State House, Freetown — President Dr Julius Maada Bio on Wednesday, 2 September 2026, administered the oath of office to a group of newly appointed ministers and deputy ministers, urging them to carry out their duties with discipline, honesty, and unwavering dedication to delivering tangible results for the people of Sierra Leone.
Those sworn in included Karefa Kargbo as Minister of Finance, Umaru Napoleon Koroma as Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, and Jeneba Bangura as Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Dr Steven Jusu was sworn in as Deputy Minister of Energy II, while Foday Musa Fofana was sworn in as Deputy Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources.
In brief remarks after the ceremony, President Bio congratulated the appointees and said the responsibilities they now carry are a “heavy task” that will require strong support, dedication and moral fortitude. “The appointments had been made on merit,” he said, urging every new official to carry out their roles with firmness, dignity and integrity.
The President also reminded the officials that they took a solemn oath, each using either the Bible or the Quran to pledge allegiance. He said of his own oath, “I took my oath of office with the Bible, and I took it seriously because of the sacredness of the book I used,” and urged the new ministers and deputies to honour the commitments embodied in their pledges.
Minister of Finance Karefa Kargbo, on behalf of his colleagues, expressed his profound appreciation to President Bio for his faith in their abilities. “The team accepted the responsibilities put on them with humility and a keen sense of the importance of their offices,” Kargbo said.
He stressed the strategic importance of the Ministry of Finance in enabling the government to realise its development priorities. He paid tribute to his predecessor, Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, for his service in managing the country’s economy and public finances. “We are already doing significant work,” Kargbo also acknowledged the work of the ministry’s technical and administrative staff and the wider civil service.
“I intend to build on that work, strengthen what is working, address the challenges that remain and ensure greater consistency in delivery,” Kargbo said, stressing a commitment to continuity and improved performance.
The new Finance Minister pledged to build close working relationships with key economic institutions and stakeholders, including the Bank of Sierra Leone, the National Revenue Authority, government ministries, departments and agencies, and the private sector. He said effective economic management requires coordination, timely information and collective responsibility to deliver meaningful outcomes for citizens.
President Bio called on the group to collaborate in advancing the government’s development agenda and stressed that the success of their efforts will be judged by the results ordinary Sierra Leoneans feel. He asked them to be accountable and bring a results-oriented mindset to their respective ministries.
The ceremony at State House marked the formal beginning of the new appointees’ duties. The appointments, observers said, came at a time when the government faced major economic and social challenges, and the Finance, Employment, Energy and Mines portfolios were the most crucial.
Ministers and deputy ministers, as they assume their portfolios, are tasked with turning policy into practice while ensuring transparency and good governance. President Bio’s emphasis on integrity and discipline makes it clear that the new team must manage not only policy but also public trust as it works to deliver development outcomes.
