Addressing 13 new Ministers who took the oath of Office before him at State House yesterday the President Ernest Bai Koroma strongly cautioned them that if any of them did not meet his expectations after three months he or she will be sacked.
Congratulating and admonishing the 13 ministers, President Ernest Koroma said “I have appointed you to join me in leading Sierra Leone in a new direction”
A direction he said “in which you will be required not to lord over people but to serve the people of this great nation.”
In this new direction he disclosed, “my tenets are accountability and transparency” adding “I expect ministers of government to show high a level of transparency and accountability,” whilst also urging them “to live by example.”
“We all know that the situation is so desperate our social indicators are not good the economic performance is nothing to write home about” he said, but “these are the challenges and the people out there are expecting miracles to happen”.
Therefore he said “I expect all of you to be results oriented. I have promised the nation that I will run the government like a business concern and results should be our focus.”
In his appreciation on behalf of the appointed Ministers, Dauda Kamara Minister of local government and community development assured the President that they will fulfill their work.
He promised that they will not disappoint the President and the people as they are ready and willing to work for the country.
The local government minister stressed that they will be accountable and transparent in their work for the betterment of this country.
The 13 Ministers who took the oath of Office before the President and his Vice, include, Minkailu Mansaray-Employment & Social Security, John Nicol Saad-Works Housing and Infrastructure, Benjamin O Davies-Lands Country Planning and the Environment, Ibrahim Kemoh Sesay- Transport and Aviation, Alimamy P Koroma, Trade and Industry Haja Afsatu Kabbah, Energy and Power, Alpha Kanu-Presidential Affairs Minister, Alhaji Abu Bakarr Jalloh, Mineral Resources, Dr Joseph Sam Sesay – Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Food Security, Dr Soccoh Kabia – Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Mr Dauda Kamara, Local Government and Community Development Minister, Dr Minkailu Bah Minister of Education Youths and Sport and Minister of Justice and Attorney General Abdul Serry Kamal. Also present at the ceremony were several outgoing Ministers of the former ruling Sierra Leone Peoples Party