Sierra Leone’s Parliament on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, approved six presidential nominees following the presentation of the Fifteenth Report of the Committee on Appointments and Public Service, chaired by Hon. Mathew Sahr Nyuma, Leader of Government Business. The confirmation marks another phase in President Julius Maada Bio’s ongoing effort to fill key leadership roles in government institutions.
The approved nominees include Ms. Janneh Jabati as Deputy Minister of Finance II, Mr. Emmanuel Sahr Tondeneh as Ombudsman, Mr. Mustapha Mark Lissa as Commissioner of the National Shipping Agency, Mr. Joseph Maada Lahai as Commissioner of the National Youth Commission, Mr. Alfred Malthus Kobba as Deputy Director General of the National Petroleum Regulatory Authority, and Haja Kadie Johnson as a Member of the Sierra Leone Roads Authority.
Hon. Nyuma told Parliament that the nominees were interviewed under oath on August 1 at Committee Room One, Tower Hill. He said the vetting process assessed professional experience, compliance with tax obligations, asset declarations, and visions for their respective institutions. The report, he added, reflects the unanimous agreement of the committee members.
Supporting the motion, Hon. Aruna Aaron Koroma, Deputy Leader 2 of the Opposition and a representative from Tonkolili District, endorsed the nominees’ qualifications. He praised the appointment of a woman with extensive financial experience and called for timely resource allocation to government institutions to ensure efficiency. He also encouraged the new Ombudsman to act in the public interest, citing Section 146 of the 1991 Constitution, and recommended legislative updates to improve the institution’s performance.
Hon. Umu Pyne of Moyamba District applauded President Bio’s continued commitment to gender representation in leadership. She encouraged the female nominees to champion the interests of women in their roles and requested attention to the poor condition of the road leading to Parliament.
Opposition Leader Hon. Abdul Kargbo supported the nominations but stressed the need for effective delivery in office. Highlighting the country’s large youth population, he called for greater investment in innovative youth empowerment initiatives beyond short-term projects like car washes. He warned about the growing drug crisis, particularly the spread of ‘kush’, which he described as affecting families across political divides. Kargbo also pointed out that the Office of the Ombudsman suffers from chronic underfunding and called for increased government support.
In closing, Hon. Nyuma reaffirmed that all nominees were chosen based on merit and competence. He said President Bio’s administration has appointed more women than any previous government and emphasized that food and fuel prices have recently declined across the country. Acknowledging current economic pressures, he encouraged MPs to remain focused on national development. He reminded appointees of Section 62 of the Constitution, which gives the President the authority to dismiss non-performing officials, and urged them to deliver results for the benefit of the people.
During the same sitting, Parliament also debated and ratified three port-related agreements involving the Queen Elizabeth II Quay. The agreements, dated June 2025, include amendments and addenda to existing concession and license agreements with partners such as Nectar Group Limited, Africa Global Logistics, and Freetown Terminal Limited. These arrangements, according to lawmakers, aim to enhance port infrastructure and trade capacity.
All agreements received unanimous support in Parliament, signaling cross-party commitment to economic development and improved maritime operations.
