Parliamentary approval to enhance war on Ebola
The presidential nomination of two medical professionals as Minister and Deputy Minister of Health, respectively, has been widely acclaimed by Members of Parliament as a harbinger of good things for scaling up the fight against the Ebola Virus Disease. Parliament on Thursday approved ten presidential nominees for various positions in four sectors of the public service. They include the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, which now has a new Minister and Deputy Minister; Chair and Members of Council, Statistics Sierra Leone; Commissioners of the new Right to Access Information Commission and a Board Member of the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank. The House, which is in recess, was recalled to respond to the exigencies of sate governance amidst a state of public emergency necessitated by the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). (Photo: House Leader, Hon Ibrahim Bundu)
Presenting the Seventeenth Report of the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service on parliamentary vetting of presidential nominations, the Leader of the House and Chair of the Committee, Hon. Ibrahim Rassin Bundu, told Parliament that the Committee considered all ten nominees suitably qualified for their proposed appointments. He therefore moved a motion for their approval.
The debate, starting with the Chief Whip, saw overwhelming concurrence with the Report and its recommendations, especially pertaining to expectations from the new political leadership in the Ministry of Health and Sanitation.
Dr. Fofanah & Deputy (Centre)
The listed presidential nominees were:
- Dr. Abu Bakarr Fofanah, Minister of Health & Sanitation
- Ms. Madina S. Rahman, Deputy Minister of Health & Sanitation
- Dr. Sullay Sisco Kamara, Chairman, Statistics S/L Council
- Mr. Daniel Joseph L. Hadj, Member (South) Statistics S/L Council
- Dr. Emmanuel Conteh, Member (West) Statistics S/L Council
- Mohammed Alimamy Fofana, Member (East) Statistics S/L Council
- Margaret Vandi, Commissioner (East),Right to Access Information Commission
- Kasho Sam Woode, Commissioner (West), Right to Access Information Commission
- Daniel B. Kanu, Commissioner (North), Right to Access Information Commission
- Julian Cole, Board Member, S/L Commercial Bank
The motion, seconded by Chief Whip Claude Kamanda, was unanimously ratified. Engaged in the debate were the following Honourable Members: Ibrahim Pateh Bah, Isata Kabia, Eric Koedoyoma, and Veronica K. Sesay.
Dr. Bernadette Lahai
A passionate speech by the Minority Leader, Dr. Bernadette Lahai on the state of public emergency amidst the Ebola onslaught and the sometimes negative media coverage of parliamentarians, preceded the final submission of the Chair and Leader of the House, Hon. Bundu.
During the sitting, the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. S.B.B.Dumbuya cautioned the media against premature publication of decisions of parliamentary committees, i.e. before they are reported to the plenary (ref. Standing Order 75).
On behalf of the entire Parliament, the Speaker congratulated the approved persons, whom he described as veritable professionals, expressing the hope that Sierra Leone will soon be saying goodbye to Ebola.
PR DEPARTMENT, SIERRA LEONE PARLIAMENT Freetown, 13th September, 2014Stay with Sierra Express Media, for your trusted place in news!
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