March 22, 2016 By Sayoh Kamara
Following his recent reassignment as Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone from Minister of Finance and Economic Development, Dr. Kaifala Marah has thanked his boss, President Ernest Bai Koroma for his continued trust in him and has made it crystal clear that he is very much pleased with his boss’s decision to re-assign him.
Dr. Marah was brought into government by President Koroma from a very lucrative and respectable job in the Commonwealth in 2010 to first serve as Chief of Staff, then Minister of Finance and Economic Development and now as Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone. In his two previous assignments, Dr. Marah proved beyond all reasonable doubt that he was not mistaken for the jobs.
As Chief of Staff, he raised the profile of that office, which was very new in the political architecture of Sierra Leone governments to an extent that people considered the office as haven usurped the functions of the office of Vice President.
Also as Minister of Finance and Economic Development, he is on record as haven instituted more financial and fiscal policy reforms than any other Minister of Finance and Economic Development in recent times. His reforms helped navigate the country’s sinking economy during the ebola crisis which is the most remarkably noticeable feat of his tenure.
Observers say, based on his very impressive working track record, he will change the face of the Bank of Sierra Leone and raise its profile once again as the determinant of the country’s monetary policy.
In spite of the mixed feelings with which his recent reassignment was received by the general public, Dr. Marah has assured his compatriots and fellow Bridgers, “I wish to let you know that I am very much pleased with the decision of the President.” He assured Sierra Leoneans that he is looking forward to his new role.
“I am therefore looking forward to the new role when my appointment is endorsed by Parliament shortly. Together with the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development we will tackle the challenges confronting our post Ebola economic recovery and put it once again on a sounder footing,” Dr. Marah has indicated.
He goes to the Bank of Sierra Leone with his mind firmly fixed on how to transform Sierra Leone’s economy, more particularly on how to diversify the economy such that public sector is able to contribute considerably to the country’s socio-economic emancipation by way of employment and the provision of social services without too much resort to government coffers.
He explained his new role as thus: “I am tempted to share with you (although some of us already know this) that the Ministry of Finance and Economic Development deals with Planning and Fiscal Policy among others; which is one side of the economy, and the Bank of Sierra Leone handles Monetary Policy, which is the other side of the economy. These are two sides of a coin that are mutually interrelated, as one cannot go without the other,” adding that whilst the Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone does not sit in Cabinet, the role is equally an important one in the management of the economy.
Insofar as the two posts are concern, they do not matter to Dr. Marah as much. To him, it about learning something new and rendering national service. In that regard, he noted, “… sometimes in life, we move on to new roles as part of the big picture of national delivery. The biggest rooms in the world perhaps are learning and national service. And there is no end to both.”
He therefore invited his compatriots “to kindly join me thank President Koroma for providing me the unique opportunity to serve as his Chief of Staff at State House, his Minister Finance and Economic Development and now his Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone. Placing someone in these positions, you will agree with me, comes with trust,” and invited all and sundry to join him celebrate his achievements.