Chinese Embassy, Spur Loop, Freetown, 1st September 2021 — Director General of the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), Lt. General (Rtd) Brima Sesay together with a cross section of staff of the NDMA, on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on Chinese Ambassador Hu Zhangliang at his Spur Loop office in Freetown.
Welcoming the NDMA delegation, Ambassador Zhangliang appreciated the DG whom he described as ‘General’, and thanked him for his impressive service in the Military.
The Ambassador wished the DG great success in his new career and promised to continue to support him at all times.
Ambassador Zhangliang used the occasion to thank all Sierra Leoneans for the 50 years unbroken friendship, and expressed hope for a better and more harmonious relationship.
On his part, Director-General of NDMA, Lt. General (Rtd) Brima Sesay, expressed his appreciation for the marvelous reception accorded them, recalling the numerous collaborations and supports he received from the Ambassador while he was serving as the country’s Army Chief of Defence Staff; and equally thanked him and the People of China for their brotherly relation with Sierra Leone.
Dilating on the motive of the courtesy call, the DG recalled that Disaster Management was operating under the Office of National Security (ONS), but with the enactment of the Disaster Management Act 2020 by Parliament, the Agency remains the only statutory authority mandated to manage and coordinate all disaster related issues and other emergencies in Sierra Leone.
The DG informed the Ambassador of the numerous interventions his Agency has undertaken within this short period which has impacted the lives of over 12,000 people within 3,104 households and 17 public facilities across the country. “We have responded to 39 disasters and disaster-related issues since last year”, the DG lamented.
Recognizing the efforts of other Partners, the DG thanked WFP for donating a huge warehouse facility to the Agency in Port Loko, and the Military for allowing the NDMA use their storage facilities that are available in many other parts of the country.
DG Sesay thanked President Bio for his relentless determination to support the NDMA, and called on all and sundry to work with the Agency with the view to saving lives and property across the country.
Ambassador Zhangliang expressed his appreciation for the courtesy call and promised to be a good partner to the Agency within his capacity. He re-echoed his country’s continued support to Sierra Leone.
The Chinese Ambassador thanked President Bio for appointing Lt. General (Rtd) Brima Sesay and promised to work with him cordially. HE Zhangliang appreciated the fact that since Sierra Leone and China became friends some 50 years ago, they have not failed each other and China he said, will continue to be a good friend to Sierra Leone.
Recalling Sierra Leone’s support to China, the Ambassador thanked the country’s leadership for always voting alongside China in the Security Council. The Ambassador however expressed concern over the conducts of some people who have encroached beyond the Red Zones around the Hydro facility at Charlotte Village.
He called on the NDMA DG to pacify and discourage the encroachers from further destroying the hydro environment. The Ambassador ended by calling on all Sierra Leoneans to protect Chinese people living in Sierra Leone and any disaster related issues.
In the NDMA delegation was the Deputy Director General, Mr. John V. Rogers, the Director of Partnership, Mr. Soko Kai-Samba, and the two Deputy Directors of Partnership and Risk Reduction, Messrs Alimatu Mansaray and Theresa Deloes respectively.
National Disaster Management Agency Contact: +23278388946 | Email: elbamohamed12@gmail.com
