By Donstance Koroma
The Committee on Appointment and Public Service of the 6th Parliament of the Second Republic Sierra Leone, has Tuesday 25 July 2023 approved the Minister of Political Affairs and Public Administration, Amara Kallon among twelve others, during the first sitting.
Speaking prior to the approval of all presidential nominees of various ministries, the Leader of Government Business, Hon. Mathew Nyuma disclosed that the following nominees were interviewed on oath about the aspirations, academic credentials and track records.
Among those approved are; Amara Kallon, Minister of Political Affairs and Public Administration, Sheku Fantamadi Bangura, Minister of Finance, Alhaji Kanja Sesay, Minister of Energy, Musa Timothy Kabba, Minister of Foregin Affairs and International Corporations, Betty Dugba, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources, Adekulay King, Minister of Western Region, Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, Minister of Trade and Industry, Madam Melrose Kammity, Minister of Social Welfare, Ambassador Bond Wurie, Retired Major David Taluva, Minister of Internal Affairs. MPs gave their bites on all nominees before approval.
The Deputy Leader of Government Business in the House, Hon. Bassiru Silikie encouraged the nominees to always open their doors to MPs whenever they visit them, noting their visits to Ministries, Departments and Agencies are aimed at advocating for their constituents and districts. He assured the public that the 6th Parliament will not be business as usual and reminded the presidential appointees that the fifth parliament came to the resolution that ministers should not be address as Honourable; expect the individual had once served as an MP saying that once an Honourable is always a Honourable.
Hon Silikie encouraged the nominees to see themselves the ones responsible for the survival of the Sierra Leone People Party – SLPP today and for the next five years, adding that their performances as ministers stand pivotal hence further encouraged them not to disappoint President Julius Maada Bio, Parliament and the country.
On the Minister of Finance referred to him as a humble and respectable personality has gone through the ranks as Deputy Minister II, to a substantive minister, which makes her a no stranger to the country’s economic problem.
“The business community is suffering, I urge you to cushion the effect,” Hon. Silikie said, and observes that; “No price uniformity in the country and substandard commodities continue to flood the country.”
The ruling party law maker raised eyebrows over the way drug enters the country through the Queen Elizabeth II Quay, continues to increase at a steady rate.
He rhetorical questioned the whereabouts of the Sierra Leone Standard Bureau and pleaded with the government agency charged with the task of monitoring consumable goods to do due diligent on what always comes into the country.
The Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon. Solomon Sengepoh Thomas said all presidential nominees are qualified and informed the House that he witnessed the vetting procedure. He observed that nominees were well girdled and called on them to check records to justify the realities.
He said with little over seven million population, ‘you are lucky to be appointed as ministers,’ and admonished them that the offices they were about to occupy, were occupied by others, yet the country continues to face steady challenges. He called on them to try as best they could to make the necessary difference as the country is in a hurry.
The Deputy Speaker entreated the nominees to take a keen look particularly at the roles of Civil Servants, which he explained are static, adding that most of Civil Servant spend their days doing nothing. “I want you to ginger them a little bit and also learn to do things little differently,” Deputy Speaker urged.
Hon. Saa Emerson Lamina of Kono district reminded the presidential nominees that part of the president’s ‘Big Five Ghangers’ seek to institute professionalism in the Public Sector to a level that Civil Servants can compete with International Non- Governmental Organizations and Non-Governmental Organizations.
“Before now, we have to acquired loans from private banks to pay salaries but now a thing of the past,” said Hon. Lamina.
Hon. Bintu Fatmata Bockarie also of Bonthe district pleaded with the nominees to help their supporters with jobs as that can be the sole reasons why they continue to support them to date.
P.C. Hon. Paul Garber Saquee of Kono district registered his profound appreciations the Minister of Energy for supplying Kono with regular electricity. He noted that the rural electrification project continues to do well but however pleaded with the minister to consider the remaining four chiefdoms in Kono.
He urged the House through the Speaker to unify Parliament.
Hon. Mohamed Bangura, All People’s Congress – APC, denied that the Committee on Appointment and Public Service is not a rubber stamp.
The opposition lawmaker disclosed that during previous seating the committee spent twelve hours interviewing presidential nominees, while some of them were stood down for minor documents.
He highlighted hikes in the prices of essential commodities including food and called on authorities to change the trajectory.
Hon. Bangura threw light on the current electricity tariffs as another burden hanging over the heads of ordinary citizens. He therefore called on Minister of Energy to do something about it.
“Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, research have it that Sierra Leone currently has the youngest Foreign Affairs Minister in the sub-region” Hon. Mohamed Bangura said.
He admonished the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Musa Timothy Kabba market the country internationally.
He called on his colleagues APC MPs elect to come and subscribe to the oath of office as that was the primary reason why they were voted.
“Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, the 2023 election has left the country deeply divided and I therefore urge you Mr. Speaker to mediate between the government and the opposition,” implored Hon. Bangura.
The Leader of Government Business, Hon. Nyuma thanked MPs for their contributions and pleaded with the nominees to make parliament their friend, whiles encouraging female ministers to compliment parliament with service delivery.
The motion was put to the House for voting for or against by the Speaker, Dr Chrenor Abass Bundu Considering absent of the opposition the SLPP MPs wasted no time in approving all thirteen presidential nominees as ministers.
In his closing remarks, Speaker of the House, Dr Chrenor Abass Bundu cautioned the newly approved ministers not to ever compromise the laws of the country as they are expected to uphold, obey and defend the constitution.
