Sierra Leone Telegraph: 26 July 2021:
President Dr Julius Maada Bio yesterday departed Sierra Leone for London, where he will be attending the Global Education Summit: Financing GPE 2021-2025, scheduled for 28 – 29 July.
The President is attending the world’s biggest education conference on the invitation of British Prime Minister – Boris Johnson and Uhuru Muigai Kenyatta, President of Kenya, who are both co-hosting the Summit this year.
According to State House in Freetown, President Bio is one of few Heads of State invited because of his efforts in increasing access to education through the Free Quality Education Programme and breaking down gender barriers to increase girls’ enrolment in schools in the last three years.
Since its inception in 2002, the Global Partnership for Education has already contributed to getting 160 million more children in school and doubling girls’ enrolment in the countries they work in.
This year’s summit will raise funds for the Global Partnership in Education which last year launched a £5 billion funding target for the next five years calling on governments, businesses and individuals to invest in the future of children. The funding will ensure that 175 million children can learn in 87 lower-income million countries.
President Bio is accompanied by the First Lady, Madam Fatima Maada Bio and family.
But critics are accusing the president of wasting public funds the people of Sierra Leone could ill-afford. One commentator said: “President Julius Maada Bio has done it again – lying and deceiving the people of Sierra Leone. President Bio chattered a private plane (Jet) and traveled to London, UK on Sunday 25th July for a week with his wife and children just to attend a virtual meeting. It costs the people of Sierra Leone for the Lineage Private Jet Charter Flight so that President Bio and his family can travel to London, the total sum of $300 000 (Le3Billion). This amount doesn’t include the 5 Star Hotel bills, food and other spending logistics for the president, his family and Twelve (12) entourage. Not to mention the daily per diem for the week travel. The total cost for the President Bio mini vacation at this dire moment is $520,000 (Le5Billion & 300Million Leones).
“I am putting up a challenge to President Bio and his government to publicly publish the cost of his trip to the UK of they want to dispute this amount of Le5.3Billion ($520,000). The people of Sierra Leone will be the Judges in the upcoming 2023 elections to decide if you serve them well. Please see evidence of the flight used, virtual meeting invitation, and fees associated with the charter of this flight.”
Maybe the president is invited by the queen to be knighted as sir Mmaada Bio.
The madness that I have consistently been highlighting is becoming clearer and clearer by as time rolls on; This President robbing our impoverished nation totally blind; There are lame beggars and mentally ill people scattered like grains of corn in Freetown thirsting for a bowl of soup and a quiet place to lay their heads and this irascible Corrupt old soldier just keeps on flushing our money down the drains of his unproductive and ill advised endeavors.Oh Mercy, mercy me!
Ladies and Gentlemen, search for “president Bio arrives in UK in – http://www.gov.uk” or click on this link – https://www.gov.uk/search/all?keywords=president+Bio+arrives+in+uk&order=relevance, and compare it with search for “president Kenyatta arrives in UK” or click on this link – https://www.gov.uk/search/all?keywords=president+kenyatta+arrives+in+uk&order=relevance. You will be surprised to note that the arrival of president Bio is not recognized. Was president Bio asked to stay in Sierra Leone and participate via zoom? Confusing stuff. President Kenyatta’s arrival is clearly stored in the gov.uk search database, which tells me that he is the main actor in this meeting and was asked to travel to the UK. I hope I’m wrong.
Did president Bio and his entourage forced their way to the UK to attend the meeting face to face instead of virtually? They should quarantine for some days because the covid traffic light for Sierra Leone to the UK is red. Make no mistake, the no nonsense British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson will take note of this unwise use of our taxpayer’s money. God bless Sierra Leone from rogue government officials.
“ The total cost for the President Bio mini vacation at this dire moment is $520,000 (Le5Billion & 300Million Leones)”
If this figure is anything to go by, imagine how much of an impact this amount of money will have in achieving our educational goals, if invested directly in building more schools and providing other educational supplies. The flying president that never passes a chance. Sad for our impoverished nation!!
Some one who looks for the slightest of chances to fly out just to claim padiem and you say he is invited among few leaders – are you kidding me?
I hope the president is put in isolation for his government’s stupidity.