Sierra Leone: Confusion In APC As Amb. Edward Mohamed Turay Tells President Koroma’s Minister To Resign

Sierra Leone’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom has said in London that ministers should choose between their ministerial jobs and that of party executive positions.

His Excellency Edward Mohamed Turay said holding both positions at the same time is a conflict of interest that has the tendency of undermining the President’s flagship programme the Agenda for Prosperity.

In a press statement released over the weekend, the High Commissioner said: “I hereby want to call on the President and the general membership of the ruling All People’s Congress (APC) to urge all ministers holding political party executive positions to choose between their ministerial jobs and that of the party executive positions.”

He said it is his humble and sincere beliefs that holding a ministerial job and that of a party executive will not only be a conflict of interest but will also undermine the effectiveness of the President’s flagship programme Agenda for Prosperity.

He believes Sierra Leone is currently going through a very challenging situation which requires the collective effort of all government functionaries to support the President achieve his legacy before he leaves office.

“I therefore frankly believe that this cannot be achieved with ministers holding party jobs especially when we have other competent people without jobs who can equally fill in those positions.”

“If you want to serve as a minister you must give up your position as an executive member of the APC. Period,” said Turay.

He commended the current Secretary General Osman Yansaneh of the ruling party who decided to relinquish his job as High Commissioner to Ghana to take up his current position at the party. He said with his experience during the course of his Political navigation, it is his sincere and honest belief to highlight these issues for a review by the leadership of the Party.

“Let Cabinet Ministers remain Ministers and NOT to occupy executive positions in the party, except the leader of the Party – who, incidentally becomes the President,” Turay said.

According to him, there must be a separation of powers between the Party and the Government which, he believes is a view that resonates not only in Europe but also in the U.S., Canada, and Africa.

Turay has been in the spotlight in recent weeks – and just two weeks ago, he called on the President to sack all those cabinet ministers who have declared their intention to succeed the President after his term of office would have ended. As a veteran politician of the APC, he believes such a move is would have negative implications on the President’s Legacy.