By Abass Conteh
On April 14, 2022 communities around York and John Obey village received solar powered street lights through the Chinese Embassy near Freetown. The gift was in fulfillment of an earlier pledge made by His Excellency President Julius Madaa Bio, during his recent visit to the mountain rural communities.
During the visit, the president recognized that the region has been neglected for far too long. The president further promised to work closely with the newly created Ministry of Western Area to improve service delivery to the communities.
During his presentation the Chinese Ambassador, H.E. Hu Zhangliang, evoked the strong ties between Sierra Leone and China. He stressed the need for grassroots development in communities like York and John Obey.
In receiving the gift on behalf of the communities, the
Honorable Minister of Western Area Madam Nabeela Tunis extended sincere thanks to China for its continued support to Sierra Leone’s microeconomic efforts. She said that China’s development achievements have attracted worldwide attention. The solar powered street lights marked another milestone in the bilateral relationship between Sierra Leone and China.
Meanwhile the community leaders and residents expressed their profound appreciation for the donation of the solar street lights and other items.
