In respond to our yesterday 15th March 2021 publication of the Owl newspaper captioned “Sannoh Exposes Education Ministry,” a senior member of the Recruitment Committee in the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education including senior officials from other sectors have in no uncertain terms strongly debunked the claim made by the Founder and Executive Director of Help Ease Agony in Life-Sierra Leone (HEAL-SL), Mr. Joseph Sannoh as false and blackmailing.
It will be recalled that on Monday 15th March 2021, Mr. Sannoh informed media houses at the SLAJ Press Conference Hall that the recruitment of Mr. Ambros T. Sesay as the National Project Coordinator of the Sierra Leone Free Quality Education Project was “fraudulent as he secured the job because the Minister of Basic and Senior Secondary Education, Dr. David Sengeh is his brother-in-law.”
According to Mr. Sannoh, Mr. Ambros Sesay did not meet the required criteria for the position but a Committee Member said Mr. Sannoh did not state the criteria for the position and the qualifications of Mr. Ambrose T. Sesay and the other applicants/candidates for the public to determine who is the most qualified for the position for which he accused Mr. Sannoh of being a big fake.
Although Mr. Joseph Sannoh claimed that he started his investigations on the issue in January this year during which he had discussions with officials of the World Bank, State House and the Ministry itself to address the anomaly in the recruitment of Mr. Ambros Sesay, he was not taken seriously, this again leaves the public in doubt as to how and why Mr. Joseph Sannoh was not taken seriously by these stakeholders after which he threatened that if no action is taken he would seek legal redress on behalf of the applicants/candidates whom he claimed were deprived of the position as they were better qualified than Mr. Ambros T. Sesay.
Furthermore, Mr. Joseph Sannoh alleged that the other applicants/candidates did not get the job because they are not connected to politicians and high placed officials and called for such bad practices to stop in the country even if he losses his lucrative job for which he is ready to change the dynamics but again he did not tell the media how he will change the dynamics even if he losses his lucrative job as Commissioner at the National Telecommunications Commission and that he would continue to monitor the Ministry of Basic and Senior Secondary Education. Again why now Mr. Sannoh?
Lappia Kai Samba, an independent observer said this act by Mr. Sannoh is clear blackmailing if one considers the fact that a lot of bad recuriments have taken place even within his institution where he serves as a Board Member and Commissioner but has never complained.
Is this because Mr. Sannoh may have been allegedly collecting bribes from the unqualifed candidates?
Mohamed Kamara, a key stakeholder in Port Loko said that people should not fall for the antics of Mr. Sannoh because it maybe that Mr. Ambrose Sesay is not a South/Easterner, the reason Mr. Sannoh is protesting.
Sylvester Musa asked why is Mr. Joseph Sannoh only blowing the whistle now? Is it because his own applicant/candidate did not get the job?
Again, why did Mr. Sannoh not raise the red flag when the School Inspectors were recruited but only now?
Why did Mr. Sannoh not question the numerous recruitments that have taken place at the Ministry of Basic Education but only now?
Other observers have questioned the sincerity and intention of Mr. Joseph Sannoh for which they are demanding more answers from him.
The Owl will continue to bring you the responses from the public, the Ministry and Mr. Sannoh himself on the recuriment scandal.
