By Foday Moriba Conteh
At the official handing over ceremony and presentation of a comprehensive Handing-Over-Note, outlining the Ministry’s mandate, functions to the newly appointed Minister of Works and Public Assets, Dr. Denis Sandy, the erstwhile Minister of Works and Public Assets, Hon. Peter Bayuku Konteh has highlighted the achievements made with the available resources and manpower during his tenure as Minister of Works and Public Assets.
The former Minister, in his heartfelt speech, expressed gratitude for the opportunity given to him by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio to serve in his Government over the past five years, first as Minister of Trade & Industry and later as Minister of Works & Public Assets.
He said despite facing numerous challenges, the Ministry made some achievements with the available resources and manpower which he has highlighted in his Handing-Over-Note and to also provide the new Minister and Deputy Minister with a detailed understanding of the Ministry’s structure, agencies under its supervision, and financial standing.
Hon. Konteh categorically stated that during his tenure as Minister he had never sold any Government asset, granted freehold to anyone, approved unauthorized construction on Government land, or rented confiscated houses. The Ministry’s Internal Audit Unit had diligently cross-checked the items in his office, ensuring transparency and accountability.
He informed the Minister that in the Handing- over- Note, he will find: the Mandate, Mission, Vision, Functions, and Structure of the Ministry, the Agencies that the Ministry is supposed to supervise: SLRA and NGPAC, the key activities and on-going tasks have also been outlined, a report on the financial standing of the Ministry and the Successes and Challenges are also highlighted.
To address any further inquiries, Hon. Konteh directed individuals to the appropriate authorities. Questions related to Government assets were to be directed to the National Assets and Government Property Commission, while road contracts and payments should be addressed to the Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) Management. Financial and project-related queries were to be directed to the Permanent Secretary and the Professional Head of the Ministry.
Hon. Konteh expressed his gratitude to the dedicated staff of the Ministry, acknowledging their professionalism and hard work. He commended the Permanent Secretary, Secretaries, Office Assistants, Budget Officer, Accountant, Procurement Officer, Personal Secretary, and IT Unit for their contributions to the Ministry’s achievements. Their commitment had been instrumental in driving progress and delivering quality services.
As Hon. Konteh concluded his speech, he quoted the 13th-century Iranian poet Rumi, emphasizing the importance of personal growth and self-reflection. While his time as Minister came to an end, his dedication to being a useful citizen and a committed member of the Sierra Leone Peoples Party remains unwavering.
The ceremony concluded with well-wishes extended to the new Minister and Deputy Minister, along with a call for the entire staff to provide their full support as they embark on their new responsibilities.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Works and Public Assets, J.C Jones, in her welcome address, said Hon. Peter Bayuku Konteh’s tenure as Minister of Works & Public Assets will be remembered for his dedication to serving the country and his commitment to transparent and accountable governance, adding that the Ministry now enters a new chapter under the leadership of the incoming Minister and Deputy Minister, who will undoubtedly build upon the foundations laid by their predecessor.
The Director General of Sierra Leone Roads Authority, Amara Kanneh, commended the Minister of Works and Public Assets, Peter Bayuku Konteh for his good working relationship with the Sierra Leone Roads Authority during his tenure as Minister of Works.
He said the former Minister will be remembered as an innovative Minister, adding that during his tenure as Minister of Trade & Industry he championed the local content policy.
Amara Kanneh assured the new Minister that the Sierra Leone Roads Authority will work with him in order to achieve the mandate of the Ministry further using the opportunity to brief the incoming Minister of ongoing road construction projects in the country.
The Chairman of the National Assets and Government Property Commission, Abu Hindolo Maseray expressed appreciation to the outgoing Minister of Works and Public Assets, Peter Bayuku Konteh for his good work at the Ministry.
He also congratulated the newly appointed Minister of Works and Public Assets, Dr. Denis Sandy assuring the newly appointed Minister of Works that the Commission will work with him wholeheartedly as they have been doing in the past.
In his maiden statement as Minister of Works and Public Assets, Dr. Denis Sandy expressed appreciation to His Excellency, President Julius Maada Bio for appointing him as the 5th Minister of Works and Public Assets.
He however thanked all the past Ministers of the Ministry of Works and Public Assets which includes Alimamy P. Koroma, Alhaji Kemoh Sesay, Raymond E. D. de’Souza George and the new out gone Minister Peter Bayuku Konteh for their contributions towards the development of the Ministry over the years.
“I am not here to change anybody; am just here to recalibrate the way you have been doing things and tailor in direct concert in the aspirations of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio and in line with the New Direction Manifesto. As Minister of Works and Public Assets I will work with all of you here including all agencies under the Ministry,” he disclosed.
He informed the gathering that he is a field orientated individual who is ready to work in order to realize that which has been handed over to him.
“I have set my agenda; look at the potholes here in the capital Freetown. Series of potholes from Circular Road even the road His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio is plying. The first thing we have to do is to ensure that the President is pleased with the Ministry of Works by him avoiding all those potholes so he can drive comfortably in the Western Area,” he maintained.
