By Lemuella Tarawallie
The Eighteenth Report of the Committee on Appointments and Public Service of Parliament on Tuesday approved Paul Sobba Massaquoi as Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Republic of South Korea together with eight other appointees for different positions.
During the approval procedure in the Well of Parliament the Leader of Government Business, Hon. Matthew Sahr Nyuma who moved the motion, stated that the Committee on Appointments and Public Service, which was charged with venting presidential nominees to serve in public offices, met on Thursday 11 July 2024 and interviewed the following nine presidential nominees: Prof. Osman Alimamy Sankoh for Commissioner Tertiary Education Commission North-East Region; Dr Lawrence Sao Babawo for Commissioner Tertiary Education Commission Eastern Region; Madam Edna Margret Rachael Jones for Commissioner Tertiary Education North-Western Region; Mr Momodu Koroma for Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Morocco; Haja Alimatu Abdullah for Commissioner Tertiary Education Western Region; Madam Martha Consilia Kanagbo as Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to The Gambia; Mr Aziz Turay as Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia; Paul Sobba Massaquoi as Sierra Leone’s Ambassador to the Republic of South Arabia, and Mr Daniel Kaitibi as Executive Director of Sierra Leone Maritime Administration.
Hon. Matthew Sahr Nyuma added that the Committee on Appointments and Public Service interviewed the presidential nominees on issues pertaining to their educational backgrounds and professional experience.
Presenting the nine nominees to the public in the Well of Parliament, Hon. Nyuma stated that Paul Sobba Massaquoi, the proposed Sierra Leone Ambassador to the Republic of South Korea was a grassroots development expert with tangible and visible track record of initiating and delivering social capacity building programmes for the less privileged.
He stated that Mr Paul Sobba Massaquoi was an astute and dedicated programme manager and business entrepreneur and a notable consultant.
The Leader of Government Business continued that “Paul Sobba Massaquoi holds a Master of Science degree in Management from the University of West London and a post-graduate Diploma in Executive Maritime” and that he had no doubt that he would be able to perform well as an ambassador.
Hon Rosemary Bangura, the Vice President of the Female Parliamentary Caucus who seconded the motion of the approval of the presidential nominees while admonishing them, stated that she wanted to thank President Julius Maada Bio for appointing citizens who were fit for the jobs they were nominated for.
Hon. Aaron Aruna Koroma, the Deputy Leader I of the Minority Party in rounding up his final submission on behalf of his party, stated that despite the fact that they were in the opposition; they would support the Government where necessary. He congratulated the approved nominees and wished them well.
The Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Solomon Segepoh Thomas, congratulated the presidential nominees and encouraged them to do something different in their respective offices or institutions.