By Owl Press
The reported appointment of Mr. Franklin Bendu as Chief Economist at the Ministry of Finance has triggered serious questions that Parliament, civil society organisations and other public-interest stakeholders can no longer afford to ignore. At stake is not merely the career of one individual, but the credibility of Sierra Leone’s public service and the principle that sensitive government positions must be occupied through competence, merit and transparent procedures. The position, reportedly an established Grade 12 civil service office, carries enormous responsibility for economic analysis, fiscal policy advice, forecasting and national budget management. Yet concerns have emerged over whether the appointment followed the required civil service process, including advertisement and transparent competition. If these concerns are substantiated, the Government must explain why a position of such national importance was allegedly filled outside the normal safeguards designed to protect merit and professionalism.
The controversy becomes even more troubling with questions surrounding Mr. Bendu’s status within the civil service. Stakeholders have alleged that he was not previously a civil servant, raising a fundamental administrative question: was this a promotion within the service, or was an external individual appointed directly into an established senior civil service position? That distinction is critical. If an individual outside the civil service is to occupy such a position, the public deserves to know whether the prescribed recruitment and entry requirements were followed. Otherwise, what message is being sent to career public servants who spend years acquiring qualifications, building experience and waiting for opportunities to advance? The revised Civil Service Code and Rules 2024 was introduced with an emphasis on professionalism, transparency, accountability and improved public-sector performance. Those principles cannot become decorative language in government documents while appointments are allegedly made through opaque processes.
More disturbing are the questions being raised about the academic and professional credentials required for the office. It has been alleged that Mr. Bendu may not possess the professional experience or academic qualifications expected of a Chief Economist, while questions have also been raised about the relevance of his reported PhD specialisation in the bauxite mining value chain to the broader responsibilities of the position. These are allegations, not conclusions, and they must be subjected to documentary verification. But that is precisely why an investigation is necessary. The issue is not whether a PhD is impressive; the issue is whether the appointee meets the specific qualification, experience and technical competency requirements of the Chief Economist’s office. The holder of such a position is expected to contribute to national macroeconomic policy discussions and provide high-level economic advice. If the Government is satisfied that Mr. Bendu meets those standards, it should have no difficulty demonstrating it through official records.
Parliament must now act. The Speaker, Deputy Speakers and Members of Parliament should demand answers from the Ministry of Finance and the relevant public-service institutions, including the documentation underpinning the appointment. Parliament should establish the approved job description and qualification requirements, determine whether the position was advertised where required, examine the recruitment or appointment process, verify the appointee’s academic and professional credentials, and establish whether the appropriate civil-service authorities participated in the process. Civil society organisations, economists, lawyers, professional associations, governance advocates and the media should equally subject the appointment to legitimate public scrutiny. This should not be a political witch-hunt or an attempt to discredit an individual; it should be a fact-based institutional audit designed to determine whether the rules were followed. If the appointment is lawful and merit-based, an investigation will strengthen Mr. Bendu’s credibility. If it is not, the country deserves to know.
Sierra Leone is already confronting complex economic challenges that demand strong institutions and highly competent technical leadership. The Ministry of Finance cannot afford to have a critical economic policy position treated as an ordinary appointment where competence becomes secondary to convenience, connections or administrative discretion. Putting the wrong person in the wrong position is not merely a personnel problem; in a position as sensitive as Chief Economist, it can become a national policy problem. That is why Parliament, civil society and all relevant oversight institutions must insist on due diligence now, not after economic decisions have already been affected. Sierra Leoneans deserve to know whether the person entrusted with such responsibility is demonstrably qualified, experienced and properly appointed. If we fail to ask the difficult questions today, we risk putting a square peg in a round hole and the consequences may be paid by the entire country.
