Sierraeye Salone has in their recent publication countered the government Press Secretary, Yusuf Keketoma Sandi’s post on the amount of women appointed to the Cabinet by the president in his first round of appointment.

Delivering their point, Sierraeye highlighted a discrepancy between the Press Secretary’s post and the actual appointment made.

Read full publication below:

“The constitution specifies in Section 59 (1) that “there shall be a Cabinet whose functions shall be to advise the President in the government of Sierra Leone and which shall consist of the President, the Vice-President, and such Ministers as the President may from time to time appoint.” (emphasis ours)

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President Bio presented a list of nine ministers and eight deputy ministers on Monday, July 10, 2023. Among them are two women: Dr. Ramatulai Wurie (Haja), Minister of Technical and Higher Education, and Manty Tarawalli, Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office. However, due to the provisions of Section 59(1) and historical precedent, only one of these female ministers, the Minister of Technical and Higher Education, will sit in Cabinet meetings.

There is a discrepancy between the government press secretary’s @Keketoma_Sandi claim that 41% of women were appointed to the Cabinet in the first round of appointments and actual representation. This assertion is erroneous, as just one of the nine ministers named thus far will be sitting in the Cabinet, accounting for approximately 11% of the total. The remaining eight ministers who will serve in the Cabinet are all men. It is crucial to note that the other women chosen as deputy ministers will not serve in the Cabinet because deputy ministers do not serve in the Cabinet.

When President Bio reveals his full list of ministers and deputy ministers, it is critical to provide an exact count of people who will serve in the Cabinet and share this information with the public. It is critical to prioritise the advancement of women to high positions, guaranteeing their meaningful participation in government decision-making processes.”