Front page commentary by Aruna Turay
The noise about Sierra Leone’s Inspector General of Sierra Leone Police, Ambrose Michael Sovulareaching 61 years today Tuesday 24th August, 2021 filled the air in the past days.
It is no secret that at 61 years, civil servants should resign from public office but what if these civil servants still have the gas and experience it takes to run the office? I ask.Should we still kick them out and deprive them from serving their country diligently? I ask again.
All of us can honestly accept that before Sovula’s appointment, our Police Force suffered a massive decline in public confidence of our service delivery.
Against this difficult backdrop, his challenge was on how to provide an excellent and improved service delivery for the citizens of this country which he has successfully achieved to a large extent.
Sovula put up the desire to uplift the Force from its former abysmal status to one of envy right now, in spite of the challenges he inherited.
With collective responsibility in partnership with local communities’ and the established Police Partnership Boards nationwide,Sovula confidently mobilised efforts to restore Public Confidence in the Police.
The Sierra Leone Police has no doubt come a long way with tremendous support from the Government of Sierra Leone and International partners – all in an effort directed towards capacitating the Force to adequately handle internal security.
As national security has come to be viewed as an important ingredient and a necessary precondition for development, it must be noted that the SLP under the leadership of IG Sovulahas played a greater role to achieving a peaceful society.
The Sierra Leone Police in its drive towards professionalism with IG Sovulahas been branded as a ‘Force for Good’ which has already raised expectations of the people of Sierra Leone.
The Sierra Leone Police under Sovula’scommand as its Inspector General has regained public confidence and relevance in the New Direction Agenda of President Julius Maada Bio, after the general morale within the Force was already been greatly dampened for obvious reasons.
Sovula’s leadership has addressed the welfare needs of serving personnel including improved conditions of service, improved Medicare services, improved accommodation facility with a good greater percentage of personnel now accommodated in police barracks, improved transportation for conveying personnel to and from work, adequate uniform supplies for personnel, regular rice supply, improved recreational facilities, appropriate shift systems with day off, leaves, among others.
Please let the IG be and work until it ple4ases the president!!
