The government of Sierra Leone has asked five top government officials to proceed on leave, in what is widely believed to be a move to remove them from office in continuation of the purge of officials perceived to be strong supporters of the last administration, the local press reported.
The pro-opposition Democrat newspaper said the President Ernest Bai Koroma-led All People’s Congress (APC) government had directed three Permanent Secretaries and two others to take their terminal leave. Those affected are the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Lands, Housing and Country Planning, Mr. Brima Rogers, and his counterparts in the Ministries of Health as well as Mines, Mr. Kai Kpakiwa and Mr. Boi Kamara respectively. Others are the longest serving Development Secretary, Mrs. Kona Koroma, and the Principal Deputy Financial Secretary, J.O. Wellington. Similarly, Haroun Sankoh, Manager of the National Stadium and a very close associate of former SLPP (opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party) Minister of Youths and Sports, Dr. Dennis Bright, and one of his deputies, have been relieved of their duties.
An official in the Establishment Secretary’s office, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed the development.
