Mohamed Bangura replies to press claim … says UDM funded his UN trip
Consequent to media assertions that the governing All People’s Congress (APC) party funded the traveling cost of Mohamed Bangura to New York, same has been tagged as baseless and unfounded.
It is a fact that Mohamed Bangura, who doubles as leader for the United Democratic Movement (UDM) party, in 2011 accessed the building of the United Nations office in New York to supposedly complain of the executive representative of UN secretary general to Sierra Leone, Michael von der Schulenburg.
His allegations, our findings revealed, are that the UN envoy was poking his nose into the internal politics of Sierra Leone hence him secretly pitching fence with the main opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party.
The UDM party leader yesterday told this press that his trip to the UN was all, but to submit a letter of complaint against Michael von der Schulenburg.
He said insinuations by the media that the governing APC funded my traveling to New York are libelous and baseless.
“My trip to the UN office was funded by my party UDM and not the ruling APC as unfoundedly suggested by number of media institutions in country,” Mohamed said.
“For all I know, I have succeeded in fast tracking the withdrawal of the UN chief from Sierra Leone. To me, and to Sierra Leoneans, it is kudos. And if Schulenburg’s successor behaves likewise, no excuse, he will equally be shown the exit door.”
He furthered however that his trip to and from New York cost USD 2,070 and was funded by his political party UDM.
“No amount of bad press can change the good intentions that I Mohamed Bangura has for Sierra Leone,” he said.
“It was opened to considerable number of Sierra Leoneans that Schulenburg was dinning with the opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party; an action that apparently contravenes mandates of the UN in countries it operates.”
“Assertions by certain media houses that President Koroma funded my trip to the UN general assembly meeting in 2011, is unfounded and of course, a deliberate ploy to smear my credibility in the international arena.”
Commenting on allegations that he entered the UN building as Adviser to the Sierra Leone Foreign Ministry, Mohamed said nevertheless that he applied to the Sierra Leone foreign office in New York requesting them issue him a pass to witness the UN meeting, and it was issued to him.
That as a Sierra Leonean, more so a leader of a legally registered political party, it is his right to ask for for a pass from the country’s foreign office to witness the UN general assembly meeting.
Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!
© 2012, https:. All rights reserved.
