By State House Communications Unit
President Ernest Bai Koroma Friday 15 May met with the newly appointed Head of the United Nations Mission on Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) Mr Peter Graaff at his State Lodge in Freetown.
The UN Envoy was the crisis manager in the Ebola free neighbouring Liberia and he is in the country to give a final push in collaboration with government to defeat the receding virus. As significant gains have made in the fight against the Ebola virus, President Koroma stated that government will continue with social engagement with communities and be vigorous in surveillance and case search to bring an end to the spread of the virus.
Whilst urging citizens to heed to health precautions and take ownership and responsibility of the fight, he called for collaborative efforts from every Sierra Leonean, adding that everybody is anxious to get back to normalcy. He told the UNMEER Head that government is committed to working with him and expressed the need to use the Liberian experience to go through the bumpy period in bringing an end to the outbreak.
Head of UNMEER Peter Graaff said the government has made tremendous strides in dealing with the outbreak. He said Liberia also experienced similar challenges of new spikes of new infections in the bumpy road of registering and staying zero new infections for the stipulated 42 days. He encouraged President Koroma to be steadfast saying that the measures are in place and should be maintained for a few more weeks. He reiterated the significance of taking corrective measures, community partnership and engagement to defeat the waning virus.
The UN envoy also underscored the importance of early reporting in order to save lives and break the chain of transmission. In another development, President Koroma met with the Director General of Bollore Ports Mr Oliver de Noray and team to discuss the project of the extension of the container terminal at the Freetown Ports.
The project is a $120 million that will turn Freetown Terminal into a transhipment hub, expand the port capacity, increase trade with neighbouring countries, reduction of transport cost and transit time, creation of more jobs, among others. The project if approved will end in early 2018.
