By Alfred Koroma
President Bio has appointed his full cabinet list with youth controlling strategic ministries including the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Corporation, Chief Minister in the Office of the President and the Ministry of Information and Communications.
Leading youth advocate, Chernor Cee Bah has been appointed as the Minister of Information, replacing Mohamed Rahman Swaray, who has been sent to the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
A very youthful Timothy Kabbah has been appointed as the new Foreign Affairs Minister, replacing octogenarian David Francis.
As per alliance agreement, Leader and founder of the National Grand Coalition, Hon. Kandeh Yumkella in a second cabinet list published during the weekend, ending weeks of speculations about the fate of the top profile politician in the current SLPP-administration.
The former UNIDO Diplomat has been appointed to serve as Chairman, Presidential Initiative for Climate Change, Renewable and Food Security. His appointment is a fulfilment of an agreement between the two parties to work as an alliance and have Bio as presidential candidate for both SLPP and NGC in the just concluded June 24 elections. The deal was when Bio wins; he forms an inclusive government wherein the NGC party is allocated a number of positions in various categories of appointments.
There is significant shift in the Information Ministry which saw, gender activist, Chernor Bar as its new Minister, together with the Press Secretary, Yusuf Keketoma Sandi who will now move in as Deputy. Mohamed Rhaman Swaray with his deputy have been separately moved out of the Ministry for the first time since President Bio took office in 2018.
Swaray has been appointed to head the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security while his deputy, Solomon Jamiru joins the President at State House as Press Secretary, also replacing Yusuf Keketoma Sandi for the first time.
Hon. Alhaji Alpha Khan, former cabinet Minister under the main opposition All Peoples Congress remains the Presidential Spokesman. And some ministers, including the Minister of Health, Dr Austin Demby; the Minister of Lands, Dr Turad Senesie; Energy Minister, Kanja Sesay and Mohamed Orman Bangura, Minister of Youth have been retained in their positions.
