Source document: https://docs-lawep.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/1698844141517.pdf (Sierra Leone)
1 HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL FREETOWN THIRD SESSION OF THE FOURTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE TWELFTH REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE ON PARLIAMENTARY VETTING OF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATIONS 1.

INTRODUCTION Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service met on Friday 8th May 2015 to interview six Presidential nominees for appointment as follows: i. ii.

iii.

iv.
iii.

iv.

v. Board Member, Petroleum Regulatory Agency Board Member, National Insurance Company Member, National Standards Council Two Members, National Commission for Privatization Board Member, Sierra Leone Ports Authority 2.

PROCEDURE The Committee maintained strict consistency to its established procedure.
Inquiring questions put to the nominees were related to their educational backgrounds, track records in pertinent work situations, declared assets, tax obligations and their visions for a successful tenure.

Unsuitability in terms of character to hold such high offices of State were very closely looked into.

3.
3.

FIFTEENTH SITTING OF THE COMMITTEE ON FRIDAY 8TH MAY 2015 3:1 The following nominees were interviewed on oath: 2 i Mr. Charles Mereweather Thompson -Proposed Board Member, Petroleum Regulatory Agency Charles Mereweather-Thompson is currently the Acting Chief Director and Professional Head, Ministry of Trade and Industry with the responsibility to plan, supervise and coordinate the activities of the professional arm of the Ministry.
In his interview, while Mr. Charles Mereweather-Thompson agreed with the Committee that the fall in the world market price of fuel was not adequately reflected in the pump price on the local market and that had invariably affected the market price of goods and services, he however said that the issue could be the subject of a Commission that should be set up by Government.
“It will do this nation a lot of good if this Committee could commission a study into the matter.” Questioned on the requirements of the Board for setting up petrol stations Mr. Mereweather-Thompson said the basic criteria were that: i. ii.
the location of the retail outlet should not be close to a dwelling house the handling of bulk petroleum products: petrol, diesel and gas should be contained Underground tanks would however need to be specifically constructed by engineers of oil marketing companies “to avoid explosion.” specified overhead or underground in tanks.

iii.

there should be fire extinguishers” ii.


Mr. James Ahmed Mahoi - Proposed Board Member, National Insurance Company Mr. Mahoi is a Trade Unionist and Member of the Education Board, Sierra Leone Labour Congress.

Reacting to probing questions, Mahoi said, “I will work together with fellow board members to make the National Insurance Company a credible company in the eyes of the public.” 3 iii.
Mr. Solomon Rene Fofana – Proposed Member, National Standards Council Mr. Solomon Rene Fofana is a Lecturer who has served at Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone from 1977 to date and is currently the Deputy Marshall of the University.

He has also served as Chairman of the University Games and Sports Management Committee and Warden of Students, Fourah Bay College.
Answering to pertinent questions, Mr. Solomon Fofana said, “as the Committee may know, Africa has always been the dumping ground for sub-standard commodities because we do not have the mechanisms in place to test these commodities.

I wish to thank His Excellency, the President for providing a piece of land for the Standards Council and UNIDO, for providing the testing equipment.
“If I am approved by this Honourable House, I will enforce standards by testing all goods coming into this country to ensure that quality control is maintained at all times.

The people of this country, our youths are dying from expired commodities particularly drugs and the kind of cheap alcohol flooding the markets.

Things are coming into the country that are not good for our own consumption.
The public should be sensitized to know, appreciate and to cooperate with the Standards Council.” Mr. Osman Abdal Timbo – Proposed Member, National Commission for Privitization Osman Abdal Timbo Esq.

is a legal practitioner who is currently serving as Legal Consultant and Adviser, Public-Private Partnership Unit, Office of the President, State House, Freetown.
In response to pertinent questions Osman Abdal Timbo, identified two important functions of the National Commission for Privatization and these, he said, were: i. ii.

To divest or sell government assets To reform enterprises that are not up to standards.

Osman Abdal Timbo opined that the reason for privatization is because Government is not a good business man.

Sometimes, he said, it is better to divest or to even go into Public Private Partnerships.
“My role on the Board is 4 to give legal advice on how to go about divesting these properties.

Secondly and more importantly, I would be there to advise on reforms that would give value for money when the enterprise is up for sale.

The Twenty-four public enterprises that are under the Commission cannot all be sold; because if we sell them in their present state the Commission will sell them at a loss.
Therefore we need to reform them, get them to a certain level and sell them later.” Mr. Frederick Alfred Jones - Proposed Member, National Commission for privatization Mr. Frederick Jones is a Civil and Structural Engineer with over thirty-five years of work experience.
He is currently a retainer for structural works, Ministry of Works, Housing and Infrastructure Answering to the Committee’s inquiries, Mr. Fredrick Jones said, “as a technocrat, I hope to assist the Chairman on technical issues pertaining to both parastatals and governmental institutions, because I have had practical work experience in dealing with nearly all of them.

As a Structural Engineering Consultant, I think I can render my expertise to the Commission for the benefit of Sierra Leone.
Mrs. Ayodele Wak-Williams – Proposed Board Member, Sierra Leone Ports Authority Ms. Ayodele Wak-Williams has spent the better part of her working life in the hospitality and tourist industry in the United States of America and major hotels in Sierra Leone.

She owns and manages her own company, Del-Wak Agencies, which specialises in Tourism, Real Estate, and Property Management/Developer.

Ms. Ayodele Wak-Williams was (2001-2005) a Member Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture.)
with the oversight responsibility for setting up the Sierra Leone National Committee for Africa Growth Opportunity Act.

Reacting to the Committee’s inquiries about what value she would add to the Sierra Leone Port Authority, Ms. Ayodele Wak-Williams said that she had observed some serious lapses in the security sector of the Port Authority.
“If I am approved by this Honouable House, I will endeavour to work with fellow Board members to upgrade the security sector of the Sierra Leone Port Authority 5 to international standards equipped with closed circuit cameras to surveillance movements within the entire port facility.

Secondly, I will ensure that the administration of the Port Authority keep proper records of all transactions.” 4.
RECOMMENDATIONS Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, the Committee adjudged the following Presidential nominees to be adequately qualified for their proposed appointments and are recommended to the House for approval: i. ii.

iii.

iv.
iii.

iv.

v. Mr. Charles Mereweather Thompson – Board Member, Petroleum Regulatory Agency Mr. James Ahmed Mahoi- Board Member, National Insurance Company Mr. Solomon Rene Fofana- Member, National Standards Council Mr. Osman Abdal Timbo – Member, National Commission for Privatization Mr. Frederick Alfred Jones - Member, National Commission for Privatization vi.
Ms. Ayodele Wak-Williams-Board Member, Sierra Leone Ports Authority Mr. Speaker, Honourable Members, the Twelfth Report is the unanimous view of the Committee.

I therefore move that the Twelfth Report of the Third Session of the Committee on Appointments and the Public Service be adopted by the House and that the recommendations contained therein be approved.

Hon.
Hon.

Ibrahim R. Bundu Chairman Date………………………………… 6 HOUSE OF PARLIAMENT OAU DRIVE, TOWER HILL FREETOWN E-mail: sierraleoneparliament@hotmail.com SECOND SESSION OF THE FOURTH PARLIAMENT OF THE SECOND REPUBLICOF SIERRA LEONE MINUTES OF THE FIFTEENTH SITTING OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPOINTMENTS ANDTHE PUBLIC SERVICE IN COMMITTEE ROOM NO.1, PARLIAMENT BUILDING, ON FRIDAY 8TH MAY 2015 AT 11:00 A. M. 1.

Prayers - Members observed a moment of silent meditation.

2.
2.

Attendance 2.1 The following Members of the Committee were present.

i. ii.

iii.

iv.

v. vi.

Hon.

Ibrahim Bundu - Chairman.

Hon.

Leonard S. Fofanah Hon.

Augustine B. Torto Hon.

Ansumana Kaikai Hon.

Amadu Kanu Hon.

Claude D. M. Kamanda vii.

Hon.

Benneh Bangura viii.

Hon.

Komba E. Koedoyoma ix.

Hon.

Brimah Conteh 2.2 The following Members of the Committee were absent: x. xi.

Hon.

Bliss Osho Williams Hon.

P. C. Brima V.S.

Kebbie 7 xii.

Hon.

Chernor R. M. Bah xiii.

Hon.


Veronica K. Sesay xiv.

Hon.

Dr. Bernadette Lahai xv.

Hon.

Mabinty Funna xvi.

Hon.

Sidi Mohamed Tunis 3.

PUBLIC HEARING - Hearing was open to the public and the press.

4.

Consideration of Presidential nominations for appointments as listed: 5:1 The following nominees were interviewed on oath: i. Mr. Charles Mereweather Thompson –Proposed Board Member, Petroleum Regulatory Agency ii.
Mr. James Ahmed Mahoi- Proposed Board Member,National Insurance Company iii.

Mr. Solomon Rene Fofana- Proposed Member, National Standards Council iv.

Mr. Osman Abdel Timbo – Proposed Member, National Commission for Privatization v. Mr. Frederick Alfred Jones -Proposed Member, National Commission for Privatization vi.

Ms. Ayodele Wak-Williams-Proposed Board Member, Sierra Leone Ports Authority 6.

Closed Session 6:1 The Committee unanimously accepted the nomination of all the six candidates interviewed.
The Committee rose at 2: 55 p.m. Peter J. Kulagbanda Director of Committees