ECOWAS Sympathises With Sierra Leone in the Aftermath of Floods and Landslides in the Country

ABUJA, Nigeria, Aug. 18 -- The Economic Community of West African States issued the following news release:

Togo's Head of State, and Chairperson of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, as well as the West African Community expressed their affinity with the people of Sierra Leone.

President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe, accompanied by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel de Souza, travelled to Freetown on 17 August 2017 to give financial support to victims of floods and mudslides which occurred on Monday 14 August 2017.

On behalf of the Community, Mr Gnassingbe presented his Sierra Leonean counterpart, Ernest Bai Koroma, a cheque of 200,000 dollars from the ECOWAS Commission, another cheque of 100,000 dollars from the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) and fund transfer of 100,000 dollars from the ECOWAS Bank for Investment and Development (EBID).

Apart from the token by the Community, Togo also expressed sympathy to victims of the disaster. In that regard, on behalf of the Togolese people, President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe donated 500,000 dollars.

It would be recalled that torrential rainfall and mudslides occurred on Monday 14 August 2017 in and around the Sierra Leonean capital, leaving more than 312 dead, including 60 children.

More than 2,000 victims of the disaster have become homeless, and several houses and properties damaged by the disaster.

In a statement issued the day after the tragedy, the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Marcel de Souza, expressed the deepest sympathy of the regional organisation to the bereaved families, the government and people of Sierra Leone.