Elkass Sannoh: Sierra Leone Telegraph: 14 March 2020:
President Julius Maada Bio of Sierra Leone, yesterday announced the appointment of a new Inspector General of Police, following the retirement of Inspector General Dr Richard Moigbe.
The newly appointed Inspector General of Sierra Leone Police, Ambrose M. Sovula, until his appointment yesterday, was the Assistant Inspector General of Police for Western Region (Regional Commander).
He was the Local Unit Commander (LUC) of the Adonkia Police Station, Goderich, West End of Freetown, with the rank of Superintendent.
Sovula is regarded by many as one of Sierra Leone’s award winning police officers, and a West Africa Road Safety Organisation member who has diligently served the Sierra Leone police for almost 40 years since 1980.
Born to the parents of peasant farmers – Mr. and Mrs. John Dauda Sovula in Bonghor Bumpeh Ngao Chiefdom, Bo District, Southern Sierra Leone, IG Sovula revealed that he got his first name after an Irish Catholic Brethren, who was attached to the Serabu hospital.
He said he grew up with his Aunty – Mamah Nancy Dabor whose husband was a Muslim Scholar, with whom he lived from age three to six, until his brother Michael asked his parents to call him (Sovula) to continue his primary education in Serabu Town.
He said he officially started his primary education at the age of six years and continued until he sat the Selective Entrance which promoted him to Secondary School where he took his Ordinary Level Examinations.
In his quest for greener pastures, he travelled to Freetown and was staying with friends when enrolment into the Sierra Leone Police force was advertised. In 1980 he was recruited into the force, which coincided with the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) conference hosted by Sierra Leone.
“We were charged with the responsibility to man the conduct of the conference and therefore we became popularly known as OAU Police,” he said.
He added that, “Having in mind that it is only education that will empower me to sail through the police ladder, I again attempted to write the West Africa Examination Council Examinations where I passed my subjects to gain admission at the Milton Margai College of Education and Technology (MMCET).”
At MMCET, he graduated with a Diploma in Peace and Conflict Studies but later proceeded to acquire a Degree in Economics and Development at the IAMTECH.
According to the newly appointed IG, the thirst for higher learning is insatiable and therefore he proceeded to acquire his Master in Peace and Development.
He informed that his academic achievements capacitated him to be able to fully administer and supervise the different positions he has served to date.
The new IG was transferred from the head of Traffic (National Traffic Coordinator) to the Local Unit Command at the Adonkia Police Station, where many people were boasting of enjoying peace, law and order.
He said, “I have diligently served with humility and I will continue to serve with honesty and sincerity to the expectations of the President and the general public.”
IG Sovula said he started his assignment at the Central Police Station as a “Statement Taker” previously known as an Investigator. He worked in the Registry Office at the Police Headquarters, Criminal Investigation Department, NCO in charge of Crime at the Waterloo Police Station, Crime Officer at the Lumley Police Station, Chief Trainer at the Police Training School and later elevated to become the Commandant.
He went further to state that he is one of the certified foundation members of the MIST – Major Incident Support Team.
As Commandant of the Police Training School, IG Sovula said he developed a lot of training strategies for young recruits.
“I developed a gender empowerment framework that will cater for young female graduates as new recruits,” adding that this idea was approved by the erstwhile Inspector General of Police – Briama Acha Kamara. Ten young female University graduates were recruited into the force that very year.
When asked to do a comparative analysis, he said a lot of reforms have taken place, noting that the relationship between the junior officers and senior police officers is close. He said new Departments/Units such as FSU, Interpol, TOCU and Gender/Human Rights Offices have been created.
He said what has not positively changed is the attitude of the people towards state institutions.
Good attitudinal behavior and civic responsibility are lacking, as people should not wait and see a police officer before obeying the law, he said.
He asserted that the behavioural pattern of every Sierra Leonean should be modified because attitude means everything.
He assured that his leadership will bring in new innovations – from a traditional policing to a community policing. He encouraged all Sierra Leoneans to respect the police and help in the development of the force.
He is a straight forward man with his dignity as IG for Sierra Leone Police Force. Sir. With all respect Sir I would like you and your Deputy to enforce law and order, fight corruption by taking money from the people turning wrong to right.
The new IG deserve this position.
I would like Kissy Police Station (mess mess CID) to be investigated. This has been going on since the past years.
Congratulations IG Sovula. Enjoy your new office and God bless.
Young4n, you nailed it. The politicization of all key institutions in our country is responsible for the lack of professionalism everywhere, tasks are subjectively executed, they have to favour the President. It all started with Siaka Stevens who had to ensure that everything was under his control in the name of self-preservation. Sometime in the 1970s Stevens made Joseph Momoh and Prince Katy-smith members of parliament as respective heads of the army and police forces. Thus their objectivity and professionalism were compromised.
Clearly the ghost of Stevens still haunts the corridors of power in our dear country. Until a future president sees need to restructure the army and police forces in such a way as to make them independent institutions, and all discipline and promotion are determined within them, we are going no where. I read of a case in another country where a commanding general dismissed an aspiring young officer from the army for displaying cowardice, and that was it, no political interference. Do you think anything like that would happen in present day Sierra Leone?
No wonder when the rebel war broke out we did not have an army but a bunch of sissies who had been recruited into the army purely on being connected to APC somehow.
So the Gestapos have chosen a new enforcer of their mindless,barbaric acts of wickedness, huh?(lol)Ambrose who?(lmao)Who knows,if Ambrose,will remain calm,and well composed against us,the fearless,unrelenting foes of the SLPP?When push comes to shove,and all hell breaks loose,a puppet on a string will have no other choice but to tow the line,and be able to appease the huge appetites for violence, of the puppet master in State House,pulling strings,angrily singing,and chanting,tribal war slogans of the SLPP,behind the scenes.(lol)
Well, Folks to be sincere, I have never come across,seen,or heard of a blood thirsty SLPP wolf,that played,frolicked, and cuddled with lambs,without tearing them to pieces in the end. Ambrose will be no different – that I can guarantee you….Rising Sun Will Rise Again.
If the retirement age is 60 (Dr Richard Moigbe turned 60 in March 2020) and Sovula has spent 40 years in the force, how old was he when he joined the force? The recruitment age in the SLP is 18. Assuming that he was 18 years when he joined the force; he is 58 years this year. Two years from now, (2022) he will be 60 and he would be expected to proceed on retirement. It means we would have a new IG to take us into elections in 2023 unless Sovula’s tenure is extended. I do not want to deny him his achievements but for prudency, HE should have appointed a much younger person now to take us through that turbulent period.
That said, what has become of FUK Daboh the deputy IGP who was born in 1964 making him 56 years? I heard that Mrs Betty Turay is the new Deputy IG. Has FUK Daboh been shown the door?
Straight talk Young4na. Institutions like our Police Force, face a dilemma because of the way it operates under our constitution. The executive branch always use the IG and our noble policemen as scapegoats to carry out their barbarity and tyranny on peaceful citizens. The situation is now worse under the Bio Administration. It will be challenging and difficult for any IG to say no to “HE” because, he will be dismissed the next minute. Where will the IG find another job or get money to upkeep his family? Let’s be honest with ourselves. It ends up with the the IG losing his credibility. That’s the dilemma and that slavery policy has to change.
The new IG who seems to be qualified and ready for the job, will soon face a test in my view. Let’s just wait for the President to go out of the country finding investors and see how some STATE hoodlums will attack the APC headquarters or opposition politicians in the country. The way the new IG responds will give us a clear picture of what lies ahead. Maybe, the President won’t go out his investors hunt too soon because of the Coronavirus. But, if he does, this new IG will be put to test. Let’s wait and see.
All past and even the present IG have very good credentials to lead our Police Force. No doubt about that. But will State House allow this IG like his predecessors work independently? I doubt that very much. By the way, this President has travelled several air miles and thousands if not “millions” of taxpayers money spent, but unfortunately, the investors are nowhere to be seen. OK.
Finally, the Police Force, the Judiciary, the NEC needs reform. I have no doubt in my mind that the next APC government in 2023 will make those reforms which will see the Police Force and other institutions out of politics. It will be a lot of work but, it’s going to happen. Enjoy IG Ambrose Sovula and God bless you.
This guy is supremely qualified to lead our police force. Congratulations IG Ambrose Sovula.
“ Good attitudinal behavior and civic responsibility are lacking, as people should not wait and see a police officer before obeying the law, he said.”
Indeed, there is lack of civic responsibility and respect for the rule of law in modern day Salone. A major factor why this is the case is the politicization of state institutions like the police force who for the most part execute their duties purely on the basis of monetary benefits and political directives.
Until states institutions such as the police force are detangled from political influence, nothing positive in the area of law and order is expected, we will continue to have a lawless state.