By Henry Kargbo
The Former Minister of Information and Communications – MIC, now Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swarray has last Friday 28 July 2023 officially handed over the mantle of leadership to the new Minister of Technology and Innovation Madam Salima Monorma Bah and Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor Bah respectively.
In his handing over statement at the ministry’s conference room, Youyi Building, the outgoing Minister of Information and Communications congratulated his successors on their appointment as Ministers and express hope that he might found the handing over note useful as he begins a new chapter.
Giving a summary of activities during his tenure as Minister of Information and Communications, Swarray recalled that in May 2018, it pleased President Julius Maada Bio to appoint him as Minister of Information and Communications.
He said that he undertook series of activities and expressed his profound appreciations to the president on his reappointment as Minister Employment, Labour and Social Security.
Swarray informed that over the last five years he had work hard in ensuring the actualization of the president’s vision of having a digitally inclusive in Sierra Leone, adding that he has also bridged the communications gap between governments and citizens, thereby creating the enabling environment to attract win-win investment into the ICT/Telecommunication sector.
He noted the removal of Part 5 of the 1965 Public Order Act which he said was used to prosecute journalists.
He encouraged the new ministers and deputies to be committed to their duties to achieve government’s vision, and express hope that with the leadership of the two ministers, they will work harder to transform the ministry.
The former MIC minister thanked the entire staff for being with him for the five years tenure.
In their responses, the Ministers of Communications, Technology and Innovation Madam Salima Monorma Bah and Minister of Information and Civic Education Chernor Bah profusely thanked the former minister for his support and commitment.
They said that will work hard in the minister to accomplish the dream of President Bio and ensure that they will work with the team to push forward the work.
The newcomer minister promised to work with the media, Civil Society Organization to accomplish the dream of President Bio.
