President Adama Barrow joined His Excellency Julius Maada Bio and other West African Heads of State as Guest of Honour to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the country’s Independence.
As part of the celebrations, President Adama Barrow was awarded the Order of Grand Commander of the Republic of Sierra Leone (GCRS) ceremonial with the privileges that go with it along with his colleagues from Liberia, La Guinea and Ghana. Other awards were also presented to the Vice President of Nigeria and the Prime Ministers of Guinea Bissau and Ivory Coast respectively.
On the citation, President Maada Bio recognised and commended President Adama Barrow for promoting peace, rule of law and democracy in The Gambia, while undertaking Security Sector Reform. He was also commended for his cooperation in addressing global issues and concerns at both the regional and global levels.
Speaking on behalf of the recipients of the noble awards, the President of Ghana and Chairperson of ECOWAS, His Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, described the noble gesture of the awards as an “exceptional act of consideration” and hailed the historic role Sierra Leone contributed to educating West Africans and urged its citizens to reconcile as one people. “What unites us is more than what divides us, work together in the spirit of reconciliation, promote peace and Sierra Leone first before any other identity,” President Akufo-Addo emphasised.
He seized the opportunity to call on the members of the regional bloc, ECOWAS, to give priority to doing business within the region to make regional integration a reality and prosperity for Africa.
The celebration held at the State House of Sierra Leone due to the Covid-19 pandemic, was also marked by a colourful march past, as Sierra Leoneans celebrated self-independence and the country’s blooming democracy.
A tete-a-tete with other visiting Heads of State was the climax of what was an eventful and memorable visit.