Sierra Leone Seeks Support For ADB Post

Dr Samura Kamara, Sierra Leonean Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Co-operation, has called on Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur in Accra, to solicit Ghana�s support to contest for the President of the African Development Bank. According to him, Sierra Leone is seeking Ghana�s support for the position because the country has a vote, and is a shareholder of the bank, as well as a strong member of that financial institution. Dr Samura Kamara announced this when he paid a courtesy call on Vice President Amissah-Arthur at the Flagstaff House in Accra. Consequently, he delivered a letter from President Ernest Bai Koroma of Sierra Leone, to President John Mahama, on his country�s bid for the ADB top position. According Dr Kamara, the letter is in two parts, first to continue to appeal for Ghana�s support for ADB's Presidency, and to ask Ghana to endorse the nomination from Sierra Leone. Ghana and Sierra Leone have a long-standing diplomatic relations, which dates back many years. Besides, the two nations also share a common history, culture and interest, in terms of the African Union (AU), ECOWAS, the Commonwealth and the United Nations. Dr Kamara also stated that Sierra Leone was looking for Ghana�s support for the ADB top position, because President Mahama was the current Chairman of ECOWAS, and besides, Sierra Leone had strong relations with the country. He applauded Ghana and President Mahama for the tremendous support, and show of solidarity in the fight against Ebola in Sierra Leone. He said even though the fight against the Ebola Viral disease has been difficult with over 7,000 cases, but what is comforting now is that there are large numbers of survivors. Dr Kamara also stated most of the victims of the disease have survived out of symptomatic treatment for malaria, small pox, typhoid, high fever, vomiting and frequent stools. He disclosed that recently the country had a nationwide vaccination and distribution of tablets for malaria. He explained that the true cause of the spread of the disease is when family members of victim touch the dead body of the Ebola affected person. Dr Kamara further stated that with the rate of Ebola survivors increasing by the day, he was optimistic that by the end of the second quarter of 2015, Sierra Leone would be declared Ebola-free. In response, Vice President Kwesi Amissah-Arthur welcomed the news of the decline in the spread of the Ebola viral disease in Sierra Leone, and looked forward to the day when they would have zero cases. He said President Mahama has offered the country�s training facilities to be used to train nurses, pharmacists and other personnel from the three Ebola affected countries, to be able to manage the post-Ebola challenges that they may face. He said President Mahama has already made that offer, and was in discussions, particularly with the leaders of Liberia and Sierra Leone.