Mr. Dalton Frederick Shears (D.F. Shears) a founding member of the All People’s Congress (APC) has passed away today at the age of 93.

Shears was the last of the original thirteen founding fathers of the opposition All People’s Congress (APC) party.

Shears was born on January 23rd, 1931, in Freetown, Sierra Leone, and received his education at the Prince of Wales School and the Balham and Tooting College of Commerce in London.
He was a professionally qualified accountant, and also held a diploma in statistics and was a Fellow of the Royal Economic Society, London.

Following his studies, Dalton Shears embarked on a career, beginning with a tenure at the London firm of Accountants, W. Skelker and Co. He returned to Sierra Leone in early 1962 to contest the general elections, emerging as a Member of Parliament representing York District.

In April 1968, Dalton Shears was appointed Minister of Communications in Siaka Stevens’ first cabinet. His leadership and dedication led to subsequent appointments as Minister of Trade and Industry in April 1969, and Minister of Works in April 1970.

Following the April 1973 elections, wherein the APC won all seats, he assumed the role of Minister of Housing and Country Planning.

Always shy of publicity, Dalton Shears cherished his hobbies of swimming and hunting.