A delegation from the Ahmadiyya Mission on Wednesday July 20 paid a farewell courtesy call on President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma at State House.

The delegation, including fourteen paramount chiefs and the Amir of Ahmaddiyya Mission in Sierra Leone, was led by the Hon. Vice President, Dr Victor Foh. They will depart for the United Kingdom where they will attend the forthcoming Ahmadiyya Annual Conference (Jalsa Salana) scheduled for July 30 to August 1, 2016.

Bidding farewell to the delegation, the president expressed hope that they would fly the national flag high during this year’s Jalsa Salana. He thanked the Amir for his continuous effort towards the development of Sierra Leone through interventions in education, health, religious cohesion and tolerance. He also commended the Ahmaddiyya Mission for its disciplined aptitude in always ensuring perfect decorum during their annual conferences held both locally and internationally.

Presenting the chiefs through the Amir, the Vice President disclosed that out of the fourteen chiefs attending this  year’s conference, twelve are Muslims and two are fervent Christians. This, the VP said; “shows the high level of religious tolerance Sierra Leone is practicing.” He noted that Amadiyya Mission came to Sierra Leone in 1921 and built its first Primary School at Rokupr in Kambia district in 1938, and the Mission is now proud of having 265 schools, 800 mosques, 3 clinics, 1 Missionary Training College, 1 Humanitarian Organization (NGO) and 1 radio station nationwide.

Vice President Foh took the opportunity to update the president on the progress of the Hajj Committee. He intimated that the Committee has got 800 people for this year’s pilgrimage to Mecca and that a consensus has already been reached that Sierra Leone’s pilgrims should pay $5,000 United States Dollar each.

The Vice President said the 800 pilgrims will be departing on the sameday on board two planes. He further stated that the return trip would be done in two folds – the first batch which is 500 will start the journey  followed two days later by the second batch of 300.

The Amir of the Ahmaddiyya Mission in Sierra Leone, Saeed Rahman, profusely thanked President Koroma for his countless support to Muslims in the country despite his Christian faith and affiliation. He praised him for encouraging and maintaining high level of religious tolerance in Sierra Leone.