Sierra Leone has set a positive tone within the region by extending a helping hand to its neighbor, Guinea, which faced a catastrophic fire disaster after a blast rocked the country’s only fuel depot on December 23rd, 2023 leaving 24 people dead and 454 injured. This unfortunate incident not only took lives but also destroyed the entire infrastructure crucial for the storage of their petroleum products.
In a remarkable show of solidarity, His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio swiftly responded by dispatching a high-power delegation led by Vice President, Dr. Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh. The delegation included burns specialists from the Ministry of Health, representatives from the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the head of the Petroleum Regulatory Agency, and a technical team from the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA) headed by its Director General, Lit. Gen. (Rtd) Brima Sesay. The team went with three truckloads of specialized drugs and relief items to respond to the victims.
In Guinea, the Sierra Leone delegation played a pivotal role in response strategies, post-recovery assistance, and data collection, having gained experience from the November 5th 2021 Wellington fuel tanker explosion, earning admiration from the Guineans. Discussions during the delegation’s visit to Guinea included Sierra Leone’s willingness to temporarily allow Guinea to use its terminal for landing petroleum products, aiding in overland transport to Guinea.
A technical team from the NDMA conducted a risk assessment and provided crucial technical guidance on safety and security for transporting large quantities of petroleum products from Sierra Leone to Guinea. The Sierra Leone team has been providing logistical support to the Guinean tanker drivers, and others at Hastings where their tankers occupy. This collaborative effort showcased the strength of inter-agency partnerships in responding to crisis of this nature.
In a heartening development, the Guinean President, Colonel Mamadi Doumbouya, in a bid to express his gratitude to Sierra Leone, sent a delegation headed by the country’s Prime Minister to award certificates and medals of appreciation to the Sierra Leone delegation to Guinea. The Order of Kolatier, equivalent to Sierra Leone’s Order of ROKEL, was conferred upon members of the delegation to Guinea at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’s foreign academy in Freetown on the 5th of January 2024. The Guinean delegation dedicated the awards to the people of Sierra Leone, acknowledging the nation’s unwavering commitment to assisting Guinea in time of need.
Representatives from the National Disaster Management Agency Sierra Leone, which includes the Director General, Lit. Gen. (Rtd) Brima Sesay, Director of Relief and Response, Sinneh Mansaray, and Director of Research, Monitoring & Evaluation, Abu Bakarr Bangura amongst others, received medals and certificates of appreciation for their technical support.
The National Disaster Management Agency is appealing to the public especially road users to be aware and exercise maximum precautions along the route between Hastings and Pamlap, through Masiaka to Gberi Junction, and Bamoi Luma, where convoys of Guinean tankers will be traversing.