Sierra Leone Telegraph: 06 June 2020:
Sierra Leone has appointed its first female Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). She is Mrs. Elizabeth Augusta Turay. Her appointment comes, following concerns raised about the gender balance at the top of the police force, as well as the recent escalation of youth violence in the country.
Mrs Turay (Photo below), joined the police force in 1988 as cadet Assistant Superintendent, and rose to the rank of Director of Operations as the first woman to hold that position.
She is now expected to assist Inspector General of Police – Ambrose Sovula to effectively maintain law and order , fairly across all regions of the country, without political interference or discrimination.
A statement published by the police media unit, reads: “The Media and Public Relations Unit of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) is pleased to inform the general public that Police Council, in its meeting of 3rd June, 2020, approved Mrs. Elizabeth Augusta Turay as the new Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).
“Madam Turay joined the Force on 1st October 1988, as cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police. Up to her current appointment, she was the Director of Operations.
“As Director of Operations, she became the first and only woman in the Force to serve in that capacity. And on her appointment as DIG, she has again become the first woman to ever ascend to the second highest office/position in the Sierra Leone Police.
“On behalf of Management and the rank and file of the SLP, the Media Team wishes her a successful tenure of office.”
Yeah. Nice to hear and see one of our Iron Ladies appointed to such a very important and responsible position. This reminds me of Officer Edith Smith, the first British female to be appointed police officer in a force that was always dominated by men. See how ready and determined deputy IG Mrs Elizabeth Augusta Turay looks. I believe, IG Sovula has got a perfect right hand person to bring discipline and order in our police force.
My only concern is this – will President Bio and the Bio SLPP give IG Sovula and The Deputy Head of the Police Mrs Elizabeth Augusta Turay the space to work independently without interference from the executive? Remember that the President can hire and fire the IG and the deputy at anytime. Flawed constitutional powers that must be changed. God bless deputy IG Mrs Elizabeth Augusta Turay and good luck to you. ENJOY!!!
Congratulations to the new deputy police chief, Mrs Elizabeth A. Turay. I have always been in favour of women taking leading roles in the way African countries are run, and conduct themselves. If you just close your eyes, and imagine all the African states were led by Women, I think we will be in a different level of development. Women are more tolerant, and more forward thinking than the majority of dictators we have endured in our continent, both Past, and present. In the case of Sierra leone, we won’t be in this political quagmire we find ourselves since independence. Tribal alliances forget it. Women will enact policies that bring bread and butter on the table. Instead of the diet of tribal differences we’ve been fed since our country’s independence. So far it has got us no where.
The trouble with our societies, women voices or their opinions are ignored, or dismiss with wave of the hand. Traditionally, we treat our women as subhumans, the men know best. It starts in the family setup. If the first born is girl, it doesn’t count until the boy follow suit. That little brother’s opinion counts for more than the eldest sister. A good example is the Sierra Leone police is male dominated. In the case of Dr Sylvia Blyden, she is not only been held for expressing her opinion that goes against the grain, but as a woman she dared to speak. That is the mother of all crimes in a male dominated society. She is not only offending the government, but she is going against tradition of having an opinion and expressing it. That is the greatest offence she committed against the diehard Taliban section of the ruling party and the disgraceful Sierra Leone police authority. In our societies, women are to be seen but not heard. So if we want to advance our country, gender equality, should be top priority for every government.
The appointment is welcome. I hope Mrs Turay, is not placed there as the second in command as a window dressing. Its about time we have women leaders in our country where half of the population are women. But you look at every sector both in the private and public sector – they are vastly underrepresented. I hope with her new position, she will bring new ideas about how to protect women in our society. The laws against abusive husbands, the wanton rape of women, and more importantly the arrest and prosecution of those individuals found to be engaged in such activities. We need someone like Mrs Elizabeth A. Turay for young girls and women to look up to and say I want to be like her when I grow. Just like us men, Sierra Leonean women have a stake in the way our country is run. Decisions taken by this male dominated society affect women more. So they should have a voice on that table.