His Excellency Edward M. Turay, Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (up)

Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom has called on Sierra Leoneans to put aside their differences and join hands in the fight against Ebola.

His Excellency Edward M. Turay said this is the wrong time for finger pointing and political propaganda and called on his compatriots to stop politicising the Ebola outbreak in the country.

“This is a very difficult and frustrating period for the government and people of Sierra Leone and the only way we can overcome this Ebola virus is when we come together as a nation and join the fight against Ebola.”

A lot of Sierra Leoneans in the diaspora have embarked on a campaign of sabotage and political propaganda in a bid to score political point in the Ebola virus, but according to the High Commissioner, they have only succeeded in making ridicule of themselves.

“Ernest Koroma loves his people, he loves his country, that was why he has succeeded in transforming Sierra Leone to a large extent in so short a time before the outbreak of the Ebola; beside it is not only our country that is affected by Ebola but also Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and lately Senegal.”

The High Commissioner wonders why Sierra Leoneans especially in the Diaspora should embark on such practices rather than strategising to contribute in the fight against Ebola.

Turay expressed disappointments over the attitude of some Sierra Leoneans who for whatever reasons have embarked on hiring people in faking videos aimed at blackmailing their country.

“Nobody will fall for these cheap propaganda – beside, do you expect these foreigners that you hire to make these blackmailing videos which you post on social network sites to feel about you?”

He said funds donated for Ebola are not handled by the Government but by the special task force known as the Ebola Operating Committtee comprising of representatives of WHO, UNICEF, Red Cross, KPMG and other stakeholders and therefore the question of government officials transforming Ebola funds into private use is just too ridiculous and vindictive.

Source: Sierra Leone High Commission, London

SLOF executives participated in raising funds for the Red Cross Disaster Fund during Hunger Day Campaign, September 18-20. In the picture: SLOF Chairman John Bairoh (on the left) and SLOF Senior Advisor Frank Kamara, also Chairman of Safra ry (on the right).

SLOF (Sierra Leone Organization of Finland) is an umbrella association in Finland that looks over the interest of Sierra Leone. His Excellency Edward Turay has given SLOF the authority to launch Ebola campaign on the behalf of Sierra Leone government. SLOF has presented its Letter of Authority to different NGO organizations, including Finnish Red Cross.

SLOF is now working with Finnish Red Cross in raising funds through Nälkapäivä collection. Part of the money collected will used for eradicating Ebola in Sierra Leone. We have asked Sierra Leoneans and friends of Sierra Leoneans to participate in Nälkäpäivä. We recognize that as an umbrella association in Finland we need to participate in such projects in raising funds for disaster areas in which Sierra Leone is one of the countries. We will be continuing to partner with Red Cross also in the future.

Please read more about Red Cross activities against Ebola:

http://www.redcross.fi/news/20140902/hunger-day-collection-will-help-ebola-stricken-west-africa-and-elsewhere

http://www.punainenristi.fi/uutiset/20140916/ensimmaisia-potilaita-hoidetaan-ebola-klinikalla-sierra-leonessa

SLOF has met Finnish Red Cross representatives (Fundraising Planner & Coordinator) discussing how both associations can work together in raising funds for Sierra Leone Ebola Campaign. Present in this meeting were Ebola Campaign Manager, Chairman and Vice Chairman for SLOF.

SLOF participated in the Hunger Day Collection from 18–20 September 2014. Hunger Day Funds go into the Finnish Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Money collected previously for the Disaster Fund has already been used to help in eradicating Ebola in Sierra Leone. Please, you can still donate to Finnish Red Cross through their pages, or inform your friends and relatives to do so.