President John Dramani Mahama has received the President of Sierra Leone, His Excellency Julius Maada Bio, in Accra for a one-day state visit, during which the two leaders held high-level discussions on climate-induced flooding, regional security, and cooperation within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
The visit also provided an opportunity for President Bio, who currently serves as Chairman of the ECOWAS Authority of Heads of State and Government, to convey his condolences and express solidarity with Ghana following the recent devastating floods that have affected several communities across the country, claiming lives, displacing thousands, and causing widespread destruction.
Addressing the media after the bilateral meeting, President Mahama disclosed that the Government of Ghana has deployed the Ghana Armed Forces and the Joint Task Force to support ongoing recovery operations, including clearing waterways, restoring access to affected communities, and assisting with relief efforts.
He further revealed that the Minister for Finance has released funds from the Contingency Fund to support emergency response operations being coordinated by the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and other relevant agencies.
According to President Mahama, preliminary assessments indicate that approximately 48,000 people have been displaced, with 12 confirmed deaths, while several others remain unaccounted for as rescue, recovery, and relief operations continue.
Beyond the flood situation, the two leaders held bilateral consultations on regional security, democratic governance, economic integration, and other key issues ahead of the upcoming ECOWAS Summit to be hosted in Sierra Leone.
President Bio expressed profound sympathy to the Government and people of Ghana over the disaster and underscored the need for stronger regional collaboration in tackling the growing challenges posed by climate change, rapid urbanisation, and disaster preparedness across West Africa.
The visit reaffirmed the longstanding friendship and strong diplomatic ties between Ghana and Sierra Leone, as both leaders reiterated their commitment to deepening cooperation within ECOWAS in pursuit of peace, stability, economic integration, and sustainable development across the sub-region.