Grassroots Supporters of President Julius Maada Bio have recently made allegations against the newly appointed Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohamed Rahman (Rado) Swarray, stating that he betrayed the President in a severe manner, resulting in his removal from the position of Information Minister.
Day Break Newspaper reports that According to these supporters within the SLPP, President Bio had reportedly provided a significant sum of money to the then Minister of Information before the official election campaign period. The intention behind this funding was for the Minister to create and disseminate campaign messages on various platforms such as television, radio, print, and social media, highlighting President Bio’s vision for his second term in Sierra Leone.
However, the grassroots supporters claim that Mr. Swarray misused the funds for personal gain, failing to fulfill his duties as the Information Minister. Despite this reported misconduct, President Bio reappointed him for the second term, much to the dismay of these supporters who expected him to be dropped.
Critics further accuse the former Information Minister of being ineffective in his previous role. They argue that he did not present a positive image of the government and allowed the President to act as his own Minister of Information. Additionally, they point out that under Mr. Swarray’s leadership, SALCAB was unbundled, SLENA failed to function as a government news agency, and Sierratel failed to meet the demands of an information-hungry society.
Now, as Minister of Labour, concerns arise among citizens, especially considering the country’s high unemployment rate. Critics question Mr. Swarray’s ability to fulfill his responsibilities effectively, citing his past performance at the Ministry of Information.
Supporters speculate that the only reason Mr. Swarray was retained by President Bio was due to their long-standing friendship and Swarray’s loyalty to the party. While they understand the President’s decision, they remain skeptical about his future performance in the Ministry of Labour, given his alleged past failures.
On a different note, it is reported that President Bio himself has expressed dissatisfaction with certain members of his regime who portrayed him as a forceful rather than a caring leader. For his second term, President Bio is believed to distance himself from the PAOPA ideology, signaling potential changes in his governance approach.
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