Short Comment By Sorie Fofana
When Brig. (Rtd) Julius Maada Bio was elected Head of State and President of Sierra Leone in April 2018, the front runner for the post of Finance Minister was Alhaji Kanja Sesay. JJ Saffa was already tipped for the post of Chief Minister. Barely few hours to the official announcement, word came around that the lot had fallen on JJ Saffa to be appointed as Finance Minister.
Whether one likes it or not, JJ Saffa has performed beyond expectations as Finance Minister. He presided over a fragile economy especially after the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2019. His leadership style and fiscal prudence won him great admiration especially from Sierra Leone’s donor and development partners.
Under JJ Saffa’s leadership in the Finance Ministry, the international community (especially donor partners) returned and resumed abandoned programs and projects and even funded new programs/projects. He is well-known for his bread and butter economy.
Now that JJ Saffa is almost on his way out of the Finance Ministry, the question on many people’s lips is: who will replace JJ Saffa in the Ministry of Finance? Two names have emerged very prominently. They are John Benjamin and Kanja Sesay.
John Benjamin is a seasoned administrator. He served as Chief Secretary of State (Prime Minister) in the NPRC of Capt. Valentine Strasser.
In the SLPP of President Alhaji Dr. Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, John Benjamin served as Finance Minster. As Finance Minister, he was able to negotiate and secured massive debt relief for Sierra Leone through his diplomatic maneuvering and credibility.
Alhaji Kanja Sesay first served as Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Reconstruction, Resettlement and Rehabilitation under President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah between 1996 and 1999.
After President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah returned from exile in Conakry, Guinea, he established NACSA and appointed Kanja Sesay as the first Commissioner through the recommendation of Sierra Leone’s donor partners. He held that position until the SLPP was voted out of office in 2007.
Alhaji Kanja Sesay is a strong supporter of the current President, Dr. Julius Maada Bio and one of his trusted political allies. He is currently serving as Minister of Energy.
The position of Finance Minister is very important. The holder of that position deals directly with donor and development partners on a regular basis. Whoever is appointed to that position must be acceptable to the donor and development partners of Sierra Leone. Their views about who is appointed Finance Minister matter most.
It is still rumoured that the donor community played a pivotal role in influencing President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah to appoint Dr. James Jonah as Finance Minister in April 1998.
The people of Sierra Leone and Sierra Leone’s donor partners look forward, with bated breath, to the appointment of a new Finance Minister that will succeed the venerable JJ Saffa, who is now the Chief Minister.
May common sense prevail!!!
