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The outgoing Sierra Leonean High Commissioner to Ghana, Justice Umu Hawa Tajan Hallow, has expressed the appreciation of the government and the people of Sierra Leone to their Ghanaian counterparts for their continued support for her country.

According to her, 90 per cent of all serious and critical medical cases referred out of Sierra Leone was handled in Ghana by various medical facilities, including the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital in Accra.

  Justice Hallow made the revelation at the Jubilee House when she bid farewell to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo after her two-and-a-half-year duty tour of Ghana.

She also noted that Ghanaian institutions of learning had continuously opened their doors to members of staff of Sierra Leonean ministries, departments and agencies to add to their knowledge and expertise and tap from the Ghanaian experience.

Security

According to her, Sierra Leone and Ghana had, over the years, enjoyed excellent bilateral relations, adding that the government and the people of Ghana had always supported the socio-economic development and security needs of Sierra Leone.

She commended Ghana for contributing a sizeable contingent to the Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) force during Sierra Leone’s civil war, as well as its contribution towards the eradication of the Ebola virus in Sierra Leone.

“Ghana was one of the countries that never imposed travel restrictions on our citizens during the outbreak,” she added.

Humanitarian relief

Justice Hallow further recounted the speed with which Ghana sent humanitarian relief and money to Sierra Leone after the devastating mudslides that claimed many lives and destroyed properties.

“In response to the clarion call by the President of Sierra Leone for humanitarian assistance, Ghana was among the first to provide tens of thousands of cedis worth of food, medical and humanitarian items and cash for victims of the disaster.

“In view of these and many more, I wish, on behalf of the government and the people of Sierra Leone, to express my sincere thanks and appreciation to Your Excellency and the people of the Republic of Ghana for the continued support to Sierra Leone,” she said.

She reaffirmed her country’s cooperation with Ghana at all times and promised to serve as a good representative of Ghana in her home country.

Relationship

President Akufo-Addo pledged Ghana’s commitment to strengthen and deepen its relationship with Sierra Leone for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

He said the relationship between the two countries predated independence and recounted how some Ghanaians had gone to Sierra Leone for further studies.

According to the President, there was a lot the two countries and other countries in the regional bloc could offer one another when they committed themselves to chart a new course to deepen cooperation.

He commended the government and the people of Sierra Leone for embarking on a democratic path and undertaking peaceful transitions.