By: Sulaiman Aruna Sesay
The Parliament of Sierra Leone on Thursday 7th March 2024, approves the new director general of the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC). The committee on appointment and public service on parliament vetting of the presidential nominations, met on Tuesday 5th March 2024 to interview the proposed Director General of SLBC, Madam Josephine Fatima Kamara.
Presenting the report to the speaker and members of parliament, the committee chairman, Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma said, the committee conducted as usual its open hearing within the set framework of procedures and interviewed the aforesaid proposed nominee on issues pertaining to her educational backgrounds to ensure that she has the relevant education and necessary backup experience to effectively serve at the National Broadcaster. 
He added that, further probing questions put to the nominee covered wide ranging issues relating to her track records in public service and other pertinent work situations, declared assets, tax obligations and vision for a rationally productive tenure.
Madam Josephine Fatima Kamara is an award winning journalist and a veteran media communications specialist for over two decades in broadcast journalism with keen interest in social and behavioural change, international development and strategic communications. According to the report, she is a stanch gender activist with multilingual and events coverage knowledge exhibited at home and abroad. The nominee started her career rookie reporter in her native Sierra Leone after graduation in 1993 from the Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone and was among the new crop of reporters in the then revived Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS) television. The report added that, her work at SLBS/TV exposed her to growth opportunities in Journalism from a specialized media training centre to providing television production assistance to visiting international media crews, such as BBC panama team that covered the 11 years civil war in Sierra Leone.
Hon. Daniel Koroma, in the debate for the approval of the proposed DG said, the service of Madam Josephine Fatima Kamara both national and international media world is a plus to the country as a Sierra Leonean serving in those capacities. He added that, she served the Voice of Africa (VOA) and various international media organizations and did very during her time. “She is more than what you see now,” he said. He urged the members of parliament to speedily approve Madam Josephine Fatima Kamara as the Director General of SLBC.
According to Hon. Tamba Jonny, he said, His Excellency the President Julius Maada Bio made no mistake in appointing Madam Josephine Fatima Kamara as the Director General of SLBC. He stated that, the nominee character’s is a vintage beyond description, beyond forgery, and beyond limitation. He assured members that, the Director General has performed extremely well in all her assignments but he also reminds the DG that she is coming to a very difficult place that is different from where she has served.
In the report read by the chairman of the committee on appointment and public service on parliament vetting of the presidential nominations, Madam Josephine Fatima Kamara said, “I started as a rookie reporter at SLBC then SLBS and later rose through the ranks to become an international reporter for CNN, VOA and several international organizations. With that background I know the nuances associated with broadcasting. If approved by this Honourable House, I will build on existing structures left by my predecessors, and create in fresh ideas gained from past experiences to make the national broadcaster live to expectations.”
