Abdul Rashid Thomas
Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. President Bio yesterday announced what has been described by many as “his reckless – money no object, budget bursting ministerial line up” for his final term of office, despite calls for his government to reduce public spending and cut waste in line with the tight fiscal policy measures recently recommended by the IMF.
This brings the total number of ministers and other appointees announced in the last few days by President Bio to over 80, compared with his relatively smaller cabinet appointed in 2018.
Those re-appointed or appointed to the cabinet yesterday are:
DEPUTY MINISTERS
OTHER APPOINTMENTS
The first group of ministers named early this week are:
Other Appointments
President Julius Maada Bio’s announcement has been described as one of the youngest and most inclusive cabinets the country has seen.
Nine of the ministers appointed yesterday are under 40, and 33% of all appointees are women.
Writing on Twitter, President Bio said: “I welcome every appointee and urge them to see their appointments as a national call to service. The task ahead deserves every sense of duty and responsibility. With dedication and our collective efforts, my new Administration will strive to build a safe, secure and prosperous future for Sierra Leone.”
What is of note however, is that many of his long-trusted ministers have been sacked, including former foreign minister – Professor David Francis; former deputy internal affairs minister – Lahai Lawrence Leema who many have accused of killing several opposition protesters; and former Chief Minister – JJ Saffa.
Dr Kandeh Yumkella (Photo above with president Bio) – who many expected to play a key role in the new Bio-led government has been rewarded for his loyalty to president Bio, with the position of chairman of a new committee set up by the President to look at food security, energy and climate change issues.
But some of Bio’s old guards have retained their ministerial portfolio, including Dr Austin Dembi who stays at Ministry of Health, with responsibility for sanitation removed from his portfolio.
Kanja Sesay stays on as Minister of Energy. Dr Turad Senesie continues as Minister of Lands and Country Planning.
Tamba Lamina stays on at the Ministry of Local Government and Community Affairs, while Mohamed Orman Bangura remains at the Ministry of Youths.
Former Minister of Information and Communication, Mohamed Rahman Swaray has been sent to head the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security, replacing Alpha Timbo, who has been sacked from the government.
What comes as a surprise though, is the creation of two new ministries: Information and Civic Education Ministry; and the Ministry for Communication, Technology and Innovation.
Former Press Secretary at the Office of the President – Yusuf Keketoma Sandi is now Deputy Minister of Information and Civic Education.
Dr Memuna Pratt has been sacked as Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs after failing to improve the country’s tourism industry. She has been replaced by Nabeela F. Tunis.
Adekunle King, a former Labour Minister has replaced Nabeela Tunis as Minister of Western Area with strategic responsibility for the development of Freetown.
The controversial former Minister of Lands – Dr Denis Sandy who was sacked by President Bio two years ago, has made a comeback to the government lineup. He is now the new Minister of Works and Public Assets.
With Sierra Leone’s economy teetering on the edge of bankruptcy, and the IMF and World Bank holding back their financial support after the country’s main opposition APC party declared it will not work with the Bio-led SLPP government until all polling station results of presidential and general elections held last month have been published, and the current political crisis resolved, serious concerns are being raised about the cost and affordability of President Bio’s over-bloated cabinet.
For More News And Analysis About Sierra-Leone Follow Africa-Press
