New presidential appointees enter jobs with a lot of goodwill and high expectations from the public

There has been a lot of euphoria, excitement and animation from members of the Sierra Leone public at home and abroad during the past week since the confirmation hearings started in Parliament for the newly-appointed ministers, ambassadors and public officers. Why not ? The political landscape in our motherland has changed dramatically and now everybody is involved in the socio-political renaissance of the country , unlike the past when most people were disinterested and stoic towards the politics of their country.

It is therefore not surprising that nationals of the country at home and in the diaspora have been much involved in all the excitement, delirium and speculation that marked the start of the confirmation hearings, eventual vetting and swearing into office of the first and second sets of new ministers, ambassadors and public officials.

The jubilating throngs of supporters that accompanied appointees to Parliament, the general excitement and in some cases, the protest led by Mr. Mohamed Kamarainba around the precints of parliament , the bitter arguments in the newspapers, radio and social media about the suitability or non-suitability of appointees all pointed to the total involvement of the Sierra Leonean people and their new attitudes and commitments towards political developments in their country. This should be a clear message to the new appointees that they will be providing service to a nation that is no longer politically asleep and dormant , but one that is very much involved and expects the best from them.

Following their swearing-in by President Ernest Bai Koroma at State House yesterday, the new appointees must have noticed that they will be entering their new jobs with a lot of goodwill from the Sierra Leonean people , never mind the complaints in some circles that certain appointees should not have been approved. The people of Sierra Leone have high hopes and expectations in their new ministers , ambassadors and public officers.

Above all the din of opposition discontent with some of the appointees, obviously for partisan political reasons in most cases, the general consensus among Sierra Leoneans is that President Ernest Koroma did a MAGNIFICENT job . His appointment of many women and youths in the new government has breathed a new life in the governance machinery and has infused a lot of added dynamism, impetus and direction to the government.

Many of the appointees , notably Social Welfare , Gender and Children’s Affairs minister Dr. Sylvia Blyden, Messrs Bai Mahmood, the Minister of Youth, Hon. Alimamy P. Koroma-Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China, Ms. Nanette Thomas, Minister of Political and Public Affairs; Mr. Ahmed Khanou-Minister of Sports ; Mr. Sidi Yahya Tunis-Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs ; Mr. Ady Macauley (Anti-Corruption Commission ) , Paolo Conteh ( Internal Affairs Ministry ) , Mr. Mohamed Bangura and Cornelius Deveneaux (Information ) etc. etc. etc. are expected to make a tremendous impact in their positions. Regardless of what their detractors said about them in the social media, these individuals and many others not named are believed to be very determined to prove their worth. They believe that the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

While we at COCORIOKO congratulate them once again, we also call on all of them to hit the ground running and give off their best. We hope they will eschew all infightings in their posts and place duty to the nation above every manifestation of the pyramid of the Self–I, Me, Myself. There is a lot more to be accomplished.

The public will be looking up to them to deliver the deliverables and help to make Sierra Leone a strong and better nation. Time is not on their side. This Government has only two years left to its mandate. Though Ebola chipped away the best of two years that more could have been achieved, yet the scorecard of the Government is still impressive . The new appointees will be expected to maintain the momentum of the socio-political and economic developments set adrift by this Government. The Agenda For Prosperity must continue its forward march.

May God bless our nation and save our state from the schemes of unpatriotic elements

By KABS KANU, Cocorioko

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