President Dr Julius Maada Bio has wrapped up his long tour of the south, where he engaged towns and villages like Jembe, Baoma Station, Yamandu and Jerihun, and celebrated their show of resilience like the rest of the country has done over the years.

He particularly commended his people for showing courage and determination during difficult times, citing remarkable examples from the way they survived the civil war in the 90s, to how they fought Ebola in 2014, lived with the painful aftermath of the 2017 mudslide and most recently their show of understanding and strength in the face of the devastating effects of the Coronavirus pandemic.

Former Vice President of Sierra Leone, Honourable Victor Bockarie Foh, who joined in and made a statement in Yamamdu, said he was happy for the invitation to be part of the tour by the President, adding that he was pleased and impressed with the development strives of the Sierra Leone People’s Party, SLPP, Government under the leadership of His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio.

He further noted that throughout his political life he had not seen any political party in the country like the SLPP, where the presidential flagbearers were always elected during the party’s National Delegates’ Conference as opposed to other parties that would just impose a national flagbearer against the wish of the general membership.

”Your Excellency Sir, I am very happy with the development your party and government are undertaking. Your party is truly a democratic party, no doubt it is the only party that has elected its presidential flagbearer for the 2023 elections. If elections were to be conducted and I am to vote, I will vote for the SLPP government,” the former Vice President disclosed.

Addressing the people in the different localities he visited, President Dr Julius Maada Bio expressed gratitude, particularly to the teachers whom he called champions of the Free Quality Education. He added that for the government’s investment in education to succeed in Sierra Leone, he would continue to appreciate and motivate teachers for their tireless efforts in imparting knowledge to the over 2 million Sierra Leonean children in schools, the future leaders.

President Julius Maada Bio also thanked the people for adhering to the precautionary measures of the National Covid-19 Emergency Response Centre, NaCOVERC, to curtail the Coronavirus epidemic that was ravaging lives, economies and every facet of life in the world. He said Sierra Leone was being referenced in the world for countries that responded quickly and effectively to the pandemic, noting that his people had exhibited extraordinary courage and the highest level of resilience.

“Let me use this opportunity to thank all of you here and the entire country for coming together to fight COVID-19. It has affected our economies and our way of life. But even at that, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in America has praised us for our steps in curtailing the Coronavirus. We are ranked among the safest places to be during the pandemic. We are making progress as a nation. I am very proud of us all.

“So, my coming here is to say thank you for believing in my leadership and supporting my administration. I promise to rule justly for the benefit of us all and our children,” President Bio concluded.