Sierra Leone’s President Julius Maada Bio has urged his cabinet ministers and their deputies to avoid distraction and focus on delivering on the campaign promises he made during the 2023 general elections.
He was addressing his ministers and their deputies at the Ministerial Retreat in Bo city, Southern Sierra Leone, where he also said they should not leave things undone on their desk for more than one hour.
“There should be collaboration and coordination between all of you. You don’t have to be friends but you can consult each other when the need arises. Collaboration should be both horizontal and vertical at all times,” he said.
He said they owed the citizens of Sierra Leone and it was incumbent on all of them to deliver so as to make life better for every Sierra Leonean.
“We are here to recalibrate and set our own targets which aimed at delivering on our campaign promises. We were called to serve and therefore we are servants,” he stated.
President Bio noted that as the team leader, he was urging them to have a shared understanding of what it takes to deliver for the people of Sierra Leone.
“We have not been truly inspiring as we ought to be. We have to be optimal in our delivering. I put this team together because I cannot do it alone. The expectations of our people are high and we should work as a team to meet those expectations,” he stated.
He said he was made to understand that some team members were working in silos and that would not improve team performance and effective service delivery.
“We have to let the people know what we are doing. If you don’t create your own version of the story, others will tell it in a very wrong way. There are many platforms to spread information these days and we should leverage on those platforms,” he said.
He stated that they should be working together to cushioning the global economic constraints of the people, adding that there was a social contract between them and the citizens of Sierra Leone.
“If we are in doubt, we should look at best practices elsewhere or consult our colleagues to find a lasting solution. No Ministry, Department and Agency (MDA) can work alone, we should always collaborate,” he told his audience who were mainly ministers and their deputies.
He said he wanted his cabinet ministers to set the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) as one that can deliver on its promises, noting that he saw his cabinet as a great team if only they could work together.
Chief Minister, Dr. David Moinina Sengeh, said the Ministerial Retreat was in Bo upon the request of President Bio who wanted to bring his executive government closer to the people.
“We will also hold our usual cabinet meeting here in Bo city on Wednesday 22nd May 2024. This is a new development as we will take critical government decisions in Bo,” he said.
Secretary to Cabinet and Head of Civil Service, John Sumaila, recalled that since 2018, they have held three cabinet retreats, adding that the engagement in Bo city would deepen their understanding and reinforcing their continued determination for service delivery.
“There is a need for teamwork between ministers and their deputies. There is also a need to establish an effective service delivery system so as to enhance high level of productivity and performance,” he noted.
