Trip to Tripoli

6 Sep 2010

After a two day visit to Libya, the Minister of Information and Communication, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo has told the New Citizen that President Ernest Bai Koroma’s visit to Libya was a great success. He underscored that the success of President Ernest Bai Koroma’s visit to Libya can be found in the successful bilateral ties between Sierra Leone and Libya centered around agricultural development and telecommunications.

He assured that the Libyan leader, Colonel Muamar Ghaddafi is determined to help Sierra Leone in many ways and as quickly as possible. The visit was planned to take part in the 41st anniversary of the ascension to power of Colonel Muamar Ghaddafi in 1969 which was celebrated in Tripoli with participation of many other African statesmen and leaders from elsewhere in the world.

The Minister dilated on the popularity of the Libyan leader after 41 years as Head of State and the love and respect demonstrated by the people of Libya not only for the Head of State, Colonel Muamar Ghaddafi, but also for all his policies.

He maintained that even though Libya is in the Arab world, many Libyans still consider themselves as Africans and have a lot of respect and love for their brothers and sisters in the continent. He also dilated on the religious tolerance, love and respect existing between Libya’s colonial masters, Italy and the willingness of the colonial masters to compensate Libya for what is known as the benefits of colonial rule.

The Minister praised the mass infrastructural development in Libya such as cannot be found anywhere in Africa. “The banquet hall on which the anniversary took place popularly known as Libyan Jamahiriya is second to none in Africa,” the Minister dilated.

Alhaji I. B. Kargbo also praised the agricultural ingenuity of the Libyans especially for turning the desert into arable farm lands on which massive farms cater for the food production in the interest of hungry humanity. He also praised Colonel Muamar Ghaddafi for creating a man-made river, 700 miles long running through all the dry lands of the country and irrigating agricultural farms.

Mr. Kargbo intimated the New Citizen that Libya is open for investment and that the spirit of African love and cooperation has never dampened in Libya. For his part, President Ernest Bai Koroma praised the Libyan government for its determination to help humanity to fight hunger and poverty in all its form. The President also met the Libyan Prime Minister with whom he held bilateral talks and expounded on opportunities of trade in Sierra Leone.

President Ernest Bai Koroma took the opportunity of his visit to invite Colonel Muamar Ghaddafi to Sierra Leone to participate in the Golden Jubilee celebrations of our independence next year.

Other members of President Ernest Bai Koroma’s delegation to Libya included the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Haja Zainab Hawa Bangura; Minister of Mineral Resources and Political Affairs, Alhaji Alpha Kanu, Minister of Information and Communication, Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo and some other protocol officers from line ministries. “But the success of the visit will not be fully realized in the nearest future,” Alhaji Ibrahim Ben Kargbo concluded.