“Every true African should be happy about this” Fatima Bio
By Alpha Kamara in New York
Citizens of Sierra Leone and The Gambia will no longer pay work permits if they are working in each of the two West African neighboring countries. This is according to Sierra Leone’s First lady Fatima Maada Bio.
On a video on social media, Fatima Maada Bio said for years now Sierra Leoneans working in the Gambia as well as Gambians working in Sierra Leone have been complaining about the difficulties they go through to secure work permits to work in the two countries. As a result, President Bio engaged his colleague President Barrow on the issue.
“President Bio talked to his brother President Barrow. I was also later sent to Banjul as special envoy to discuss the issue with the Gambian government. Today I am happy to say, that goal has been achieved. Now no citizen of Sierra Leone will pay work permit to work in the Gambia and vice versa”, Fatima said.
Fatima said her husband president Bio should be applauded for making this dream a reality which brought freedom to citizens of both countries.
“Today Gambians will leave in Sierra Leone freely and Sierra Leoneans in the Gambia will live same because we are all from the same region and the same continent. The Europeans are doing it. Why can’t we do same as Africans to remove the boundaries and allow our people to travel and work freely?” she asked.
Fatima Bio said all true Africans should be happy about this because development because that the way to go as a region instead of putting restrictions and boundaries when we travel to each other’s countries.
Fatima Maada Bio, Sierra Leone’s First lady enjoys dual citizenship of the Gambia and Sierra Leone. Her father is a Gambian and her mother a Sierra Leonean. She spent most of her teenage and early adulthood life in the Gambia. She is influential in the two countries and is therefore using that influence to her advantage.