London, and his glamorous wife are travelling abroad, raking millions of dollars in perdiem at the expense of the taxpayer, thousands of Sierra Leoneans are dying of hunger, disease and poverty. It is not clear as to why the President is in London.
Last Thursday, President Bio held the fourth Government of Sierra Leone and European Union (EU) dialogue forum at State House in Freetown, since 2018.
Speaking at the Forum, the President said: “In an era of global interdependence, the EU needs Africa as much as Africa needs the EU. Risks and challenges faced by African countries may have far-reaching ramifications for Europe. In the midst of a seeming global reset, this dialogue we are having this afternoon becomes even more important.
“Sierra Leone is only six hours away from Europe. There are new and existing opportunities that we can further harness. I am hopeful they will emerge during the course of these discussions. I, therefore, look forward with open-minded optimism to the dialogue this afternoon.”
President Bio said that he was pleased to discuss very pertinent issues that continued to shape the relationship between Sierra Leone and the European Union, adding that he appreciated the EU’s support for key sectors of his Medium-Term National Development Programme, his Human Capital Development agenda for education and agriculture, in particular.
He also spoke about Europe’s support for the country’s infrastructure development – mainly roads and bridges, as well as governance – aimed at civil service reform, civil registration and Elections.
“Let me use this opportunity to thank the EU for your invaluable contribution to Sierra Leone’s development. I am regularly briefed by the Minister of Planning and Economic Development on the ongoing development cooperation and interventions across the country,” he said.
The EU Head of Delegation, Ambassador Manuel Müller, said that the Forum provides an excellent opportunity for both sides to take stock of the most important aspects of their relationship with the country and the government.
He added that the EU will continue to support Sierra Leone’s efforts at consolidating democracy and peace; promoting stability and creating a conducive environment for human rights and the rule of law, as well as fostering prosperity and development.
Thanks to our international donor partners for their continuous cooperation with President Bio. Under the previous APC government, most of our international partners ceased donations one year before the 2018 general election due to massive looting which resulted in AUSTERITY. President Bio had no option but to start a “love affair” with flying out of the country just to convince our international donor partners to return and implement the IMF conditions that was signed by the former lifetime leader of the APC and to rebrand our image.
I personally believe that President “Talk and Do” Bio and his beautiful wife First “Iron” Lady Dr. Fatima Bio deserve a presidential jet based on the fact that they are now very successful players in the Global community. President Bio is the current chairman of the African Union( APRM ) and also recently co- hosted with the UN Secretary General the Educational summit in New York, the Educational programs hosted by the former British Prime Minister in London, and the head of UNESCO in Paris.
Dr. Fatima Bio who is currently a respected First Lady within the African Union and the United Nations. She just sponsored a bill at the UN in recognizing November 18 as Women’s Empowerment Day around the world.
Finally, the problem with food shortages are global due to the ongoing pandemic ,the Russian/Ukrain war and global warming. Let’s hope and pray that during the second term of President Bio, he will motivate our nation to focus on Agriculture, and hopefully he will succeed as he has already done with the Free Quality Education Program which the current MCC scorecard rated 100% excellent.
We need proper management and monitoring of our natural resources, for the benefit of its citizens. Our resources have been looted for so many years, benefiting other nations and those in forefront. While the majority are suffering. I am tired of fake promises.