Following days of speculation regarding President Julius Maada Bio’s visit abroad, there have been press releases whenever the president is travelling out of the country this time round there was no such press release which brought about the speculations.
In an interview with Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rado Swarray, by Salmata Bah of the SLBC, he stated among several other things that President Bio is fine; he is well, and he is hale and hearty and in the best of health.
He maintained that he travelled a day before President Bio for a conference together with BBC Correspondent, Umaru Fofanah with over 200 other Sierra Leoneans on Air France flight.
According to Minister Swarray, the president walked to the flight by himself and had lots of discussions with other Sierra Leoneans on board the flight; adding that he is therefore surprised that Sierra Leoneans are showing concern.
He maintained however that it is normal for press releases and advices to be issued whenever the president travels but that this time round and for very obvious reasons, the fact of the matter remains that the president is well, hale and hearty and is enjoying the debate around all these issues.
Minister Swarray added that President Bio was on a private visit in England. On the other hand however, Salmata Bah put it to him that even with a private visit the public should be informed because he is the president of the country and therefore it should be in black and white that the president is going on a private visit because the issue that he has been sick has been circulating for some time now.
He agreed however that when you malicious gossip is circulated do cause mischief, people have been saying all kinds of mischievous things about the health of the president but that he can state authoritatively that the good news is that the president is well and ‘we are looking forward to receiving him soon,’ Mr. Swarray noted.
The Minister denied that the president was not on medical check-up but that he took a well-deserved rest. ‘I have never seen a president work so very had in extremely difficult circumstances and as one of his cabinet ministers I have travelled with him both in and out of the country and he is simply a workaholic because he has unbelievable energy and stamina,’ the Minister said.
