CABINET RESHUFFLE: PRESIDENT KOROMA RESHAPE GOVERNMENT!!

Following the uneasy storm in the past few weeks at Ministerial level, the President Dr. Earnest Bai Koroma  has deemed it fit to RESHUFFLE HIS TEAM OF CABINET MINISTERS, (and some Deputies and Ambassadors).

See Press Release below:

PRESS RELEASE

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORMED THAT IN REVIEWING THE OVERALL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE, IT HAS PLEASED HIS EXCELLENCY THE PRESIDENT DR. ERNEST BAI KOROMA TO ANNOUNCE THE FOLLOWING MINISTERIAL, AMBASSADORIAL, STATUTORY AND OTHER APPOINTMENTS SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF PARLIAMENT WHERE NECESSARY:

MINISTERS

1. MR. MOMODU L. KARGBO – MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2. MR. MAYA KAIKAI – MINISTER OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

3. MAJOR (RTD) ALFRED PALO CONTEH – MINISTER OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS

4. MR. MOHAMED BANGURA – MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

5. CAPT. MOMODU ALLIEU PAT-SOWE – MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

6. ALHAJI IBRAHIM KEMOH SESAY – MINISTER OF WORKS, HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

7. MS. DIANA KONOMANYI – MINISTER OF LANDS, COUNTRY PLANNING AND THE ENVIRONMENT

8. DR. SYLVIA BLYDEN – MINISTER OF SOCIAL WELFARE, GENDER AND CHILDREN’S AFFAIRS

9. MS. ELIZABETH MANS – MINISTER OF FISHERIES AND MARINE RESOURCES

10. MR. BAI MAMOUD BANGURA – MINISTER OF YOUTH AFFAIRS

11. MR. SIDI YAHYA TUNIS – MINISTER OF TOURISM

12. MR. AHMED KHANOU – MINISTER OF SPORTS

13. MS. NANETTE THOMAS – MINISTER OF POLITICAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

DEPUTY MINISTERS

1. MR. MOMOH VANDI – DEPUTY MINISTER OF FINANCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

2. MAJOR (RTD) ISHMAEL SENGU KOROMA – DEPUTY MINISTER OF INTERNAL
AFFAIRS

3. MR.CORNELIUS DEVEAUX – DEPUTY MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

4. MR.IBRAHIM MANSARAY – DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRADE AND INDUSTRY

5. MS. CHRISTIANA THORPE – DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 1

6. MR.JAMES MORLAI KAMARA – DEPUTY MINISTER OF EDUCATION
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 11

7. MRS. ZULAINATU COOPER – DEPUTY MINISTER OF HEALTH AND
SANITATION 11

8. CAPT (RTD) ABDUL RAHMAN KAMARA – DEPUTY MINISTER OF DEFENCE

9. MR. OSMOND HANCILES – DEPUTY MINISTER OF ENERGY 11

10. MR. M.A.JALLOH – DEPUTY MINISTER OF TRANSPORT AND AVIATION

11. MR. BELLA FORNAH – DEPUTY MINISTER OF TOURISM

12. MR. MAMOUD TARAWALI – DEPUTY MINISTER OF LANDS, HOUSING AND THE ENVIRONMENT

13. MS. KADIJA O. SESAY – DEPUTY MINISTER OF WORKS, HOUSING AND INFRASTRUCTURE

14. MS.RUGIATU NENEH TURAY – DEPUTY MINISTER OF SOCIAL WELFARE, GENDER AND CHILDREN’S AFFAIRS

15. MR AKHMED FEMI MANSARAY – DEPUTY MINISTER OF POLITICAL AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS

16. RESIDENT MINISTER MR. KARAMOH KABBA – RESIDENT MINISTER, EAST

AMBASSADORIAL APPOINTMENTS

1. MR. ALIMAMY P. KOROMA – AMBASSADOR TO THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF CHINA

2. AMB.ADIKALIE FODAY SUMA – AMBASSADOR/PERMANENTREPRESENTATIVE TO THE UNITED NATIONS

3. MS. MABINTY DARAMY – AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA

4. MR. ALIMAMY KAMARA – AMBASSADOR TO THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN

5. MR. FELIX KOROMA – DEPUTY AMBASSADOR/ DEPUTY PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVE 11 TO THE UNITED NATIONS

6. HON. ALIMAMY COULSON TURAY – DEPUTY AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

7. MS. FEREMUSU KONTE – DEPUTY AMBASSADOR TO THE REPUBLIC OF GUINEA

8. MS. ROSALINE OYA SANKOH – DEPUTY AMBASSADOR TO THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF THE GAMBIA

OTHER STATUTORY APPOINTMENTS

1. DR. KAIFALA MARAH – GOVERNOR, BANK OF SIERRA LEONE

2. MR. ADI MACAULEY – COMMISSIONER, ANTI- CORRUPTION COMMISSION

3. BRIGADIER-GENERAL – CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF, JOHN MILTON REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE ARMED FORCES
MINISTRY OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS

1. MR. AGIBU TEJAN-JALLOH – NATIONAL PUBLICITY AND OUTREACH COORDINATOR

OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT

1. ALHAJI DR.ALPHA KANU – SPECIAL ADVISER TO THE PRESIDENT

2. MR. ABDULAI BAYRAYTAY – PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN

END

STATE HOUSE
FREETOWN 13TH MARCH, 2016

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A CRITCAL COMMENTRY ON THE RE-SHUFFEL: {Courtesey: Andrew Keili- Facebook Post}

PONDER MY THOUGHTS

By Andrew Keili - (SLPP 2018 Presidential aspirant).

CABINET RESHUFFLE OF KERFUFFLE?

The long awaited Cabinet reshuffle has at last been realised but what does it portend for Sierra Leone? Many people lamented the fact that various Ministries had remained unfilled for a long time with many Deputies and others thrust in an Acting capacity, in most cases being forced to defer to the President on many issues. 

If one were to ask what national malaise the changes should have ideally addressed, a few things would jump to mind. The economy has certainly not been doing well with dwindling exports due mainly to the poor state of the mining sector and the extreme devaluation of the Leone with concomitant increase in prices. Poverty is rife and the failings in our educational and health systems are all too apparent. Then there are the normal inefficiencies in various Ministries, Departments and Agencies that have now become legion. 

Meanwhile the rumour mill was in overdrive with assertions that certain people were going to get positions. Who had not heard of Sylvia Blyden, Mohamed Bangura, Osman Yansanneh as possible Ministers? The President waited a pretty long time and when the bombshell came-or was really a bombshell?

I would like to hazard a guess as to what a President could consider in these appointments in the ideal case that political considerations did not come to the fore. Efficiency would obviously be  key. It is certainly not so in this case as the changes involve recycling of some poor performers and the inclusion of some who have not been tried and tested.

It is therefore obvious that political considerations did play a large part in the Cabinet and other changes.

Here are a few pointers on what could probably have motivated the President in making the changes.

1. Loyalty to the President and his cause

One thing is for certain. Many of the new players have proved their loyalty to the President and could savage detractors at the slightest hint of criticism of his government. Some have also been known to be the main purveyors of the idea that the President may be irreplaceable and have sown seeds of more time, third term etc.

An analysis of  a few of these players makes this all too obvious.

To someone like Maya Kaikai the President is the best thing since sliced bread. He has taken his message to Kailahun and the entire East and attempted to stifle dissent in "innovative" ways. Both Mohamed Bangura and Sylvia Blyden are loyalists to the core with the former having served in a fifth columnist role during his period of heading the UDM. They both bulldoze anybody that stands in the President's way-even members of his own party and owe their loyalty primarily to him. Elizabeth Mans at Fisheries is a family friend of long standing. Mustapha Bai Mamoud the new Youth Minister is one of the main proponents of the more time agenda and unashamedly makes all kinds of spurious statements bordering on blind hero worship all over the media. Nanette Thomas at Political Affairs has always been an APC loyalist to the core and is also known to be very loyal to the President. Cornelius Deveaux gives blind loyalty is bad name. He is known for his convoluted defense of the indefensible when he comes to Ernest Koroma and is a major proponent of the "more time " agenda. 

ADI Macauley at Anti corruption may have earned his stripes in some way by his brilliance and brief stint as prosecutor at ACC. It does help however that his mother is a senior foreign Affairs personnel who has been an Ambassador at the behest of Ernest Koroma and that he is also a protege of Joseph Kamara, the new AG who is a Koroma loyalist.

2. Satisfying certain constituencies

The main constituencies in this case are women, youths and demographic considerations.  Civil society and women's groups who have been calling for greater participation of women in governance may be buoyed by the inclusion of so many women as Ministers and Deputy Ministers -big improvement on what hitherto obtained.

Diana Konomanyi has now been joined by Dr Sylvia Blyden and Elizabeth Mans as full Ministers and there are a couple more women as Deputy Ministers and Ambassadors. Overall a considerable number of young people have ascended to Ministerial and other top positions.

Demographic considerations may also have played a part in some appointments. The questions may be asked: Is the appointment of Sidi Tunis at Tourism to compensate for Moijueh Kaikai's ouster-Pujehun for Pujehun? Is M.A. Jalloh's appointment as Deputy Works Minister to appease Koinadugu for the removal of the erstwhile Deputy Abdul Barrie or is it purely to compensate Jalloh for long years in the wilderness after leaving SLPP? Christiana Thorpe and Nanette Thomas will certainly bolster the Government's Western Area credentials.

3. Cohesiveness of team

The perennial infighting between Ministers and Deputy Ministers does not seem to have been lost on President Koroma. After the sacking of Moijueh and Atilla, Paul Kamara, Alimamy Kamara who notoriously did not get along with their Deputies have been let go. In the case of Alimamy Kamara he has not been allowed to realize his dreams of revamping the status of youths and he has been sent to far flung out Iran as Ambassador.

4. Other factors

Other factors must have certainly played their part in the changes. Consider the following:

a)  The replacement of Major General S. O Williams with Brigadier John Milton as head of the RSLAF came as a bit of a surprise. There was no love lost between S.O Williams and Paolo Conteh and for a while it looked that Williams had come on top and Paolo was out in the cold. Paolo is now back in the Cabinet at Internal Affairs and Williams is out in the cold. Milton, a fierce loyalist  who had served as AFRC spokesman is now at the helm. Many say he is a fine professional but is more political than S.O. Williams who talked plenty about depoliticising the army. Paolo has been replaced at Defence by Rtd. Captain Abdul Rahman Kamara who has a good relationship with the President.

b) Maya Kaikai's appointment was no big surprise. He will help keep a tight rein on local  governance issues especially in the "rebellious East" where he wields considerable influence. He will be helped in the enforcement by the combative Major Sengu Koroma. Karamokoh Kabbah as Resident Minister, East will help keep the lid on Kono and any Sam Sumana dissenters and also attempt to exert control over Kailahun and Kenema. These appointments point to preparations for electioneering-plain and simple. With Paolo Conteh at Internal Affairs and John Milton as head of RSLAF and Munu as head of Police, the security apparatus could not be more loyal.

c) Christiana Thorpe's appointment as Deputy at Education came a bit as a surprise as she has held the Education Ministry before. This in essence is a demotion. She could however make a considerable difference to that Ministry if given the chance. 

d) Both Alimamy Koroma and Alimamy Kamara have been sent to China and Iran respectively. They would be expected to play little part in any succession battle.

e)  The ex SLPP people have not fared well. Usman Boie Kamara and J.B. Dauda have been shown the door to add to Musa Tarawalli and Moijueh Kaikai. It would seem there is little room for cross carpeters. Ex PMDC people have however fared better. Osmond Hanciles now Deputy at transport has been let out of the "Education prison" and will continue flying the Bonthe flag. Momoh Vandy is Deputy at Finance and Mohamed Bangura is at Information. Add Arrow Bockarie to this brew and voila! Charles Margai  really did breed betrayers! He must be fuming. He will curse the day the Alliance with APC was born!

f) By swopping the head of the government's fiscal management team and the monetary team, the Finance Minister is now the Bank Governor and the Bank Governor our Finance Minister. What this will do for our economy is anyone's guess. It does not however bode well for Keifala Marrah's political future and certainly any leadership aspirations he may have.

In any case the new appointees will go through Parliament and as some detractor has said "the rubber stamp will be stationed at the entrance door". The future will tell how this bodes for our country. One thing is for certain. The appointments were not about efficiency. They were about loyalty primarily with an eye to the forthcoming elections or whatever political machination that may be on the way.

The long awaited reshuffle may indeed be a kerfuffle.

Ponder my thoughts