By: Thaimu Bai Sesay
The Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone has on Thursday 16th November 2023 unanimously approved Dr. Ibrahim Lahai Stevens as Governor Bank of Sierra Leone, Alhaji Mustapha Turay as Chairman, NMA Board of Director, Engineer Alfred Jalil Momodu as Director General SLRA, Augustine Tommy as Deputy Chief Executive Officer NPAA, Abu Bakarr Carew as Commissioner of Local Government Services Commission Western Region and Sheik Momodu Foday Sesay as Board Member SLPA.
Commending the appointees after their approval, the Speaker of the Parliament Hon. Dr. Abass Bundu assured that the appointees were going into their designated offices in full knowledge. “The confidence reposts in them by His Excellency the President has been replicated by the entire House. It is now their duty to go and improve their methods and indeed demonstrative that the complement we all have reposed on them would not be misplaced”, he said, “I have the confidence that the appointees would definitely live up to our expectations. On behalf of the House I congratulate you and wish you success.”
Prior to the approval of the nominees, Hon. Bashiru Silikie, Acting Leader of Government Business in the Well of Parliament during the approval strongly urged the new Bank Governor to do something different, as he was a Deputy Governor at the Bank whom he expected to have understood the mistakes and the success that had occurred in the foregone years. Hon Bashiru reminded the Bank Governor that he would be the worst if he does not succeed as he had a first-hand experience at Bank, having worked for couple of years.
Hon. Abdul Kargbo, Leader of Opposition Members in the Sixth Parliament strongly urged all the appointees in the well to go and influence changes in their institutions and communities, adding that it would be disgraceful for one to be appointed in a position of trust and leave that office without making any change. Hon. Kargbo highlighted the challenges in the country’s economy and the fall in the exchange rate of the Leone’s currency to that of Guinea Franc and informed the new Bank Governor and the Minister of Finance that they had a critical role to play, change the economy of the country.
“Remember the economy does not affect one person or members of one political party, but affects Sierra Leoneans regardless of region or party. That is why it should not be politicized and we should always seek to promote the interest of every Sierra Leonean. However, it is my prayer that the Bank Governor and all other appointees succeed. If they succeed it is for the betterment of Sierra Leone,” Hon Abdul Kargbo emphasized.
Addressing the New Bank Governor, the Hon. From Bo District Moriba Amie Nyava explained the challenges the country is facing due to the excessive and inappropriate use of the U.S Doller in the country, expressing the she wished to wake up one-day hearing Sierra Leoneans rejecting the U.S Doller in national transactions just as in Rwanda. She condemned the form of renting houses in the dollar currency and appealed to the Bank Governor to swiftly work on that once approved. Hon. Amie made positive comments of hope to the other appointees and wished them success in their approval and in their offices.
The Hon. from Kambia Abdul Karim Kargbo (AKK) addressing the new SLRA Director General, he informed him that roads are connected to health and agriculture and reminded him of the President’s agenda of improving the country’s agricultural sector. He made mentioned of several critical roads where big politicians including the speaker and the Vice President resided which he said were all bad roads. As he said not even one kilometer road was paved in the North during the last five years he emphasized on national resources to be equally distributed.