The World Bank Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa, Ousmane Diagana has announced an additional $50M grant to support Education in Sierra Leone.

Diagana made this announcement in Freetown on Thursday after a visit to President Julius Maada Bio at the State House.

The grant, Sierraloaded understands is a direct response to President Bio’s request to the World Bank President, David Malpass in Washington DC in 2021.

Reacting after his meeting with Ousmane Diagana on Thursday, President Maada Bio wrote, “I had a very productive meeting this morning with the World Bank’s Vice President for West Africa and Central Region @ousmane_diagana. We will continue to collaborate as we meet critical development outcomes for Sierra Leone.”, He wrote.

 

Reacting to the development, David Sengeh, the Minister of Basic and Senior Senior Secondary school education wrote, “With the additional $50m, we will ensure more schools are built, more children fed, more learning materials provided and more.”

 

Sierraloaded had previously reported that World Bank Regional Vice President for Western and Central Africa, Ousmane Diagana will be visiting Sierra Leone on February 10-11, 2022 as part of his official tour to West Africa. This will be Mr. Diagana’s first trip to the country since assuming his current position in July 2020.

Mr. Ousmane Diagana will hold high level talks on a wide range of development issues with His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio, senior government officials and development partners.

Mr. Ousmane Diagana will join President Bio to formally commission the World Bank new Country Office in Freetown on Friday February 10. Accompanied by senior state officials, they will both visit project sites, including the August 14, 2017 mudslide disaster site at Motormeh, Regent and a primary school in Freetown.