By Kemo Cham
Minister of Labour Alpha Timbo and Deputy Minister of Education, Emilia Gogra have been sacked and subjected to investigation over their handling of a school feeding programme.
A statement from the presidency on Friday listed the duo alongside two other top officials in the Education Ministry - Charles Kamanda, Permanent Secretary and Mamusu Massaquoi, Director of Nutrition – who are being investigated for their role in how they handled a “huge” consignment of rice that was donated by the Chinese government.
The rice was to be used as part of the government’s school feeding programme. The school feeding programme in the Ministry of Education is a key aspect of the government’s flagship Free Quality Education programme.
Timbo was the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education from April to November 2018, when he was redeployed to the Labour Ministry.
The statement from State House said President Julius Maada Bio decided to relieve the four officials to facilitate ongoing investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission. It added that the outcome of the investigation will be communicated to the public.
The four sacked officials are expected to assist the anti-graft agency in their investigation.
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