By Umaru Fofana
The man regarded as an outsider and one of the not-too-many technocrats in the current administration has been sacked. Energy and Water Resources Minister Professor Ogunlade Davidson was relieved of his duties yesterday by President Ernest Bai Koroma with Oluniyi Robbin-Coker announced as the minister-designate pending ratification by Parliament. No reasons were given in the press release from the ministry of information.
However a State House source told Politico that the president was displeased with his performance as minister. The source cited a streets lights project which he said had been delayed three times because of the “inert tendencies” of the professor.
In an exclusive interview with Politico Professor Davidson denied he was ever inert. “I gave my best shot to my job” he said. Sounding quite calm he said had already handed over his official vehicle and was preparing to hand over any other official items in his custody.
On whether his performance was ever assessed under the president's performance contract scheme, the sacked minister said he was never. On whether he felt hard-done-by, he said “no” adding it was the president's prerogative to appoint and dismiss ministers. He declined to comment on whether he was prepared to work in any other capacity as did Benjamin Davies who was sacked as Minister of Lands and recycled to head the Ports Authority where he has also been sacked.
When asked whether he was or is a member of the ruling APC party, Prof Davidson said “no”. He expressed doubt as to whether that could have triggered his sacking. He said a monthly amount of around Le 200,000 was slashed from his salary, from source. Asked whether he ever objected to that he said “no”.
Professor Ogunlade Davidson was appointed minister in April 2010. He had had a distinguished career as a scientist and is a joint winner of the Nobel Peace Prize after the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and former US Vice President Al Gore were announced joint winners in 2007. He was also dean of the post-graduate studies at Fourah bay College. Not much is know about the minister designate, Robbin-Coker.
