We reproduce the press statement from the Government of Sierra Leone on the recent relieving of his post of the Minister of Energy and Water Resources, Professor Ogunade Davidson . The statement mentioned nothing about “Non-Performance ” . Where did the NEW PEOPLE’ s National Correspondent get it that the government had said Professor Davidson was dismissed for non-performance , which warranted what the paper wrote under the headline : “COCORIOKO CONTRADICTS PRESIDENTIAL PRESS GOVERNMENT ON LAST WEEK’S SACK OF SIERRA LEONE’S ENERGY MINISTER ” ?
The NEW PEOPLE wrote :
“Cocorioko, the main online propaganda mouthpiece of President Ernest Koroma’s corruption and violence tainted regime, has contradicted last week’s press release from the president which gave “non performance” as the sole reason for his decision to sack former Energy Minister Prof. Ogunlade Davidson. ”
“A foreign embassy diplomat in Freetown who read the story instantly reacted in total disbelief, saying: “Where on earth can a president worth his salt dismiss his main minister who leads his regime’s number one priority (Energy in his “Agenda for Change”) without any reason”.
“However, the Cocorioko cover up came in too little and too late as local and international press houses such as Sierra Express Media, Reuters and Africa Young Voices have been swift in either reporting the president’s “non-performance” excuse as stated in his press release, or investigating with solid evidence the plausibility, truth and accuracy of this excuse as standard practices in professional journalism require.”
GOVERNMENT PRESS STATEMENT
THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORMED THAT HIS EXCELLENCY THE
PRESIDENT HAS DEEMED IT NECESSARY TO RELIEVE PROF. OGUNLADE
DAVIDSON OF HIS DUTIES AS MINISTER OF ENERGY AND WATER RESOURCES
WITH IMMEDIATE EFFECT. IN CONSEQUENCE THEREOF, IT HAS PLEASED HIS
EXCELLENCY TO APPOINT MR OLUNIYI ROBBIN-COKER AS MINISTER OF ENERGY
AND WATER RESOURCES, SUBJECT TO THE APPROVAL OF PARLIAMENT.
END
STATE HOUSE
FREETOWN 24TH JANUARY, 2012
