On Thursday, 20 August 2026, the Parliament of Sierra Leone unanimously voted to approve the First Report of the Committee on Appointments and Public Service, endorsing a list of 12 presidential nominees for key ministerial and agency positions.
The report of the committee, which sat in Committee Room One at Parliament Building, Tower Hill, Freetown, was chaired by the majority leader and leader of government business, Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma, and recommended the confirmation of the nominees. The report was adopted by the full house of Parliament without dissent on the nominees’ experience, track records and articulated visions for their offices.
Topping the list of confirmations is Mr Karefa Ansumana Francis Kargbo, who was sworn in as the new minister of finance. Mr Umaru Napoleon Koroma, Esq., Minister for Employment, Labour and Social Security; Mr Abu M. Kanneh, Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority (NRA); and Mrs Jeneba J. Bangura, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Other confirmations were Mr Foday Musa Fofana as Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources; Dr Steven A. Jusu as Deputy Minister 2, Ministry of Energy; Professor Foday Moriba Jaward as Ambassador to Qatar; Dr Prince Alex Harding as Chairman of the State Owned Enterprises Commission; Ms Safura Bintu Rogers as Executive Secretary of the State Owned Enterprises Commission; Professor Gibrilla Fadlu Deen as Chairman, Board of Directors; Mr Prince Bull Luseni as Executive Director of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA); and Dr Sartie Mohammed Kenneh as Chairman of the National Public Health Agency.
Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma told Parliament that the committee had thoroughly vetted each nominee under oath. “The committee looked at their experience, track record, tax obligations, asset declarations and vision for their respective offices,” he said, saying the report captured “the unanimous views of the committee.” He stressed that the vetting process was based on competence, integrity and dedication to public service.
Lawmakers of both the ruling party and opposition took part in the debate, praising and expressing expectations for the new appointees. Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, Opposition Whip, who seconded the motion for the approval of the report, said the new minister of employment, labour and social security is “hard-working and courageous”. He also called on the new Minister of Finance to further step up efforts on improving the economic policy and revenue mobilisation in the country.
Hon. Bashiru Silikie, the Deputy Leader of Government Business, reminded the nominees of the huge expectations the administration of President Julius Maada Bio has on them. He advised them to work hard and not to disappoint the government and the public. He specifically referred to Dr Prince Alex Harding as “courageous and determined””” and urged all appointees to put performance before personal interests.
Representatives also raised operational and policy issues. Hon. P.C. Desmond Kargobai, representing Bo District, called on the new minister of finance to “continue the good work of his predecessors” and ensure that funds disbursed to local councils are done on time. “Please, when you go to your offices, serve the nation, serve the people,” he added. Hon. Mustapha Sellu of Moyamba District urged the finance team to focus on enhancing domestic revenue generation, noting that if the NRA works hard in collecting the Goods and Services Tax (GST), it can make positive changes in the national economy.
1. The Deputy Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Daniel Brima Koroma, has expressed concern over the low number of women in the new appointments into the executive. He also described Mr Umaru Napoleon Koroma as hard-working while reiterating the need for revenue to surpass expenditure for the Ministry of Finance and the NRA to succeed. Chairman of the Parliamentary Finance Committee Hon. Keikura C. Vandy commended the competency of the appointments but highlighted the outstanding tax liabilities and the deteriorating state of government schools and public infrastructure.
Institutional reform and performance-orientated leadership emerged as recurring themes in the discussions. Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma, Deputy Leader of the Opposition 2, called on the newly confirmed NRA commissioner to focus on performance indicators and institutional reforms, as well as on improved governance of state-owned enterprises. Hon. Abdul Kargbo, Leader of the Opposition, endorsed Mr Umaru Napoleon Koroma as “competent, well-educated and composed” and called on political actors to subordinate partisan interests to the national good.
In his closing remarks, Committee Chair Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma said the Ministry of Finance and the National Revenue Authority are critical in managing Sierra Leone’s economy and that the committee expects the nominees to put the interests of Sierra Leoneans above all in their work. He also explained the legal provisions on gender representation under the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (GEWE) Act 2022, explaining the difference between electoral representation and executive appointments in the composition of government.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, the Presiding Speaker, closed the session by admonishing the appointees to “go and work diligently for the advancement and development of the state”, noting that their confirmations are publicly mandated to deliver measurable results for Sierra Leoneans.
