By Foday Moriba Conteh
In a surprising turn of events, a smear campaign against former Minister of Transport and Aviation, Kabineh Kallon, has backfired spectacularly. Allegations from within the National Revenue Authority (NRA) suggested that staff members feared his potential appointment as Board Chairman would expose their involvement in corrupt activities. This led to a concerted effort to tarnish his reputation through newspaper calumny.
Last week, unsubstantiated rumors about the former Minister’s appointment fueled a wave of negative press. Numerous newspapers, disregarding journalistic ethics of truth, accuracy, and objectivity, devoted their front pages to malign Kabineh Kallon based on mere speculation. The vitriol and misinformation in those reports are reminiscent of the unfair media attacks faced by President Julius Maada Bio during his run for the SLPP flagbearership.
Despite these efforts, Kabineh Kallon’s track record speaks for itself. As Transport Minister, he oversaw the successful World Bank IRUMP project, introducing the Waka Fine buses and reviewing the Autospect contract to make it more people-friendly. His leadership revolutionized operations at the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) and improved the Port Authority and Marine Agency.
The accusations that Kabineh Kallon would damage the NRA only highlight the ignorance of those behind the smear campaign about the role of a Board Chairman. It is the Managing Directors and in the case of the NRA, the Commissioner General who handle the day-to-day operations, not the Board Chairman. The former Minister’s role would be to provide policy guidance and political leadership, not to manage daily activities.
The orchestrated campaign to destroy Kabineh Kallon’s reputation has ultimately failed, exposing the baseless claims and the ignorance of those making them. The NRA remains staffed by professional tax collectors and policy experts committed to maximizing revenue generation.
To those behind this defamatory campaign, their actions are now on record knowing that their mischief will not be forgotten.
