Cyril A. Grant, the newly appointed Minister of Energy and President BioPresident Julius Maada Bio administered the Oath of Office to Mr Cyril A. Grant, the newly appointed Minister of Energy, during a brief ceremony at State House last week. Mr Grant’s formal swearing-in follows his nomination by the President and subsequent approval by Parliament, with the Secretary to the Cabinet, Mr Prince E.O. Cole, confirming that all constitutional and procedural requirements have been met.
Mr Cole cited Section 57 of Sierra Leone’s Constitution (Act No. 6 of 1991) while presenting the minister for the oath, noting that the necessary legal steps had been completed. “Following Your Excellency’s nomination and successful approval by Parliament, it is my honour to present Mr Cyril A. Grant to subscribe to the Oath of Office,” he said, formally putting Mr Grant in charge of his new position.
After taking the oath, Minister Grant expressed gratitude to President Bio for putting his trust in him. “I am profoundly honoured by this appointment and sincerely thank Your Excellency for the trust you have placed in me,” he said, vowing to carry out his responsibilities with dedication. He emphasised his commitment to leading the energy sector toward the goal of providing Sierra Leoneans with reliable and sustainable electricity.
President Bio congratulated the new minister and emphasised that the position carries significant responsibility. He described Mr Grant’s task as “onerous” and acknowledged the complexities involved in providing consistent and sustainable power across the country. “This is a difficult task, and you are well aware of the complexities involved in providing dependable and sustainable electricity for our people,” the President stated, emphasising the strategic importance of the ministry’s work to national development.
The President also praised the efforts of his predecessor and team, thanking Dr Kandeh Yumkella and his colleagues for the “tremendous progress” they made during their tenure. He encouraged Minister Grant to build on his successes and to use the outgoing team’s institutional knowledge and expertise as he implements new initiatives.
President Bio urged the new minister to promote teamwork and greater coordination in the energy sector, citing ongoing improvements in energy access as a foundation for future progress. He thanked development partners for their support of Sierra Leone’s energy programmes and encouraged Minister Grant to build on those relationships while actively seeking new investment opportunities to increase capacity and access.
The ceremony at State House was brief but clear: the government places a high priority on energy sector reform. It expects the new minister to pursue practical, collaborative measures to expand public electricity access. Minister Grant’s oath marks the beginning of his formal tenure, with the Presidency and stakeholders expecting measurable progress in the sector.
