V.P. Jalloh Notes Progress in Energy, Education, Health

Vice President of Sierra Leone, Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh, on Friday, June 26, had a meet-and-greet with Sierra Leoneans in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, using the occasion to update the diaspora on government achievements and plans in key sectors. “We have made measurable progress in the provision of electricity, education and health care, and we have set targets for the coming years,” Dr Jalloh told a jam-packed audience.
“National access to electricity has increased from 16% to 34%,” he said. “This is as a result of the deployment of off-grid solar systems which are powering many rural communities which did not have reliable electricity before. The Vice President said the government has set a bold target of achieving 78 per cent national electricity coverage within the next four years.
On education, Dr Jalloh cited early results of the Free Quality School Education Programme, saying that the first batch of students to benefit from the initiative are now pursuing higher education, showing that investment in education is beginning to pay off in terms of human capital development.
He cited increased budgetary support to health care, and reported a significant drop in maternal mortality from about 1,700 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2018 to less than 340 today. He also talked about a successful program that increases access to the Hajj pilgrimage for Sierra Leoneans living abroad.
Following his remarks, the Vice President fielded questions from the audience and held one-on-one conversations with community members. Ambassador Jusu welcomed the delegation and thanked the Sierra Leone Diaspora Advisory Council, the Sierra Leone Central Union and local organisers for organising the event at short notice. The session reinforced the government’s outreach to the diaspora and highlighted progress on key national priorities.