By Saio Marrah
Dr. Kandeh Kolleh Yumkella, leader of the opposition National Grand Coalition party has said that this country has four “Super Corrupt Ministries.” Dr. Yumkella made this statement in parliament on Tuesday the 9th February, 2021 while addressing the confirmation hearing for Dr. Austin Demby.
Without specifically naming the ministries, Dr. Yumkella said: “These four ministries in are difficult to manage. In those days under the structural adjustment credit I had a privilege then to be a minister at that time and we were going through ministry to ministry, ghost workers…people burning down medical stores to cover up what happens to drugs, my brother you have a big job.”
Dr. Kandeh Yumkella highlighted the performances of Dr. Demby at Centre of Disease Control (CDC) in the United States, when he was sent to Malawi and due to his performance there, he was promoted to the position of Director General of the CDC back in the Washington.
He said Dr. Demby made a huge sacrifice to come back to Sierra Leone and serve and described him as a good choice for the ministry but warned him not to compromise professionalism. “This is a good choice at a time when the world faces a huge pandemic. It is time for him to give back to this country. We pray that the system does not ruin you. The bureaucracy, the culture, the vulture of corruption,” he said.
The Speaker of parliament Dr. Abass Bundu called on Dr. Demby to fight back against corruption and demonstrate that he was a true professional.
Deputy Leader of the main opposition All People’s Congress (APC), Ibrahim Ben Kargbo, said the opposition will always support the government towards the development of Sierra Leone and acknowledged that Dr. Demby’s appointment by the president is “a sound decision” that will change the narrative of the health ministry.
APC parliamentary leader Chernor Maju Bah while acknowledging the academic and professional calibre of Dr. Austin Demby asked the government to encourage other professionals in the Diaspora to come home and serve regardless of the salary and condition of service.
Later at his swearing in ceremony on the same Tuesday at state house, President Julius Maada Bio wished him well, adding that his job was a daunting task but with which he was remarkably familiar after helping the country during the Ebola outbreak in 2014/15 and now with the COVID-19 pandemic.
He reminded the new minister that the country was battling with the COVID-19 and that he was taking up a ministry with challenges which he must surmount to ensure that the government realised a major pillar of its human capital development.
In his response, Dr. Demby said that with his wealth of experience having served in various parts of the world, he was confident and determined to deliver. He thanked the President for the opportunity to help him transform the health sector of the small West African nation.
“Mr. President let me assure you that I am ready for the job and I am willing to give my best. If someone is ready 100%, I am ready 200%. Sierra Leoneans are resilient people and they have demonstrated that during various challenging times such as Ebola and now COVID-19,” he said.
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