By Joseph S. Margai
Government of Sierra Leone, through the Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone in China, has paid a whopping sum of two hundred and fifty-five thousand, two hundred and one (US$255,201) United States Dollars as supplementary allowances to Sierra Leonean students, who are pursuing various academic courses in China and Pakistan.
This was disclosed exclusively by Ernest Mbaimba Ndomahina, Ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone, in Beijing, China, in an interview on Saturday, 1st February, 2020.
“The government of Sierra Leone has ordered the payment of supplementary allowances, amounting to US$255,201 to all beneficiaries of the Sierra Leone government scholarship residing in the People’s Republic of China and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan,” Ambassador Ndomahina said.
He said beneficiary students should forward the details of their bank accounts to the Students’ Union Executive, for onward submission to Mrs. Josephine Isatu Bangura, who is the Students’ Secretary at the Embassy of the Republic of Sierra Leone in China.
He said due to the strict compliance with China’s counter epidemic measures, there was no banking operations in the country.
However, he noted that there would be an effective disbursement of these allowances to beneficiary students on Monday, 3rd February, 2020, when normal banking transactions were expected to resume.
“The Embassy, on behalf of the entire students’ body in China and Pakistan, wishes to express its sincere thanks and appreciation to President Julius Maada Bio and the ‘New Direction’ administration for the support to the human capital development and humanity,” he expressed his gratitude.
In recent weeks, the People’s Republic of China has been plagued by the Corona viral disease, thereby leading to global concern.
However, Ambassador Ndohamina firstly commended the government of the People’s Republic of China for its unprecedented and resilient measures in curbing the spread of the deadly virus.
“On behalf of President Julius Maada Bio and the people of Sierra Leone, the Embassy wishes to express its heartfelt condolences to all bereaved families of the outbreak. We express our unflinching support to President Xi Jinping and the people of China in the fight against this deadly virus,” he stated.
Ambassador Ndomahina called on all Sierra Leoneans residing in China to continuously follow the preventive and control measures of this deadly disease outlined by the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
