Sierra Leone Telegraph: 20 July 2018:
As is now customary in Sierra Leone’s politics, the newly elected president Julius Maada Bio has dismissed the country’s Ambassadors, High Commissioners and diplomatic staff appointed by the former president Koroma, to be replaced by loyalists, activists and supporters of his ruling SLPP party.
Yesterday, thirty-seven senior diplomats were appointed by president Bio, amid the continuing row over the payment of repatriation costs of those he has sacked.
The sacked diplomats who were last month given an ultimatum to return to Sierra Leone with immediate effect, are accusing the president of failing to honour their contractual entitlements.
Critics say that yesterday’s list of newly appointed diplomats is exclusively made up of SLPP party activists, who played a major part in seeking the election of Julius Maada Bio in March 2018.
In response, one of the newly appointed ambassadors told the Sierra Leone Telegraph that “there is nothing unusual about the sacking of diplomats appointed by a former president to make way for loyalists of the incoming president to help promote his agenda”.
But is this practice good for the development and utilisation of human resources in the country’s diplomatic service?
While this question may be pertinent to those seeking a lifetime career in Sierra Leone’s diplomatic service, to those appointed yesterday, it is simply academic, as they now look forward to five years of life changing opportunity abroad.
So, who are the new diplomats? This is what State House said:
I am seriously disappointed by the comments from a Med Sillah and a Papanii. I am disappointed for just one obvious reason that both the two guys do not really understand what Diplomatic relationship means in politics. Their comments clearly show that they have absolutely no knowledge about diplomacy and the benefits that it brings to countries connected by diplomatic relationship.
May be they MUST GO BACK TO THEIR Primary School Teacher to lecture them on this subject matter. I frankly have no time wasting my energy to educate them. All I can tell them is that Diplomatic relationship brings more BENEFITS especially to poor countries like ours.
For Sillah’s misguided comment about the appointees, I quote “Some of these appointees lack what it takes to represent our country”; is an insult to not only the appointees but to our PRESIDENT. Again I can only advise Sillah to watch his choice of words against Honourable personalities in the future.
This is another example of how Africa remains poor by living beyond its means. I thought this government was about reducing government expenditure but what we have is a government that takes with one hand and gives with the other.
In order to satisfy those who financed the campaign of President Bio it seems a bloated cabinet and unnecessary diplomatic appointments has taken precedence. Diplomats to Countries that add no value to our economic development is just a waste of government resources. Some of these appointees lack what it takes to represent our country.
Busy employing longterm unemployed while the people perish.