She made this statement at the well of parliament, which was turned into a cultural festive show as supporters of various presidential nominees adorned in red and cultural performances of all sorts were done outside the Well.
After their scrutiny last week by members of the Parliamentary Committee on Appointment and the Public Service, the word “proposed” was automatically changed to “confirmed” through the powers of the House of Parliament.
The newly approved persons are: Alimamy Phillip Koroma, Ambassador to China; Captain Rtd Abdul Rahman Kamara, Deputy Minister of Defence; Dr. Sylvia Blyden, Ministry of Social Welfare Gender and Children’s Affairs; Bai Mahmoud Bangura, Minister of Youth Affairs; Mr. Monfred M. Sesay, Justice of the Court of Appeal; Nanette Thomas, Minister of Political and Public Affairs;  Sidi Yaya Tunis, Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs; Mr Ahmed Khanou, Minister of Sport and Mamoud Tarawally, Deputy Minister of Lands.
Presenting the presidential nominees for approval, the Majority Leader of Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Bundu disclosed that his presentation was based on the fourth report of the fourth session of the Committee on Appointment and the Public Service and that it is a unanimous decision to present the nominees for approval to occupy their various institutions at home and abroad.
In a jam parked parliament, Hon Ibrahim Bundu said that “at this stage, I want to take this opportunity to thank members of the public who contributed to the vetting process by providing relevant information to assist the Committee. By your contributions, you enriched the hearings and I wish to thank you and to encourage you to continue doing so”.
Making his submission on the nominees, Hon. Komba Koedoyema said the nominees have passed the test, stating that they only hope that they will not repeat those past mistakes by others, adding that the approved persons should not see the appointment as a payback but rather as a call to duty to serve this nation.
While Hon. Foday Rado Yokie was cautioning the approved ministers not to “see themselves as the ‘be all and end all’ but rather they should work with their deputies side by side, Hon. Bernadette Lahai was commending the President for appointing the highest number of women this time.
She said a lot of praises and good things have been said about all the approved persons, stating that they should know that the institutions they have been assigned to form the fabric of the nation’s development and therefore they should work in the interest of the country.
These nominees will enter their official duties after they have taken and subscribed to an oath that will be administered by President Koroma.