Imran Sillah, a member of the Strategic Communications Unit, confirmed that President Julius Maada Bio utilizes state funds for his overseas travel to deliver public lectures.

When asked about the financial source for the president’s travel expenses, Sillah openly acknowledged that state funds are used to cover these costs.

Addressing the question of how beneficial these trips are for Sierra Leone, Sillah emphasized the importance of the social capital President Bio accumulates during these engagements.

In a recent interview on Africa Young Voices Television’s “Good Morning Sierra Leone” program, He highlighted that the connections and relationships fostered through these public lectures could significantly contribute to the country’s development in the long term.

Sillah illustrated his point by drawing a personal parallel, suggesting that if he had the chance to deliver a lecture at Harvard University, the value would extend beyond the lecture itself. The potential networking opportunities and connections formed could be immensely beneficial, given the influential audience and their external networks.