Twelve presidential nominees were yesterday interviewed by the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments and Public Service at Committee Room No1 parliament building.
There were 13 presidential nominees with all of the PMDC nominees. But one of their member was sent back to re-arrange his document.
First to be interviewed was the proposed Minister for Employment and Labour and a Member of Parliament, Minkailu Mansaray, who said with his insurance background he would ensure that NASSIT continued to grow as he said he was part of the technical committee when he was an M.P to set up that institution.
He said he would be in a better position to advice and direct in the running of the institution. He however said he would seek and provide job opportunity for the people of Sierra Leone.
Next to be interviewed was another Member of Parliament Kemoh Ibrahim Sesay, the proposed Minister for Transport and Aviation, who spoke about implementing and enforcing existing laws for his ministry to perform.
Hon Dr Brima Kamanda asked him how he intended working in clearing the poor record the country had in the aviation sector. Mr Kemoh Sesay answered that it was a deliberate act by President Koroma to appointment him as minister.
He said priority had been given for the safety of the people by adding aviation to the transport ministry which he said was a challenge for his ministry.
One nominee that was expected to have faced tough time or objection was the PMDC nominee for Works, Housing and Infrastructure, John Nicol Saad. Saad a trained architect has a Lebanese descent and was asked by Hon Emmanuel Tommy of the SLPP to clarify to the people about his colour. But the committee chairman Hon Edward Turay intervened and called the question unfair.
John Saad’s first assignment would be to have a full status report in his ministry, and in charge of infrastructure he is expected to revive the low cost housing project.
He made the point clearer that in re-designing the city, houses needed to be demolished. Another PMDC nominee, Benjamin O. Davies Minister of Lands, Country and the Environment said he would ensure a complete freedom for the allocation of all state lands. He said it was unlawful for a minister to demolish a property without a court order.
Alimamy P. Koroma, Minister for Trade and Industry said there should be a change of attitude and laws to end the competition of whole and retail sales.
The Minister for Energy and Power, Haja Afsatu Kabbah, said she was familiar with happenings of the ministry and would redouble her efforts to implement the emergency, short term and long term proposals for electricity.
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