The newly appointed Minister of Internal Affairs, Major General (Rtd) David T.O. Taluva at a ceremony held at the office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs at Gloucester Street in Freetown takes over from the outgoing Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. David Panda-Noah.

The Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr. Mohamed Sheick Kargbo guarding the event was witnessed by the staff of the Ministry and heads of Agencies under the supervision of the Ministry.

Mr. Kargbo, In his introduction remarks, said as tradition demands, it is important for a smooth handover ceremony, in order for the incoming Minister to receive the handover report from the outgoing Minister. He expressed gratitude to the outgoing Minister Mr. David Panda-Noah for his outstanding leadership skills in transforming the Ministry, and called on staff to welcome with open hands the change in the leadership of the Ministry and work diligently to further transform the Ministry to a higher height.

The outgoing Minister Mr.David Panda-Noah in Providing his farewell statement expressed profound thanks and appreciation to His Excellency Brig. Rtd. Dr. Julius Maada Bio for entrusting him the honor to serve the Country as the Minister of Internal Affairs. He said he felt fulfilled handing over a Ministry that had gone through transformation, during his tenure. He recalled that he took up an appointment in 2020 and after three years he is handing over the baton to his successor feeling well fulfilled. He highlighted the many goals the Ministry achieved with support from dedicated and result-oriented staff as well as Agencies under the Ministry’s supervision, which he noted further improved the working relationship between the Ministry and its Agencies.

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He further updated the incoming Minister about the roles and responsibilities of both the Ministry and its Agencies, this, he continued, yielded a lot of outputs, enabling staff to be more resourceful and efficient in discharging duties. He maintained that despite the numerous achievements, a lot needs to be done. He appreciated the unwavering commitment and support of the  Deputy Minister, Lahai Lawrence Leema, the Permanent Secretary,   Mohamed Sheick Kargbo, the Deputy Secretary, Usman Banya including heads of Agencies and staff of the Ministry during his tenure. He then appealed to the incoming Minister Maj.Gen.(Rtd) David T.O. Taluva lobbied for more resources to address the remaining challenges in the Ministry and further encouraged heads of agencies and staff to work with the new Minister as their support and contributions are very crucial in achieving the Ministry’s goal.

During the ceremony, several statements were delivered by heads of Agencies, who applauded and acknowledged the humane qualities of the outgoing Minister Mr. David Panda-Noah, and recognized his overflowing energy. For them, he was a leader rather than a boss. They, however, wholeheartedly welcomed the incoming Minister, Maj. Gen. Rtd. David T.O. Taluva pledged their continuous support and commitment to making his work a success. Moreover, Mr. Amadu Mannah the Senior Technical Adviser of the Ministry of Internal Affairs expressed gratitude to the outgoing Minister Mr. David Panda-Noah on behalf of the Ministry for his humility, overwhelming support, direction, and generous show of concern during his tenure. He therefore heartily welcomed the new Minister and assured him of their support to achieve a lot more in his new endeavors to restore the dignity of the Ministry.

Receiving the Handover Note, Maj. Gen (Rtd) David T.O. Taluva, who is now the Minister of Internal Affairs, stated that he was aware of the numerous challenges of the Ministry, but he is determined and ready to make a difference to address the challenges. Maj. Gen. (Rtd) David  Taluva described the Ministry’s task as huge and critical, adding that he is a disciplinarian and result-oriented personality when it comes to work, and he believes in teamwork. He emphasized, that he expected to receive maximum cooperation and support from staff and the Ministry’s Agencies in order to take the Ministry to a higher level, while also noting that the Ministry is key and strategic in the maintenance of law and order, security and peace within communities and the Country as a whole. “Let us be very professional and leave politics behind when it comes to service delivery”, Minister Taluva stated. He further stressed the need for effective communication and collaboration, as a means of ensuring a safe and secured Sierra Leone.

Minister Taluva dwelt more on fixing the problems of Internal Security, which touches on the lives of every citizen,  citing that the absence of law and order will put the lives of citizens at risk. He noted that Government has the responsibility to turn the situation around and citizen’s expectations are very high. The Minister concluded by assuring staff, the Ministry’s Agency, and the public that the Ministry will be recognized among other security institutions around the World, delivering the required services that the public deserved.