New Appointments by President Koroma

By PV Staff.

President Ernest Bai Koroma has started shaking up his administration as expected by many Sierra Leoneans. Some of the appointments are surprising, others not surprising.

Looking at the new appointments, the President seems to be taking a softer approach, mostly moving people from one position to another, with some promotions. Now let’s do a quick analysis of some of the personalities involved:

Ambassador Andrew Bangali, who was based in Ethiopia as Ambassador Plenipotentiary, covering a lot of countries in that region, is the new Director-General and Ambassador-AT-Large at the Foreign Ministry. This is a prestigious position, a promotion, because he will be dealing with all the country’s missions abroad and diplomats. Bangali is a very hard-working man who has stamped his authority and will leave a formidable legacy at the mission in Addis-Ababa.

Ambassador Osman Keh Kamara (photo) is now Ambassador to Ethiopia, replacing Andrew Bangali. He will be one of our youngest Ambassadors. He was Deputy Ambassador at our mission in New York. A lawyer by profession, he is full of energy and common sense, a good fit for the Addis station. Very friendly and approachable, Keh will be missed by many Sierra Leoneans in New York and other parts of the United States.

Ambassador Rasie Timbo takes over from veteran protocol guru Soulay Daramy as State Chief of Protocol. Rasie, a seasoned civil servant and diplomat who has served at our missions in the Gambia and Washington in addition to years at the Foreign Ministry, is expected to perform well at her new job which involves travelling everywhere with the President and planning protocol procedures. She will be the first female in the position just as she was the first female Director-General at the Foreign Ministry.

The man Rasie Timbo is replacing, Ambassador Soulay Daramy, is a respected protocol man and veteran civil servant that has served the former SLPP administration and current one as the number one protocol man, a remarkable achievement. He is going to the Gambia as our High Commissioner, to replace veteran APC activist Alhaji Kemoh Fadika.

Little is known about Alhaji Mohamed Sillah Kargbo, the new Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He replaces Ambassador Wusu Munu who has raised the profile of our country in that part of the world to a remarkable degree.

The appointment of former Inspector-General Brima Acha Kamara as Ambassador to Liberia is a surprise, but one that most Sierra Leoneans will not have a problem with. Acha is a gentleman and well-trained professional, one of the first university graduates to enter the Sierra Leone police force. He is very polite and cautious, good qualities for the diplomatic field.

Now here comes the biggest shocker: The appointment of former RUF spokesman Omrie Golley as Ambassador to South Korea, a new posting or mission. Omrie is well-educated, a lawyer and businessman, but his former association with the RUF is going to prove problematic. He will get a severe beating from the opposition and its media outlets.

Parliament will give him a hard time too when he appears before the appointments committee but the ruling APC being in the majority, he definitely will sail through but government needs to be prepared to explain the rationale for this appointment when the media bullets start flying. A likely reason for Golley’s appointment is that the President wants to promote national reconciliation. In 2007 Golley was arrested and detained by the former SLPP government on alleged treason charges that were never proven. He was eventually released after local and international pressure.

A political analyst who wants to remain anonymous has this to say about Golley:

’If Julius Maada Bio, who once headed a brutal military junta that killed and maimed our people, the National Provisional Ruling Council, could be made presidential candidate for the oldest party in the country, the SLPP, I see no reason why Golley should not be made Ambassador.’

The appointment of journalist Ismael Koroma, former SLAJ Secretary-General is a good gesture to the youths in the country. As SLAJ Secretary-General, he had a very serious disagreement with the former controversial SLAJ President Umaru Fofanah and resigned. Ismael, who has university training in Mass Communication will help Ambassador Keh Kamara to promote Sierra Leone in Ethiopia and the AU.

Other appointments, which we view as quite normal are:

Major-General (Rtd) Alfred Claude Nelson-Williams-Deputy High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Mr. Y.T. Sesay-Chairman, Board of Directors, Road Maintenance Fund Administration.

Mr. Arthus S. Harvey-Chairman, Board, Board of Directors, Sierra Leone Roads Authority.

Mr. Winstanley Bankole-Johnson-Chairman, Board of Directors, Sierra Leone Commercial Bank.

Mr. Sulaiman Kabba Koroma-Chairman, Board of Directors, National Revenue Authority.

Dr. Michael Kargbo-National Commission for Privatisation.

Dr. Tom Obaleh Kargbo-Chairman, National Telecommunications Commission.

Other changes will be announced shortly.