CHINESE AMBASSADOR DONATES TWO FIRE ENGINES TO TRANSPORT MINISTRY
By MOTA on the 26th April,2022 Guma Pipe Yard, Kissy Bypass Road.
The Chinese Ambassador His Excellency Ambassador Hu Zhangliang of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Sierra Leone has donated two fire engines to the Ministry of Transport and Aviation to improve fire safety measures at the Freetown International Airport.
Speaking during the official commissioning of 15 (fifteen) Water Bowers and 2 (two) Fire engines donated to the Government of Sierra Leone, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to the Republic of Sierra Leone His Excellency Ambassador Hu Zhangliang said that the donation was a special gift to Sierra Leone in making its 61st Independence Anniversary, adding that the longstanding bilateral relations between the two countries is based on integrity , cooperation, and mutual benefits.
“It is a great pleasure that the Government of the People’s Republic of China donates 15(Fifteen) Water Bowers and 2 (Two) Fire Engines to the Government of Sierra Leone in support to improving access to water supply and enhancing safety at the Freetown International Airport” Ambassador Hu Zhangliang noted.
He maintained that the two fire engines are of the best modern products in China with distributor, multi-function sprinkler, landscape water, suitable for all kinds of road surface flush, green belts, high-altitude construction rinse, emergency fire with water spray, dust, high pressure amongst others.
Ambassador Hu Zhangliang stressed that the donation is another vivid demonstration of the continued growth of China-Sierra Leone friendship and one of the concrete steps taken by China to support Sierra Leone’s development
In his statement, the Minister of Transport and Aviation, Kabineh Kallon expressed his elation over the donation of the 2(two) fire engines to the Freetown International Airport by the Ambassador of China to Sierra Leone, adding that the donation came at a time when the Country’s International Airport prepares to meet the required International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
“The criteria for the certification of the Freetown International Airport in November 2022 among others is to have 10 (ten) fire engines; we have 8 (eight) already with these 2(two) additional making it 10(ten)” Kallon noted.
He maintained that this would help upgrade the Fire Safety Department to meet the Sierra Leone Civil Aviation and International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) requirements in the forthcoming certification of the Freetown International Airport.
In his remarks, His Excellency President Brigadier Rtd. Julius Maada Bio said that his Government had indisputably done more to expand the existing water supply infrastructure and to make it more resilient in many years.
“Both the World Health Organization and UNICEF have stated that my Government has improved access to safe drinking water and sanitation over the last four years: 24% in the provinces; 6% in the Freetown area. They have also confirmed that my Government is making great progress on what they set out to do – increase access to potable water,” he noted.
He maintained that low access could cause children to go fetch water and lose study time and that would expose them to social risks, adding that his government’s focus was on human capital development.
He admitted that in order to address this problem, his Government has secured from the Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, a total of 15 bowsers and 2 fire engines donated by the Government of the People’s Republic of China, adding that the water bowsers would be used to enhance water service delivery to low-income communities in the Western Area and the 2 (two) fire engines would be used to improve fire safety measures at the Freetown International Airport.