Sierra Leone’s President Maada Bio Commiserates with Mahama Over June 29 Flood Disaster
ECOWAS Chairman visits Ghana to express solidarity and discuss regional cooperation ahead of summit
- Sierra Leone President Maada Bio visits Ghana to sympathize over June 29 floods.
- Disaster affected 7 regions, with 12 confirmed dead and 7 missing
- About 48,000 people displaced, according to preliminary assessments
The Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority and President of Sierra Leone, Julius Maada Bio, has visited Ghana to commiserate with President John Dramani Mahama following the devastating June 29 floods that affected several regions.
The disaster impacted seven regions, including Greater Accra, resulting in 12 confirmed deaths, while seven people remain missing.
President Bio’s visit also formed part of consultations ahead of the upcoming ECOWAS Summit scheduled to be held in Freetown.
Welcoming him at the Jubilee House, President Mahama described Bio as a brother and valued partner within the African family, and expressed gratitude for his show of solidarity during Ghana’s difficult moment.
He explained that the heavy rainfall event affected not only Ghana but also parts of West Africa, stretching from Gabon through Nigeria, Benin, Togo, and Côte d’Ivoire, causing widespread flooding across the sub-region.
President Mahama noted that preliminary assessments indicate about 48,000 people have been displaced as a result of the floods.
He confirmed that government has deployed the Ghana Armed Forces and a Joint Task Force to clear blocked waterways, remove debris, and restore normalcy in affected areas.
He expressed optimism that recovery efforts would stabilize the situation within the next one to two weeks.
According to him, the Finance Ministry has already released funds from the Contingency Fund to support emergency response and relief operations.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other agencies are expected to begin distributing relief items, including blankets, mattresses, tents, and other essential supplies to affected families.
President Mahama also noted that discussions with President Bio included broader ECOWAS matters such as regional security and preparations for the upcoming summit in Freetown.
He thanked President Bio for his visit, describing it as a strong expression of African solidarity in times of crisis.
On his part, President Bio conveyed condolences from the people and government of Sierra Leone and reaffirmed their support for Ghana during the recovery process.
