Presidents Akufo-Addo and Maada Bio with their respective First Ladies
Ghana and Sierra Leone have opened a new chapter in their relationship yesterday.
This would see Ghana providing technical assistance to the government and people of Sierra Leone in the implementation of a model of the Free Senior High School policy in that country.
This came to light when Sierra Leonean President, Julius Maada Bio called on President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House (presidency) in Accra yesterday.
Both leaders reiterated the importance of education as a long-term development tool and recalled the implementation of the Free Senior High School programme in Ghana and the recently introduced Free Quality Education policy of the government of Sierra Leone.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo assured President Julius Maada Bio of his government’s commitment in sharing her experience and expertise on the programme with the Sierra Leonean government as it begins the implementation of the Free Quality Education policy for primary pupils and secondary students.
He indicated that the government of Ghana would carefully consider the request of the Sierra Leonean government for technical assistance from experts in the technical and vocational education training field and will work with the government on the modalities for implementing the request.
Speaking at a lunch held in honour of his colleague Sierra Leonean leader, President Akufo-Addo said “it is my sincere desire that we set the tone for Ghana and Sierra Leone to search continually for ways to co-operate, irrespective of who is at the helm of affairs of our respective countries.”
“I have no doubt, however, that, together, the two of us can forge a new, strong partnership for cooperation between our two nations for the mutual benefit of our two peoples.”
He traced the historical and cultural ties between Ghana and Sierra Leone which was borne largely out of trade and education, dating back two centuries.
He expressed belief that the presence of President Maada Bio in Ghana would spur on the two nations to develop stronger ties and explore several areas of co-operation to the mutual benefit of their respective citizens.
Having followed, with keen interest, the structural programme being embarked upon by President Maada Bio’s administration, President Akufo-Addo lauded him for his “Free Quality Education” initiative.
“I urge you to stand firm and see it through, regardless of the opposition you will face. For us in Ghana, our Free Senior High School education policy, within the first two years of its implementation, has ensured that 270,000 more students, whose education would otherwise have been truncated for financial reasons, have access to secondary education,” the President Akufo-Addo said.
He congratulated also the Sierra Leonean President’s initiatives in the area of agriculture, aimed at enhancing food security for the people of that country.
On his part, the Sierra Leonean President, Maada Bio stated that his country would want to learn from Ghana to be able to catch up with the rest of the world.
He observed that corruption stifles development thus commended President Akufo-Addo for fight against corruption stressing that he would emulate same.
He extolled Ghana for supporting his country through ECOWAS during their elections as well as its overwhelming contribution when Sierra Leone found itself in the Ebola, war and mudslide.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent