Source: New Democrat
As the nation yearns for President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf to reveal the full slate of her new government, she has assured that appointment this time will reflect ethnic and gender balance, while former officials who performed with integrity in the past government, are likely to resurface in the new administration.
The President did not say how she will effect this but argument has already begun in several quarters that two cabinet ministers appointed in the first batch of officials are from Lofa County, suggesting that the county might get the biggest chunk of the appointment.
Making the first announcement Thursday, President Sirleaf said, "...we will try as much as possible to have a balance in county, gender and ethnic representation."
But she added: "our overarching principle is to appoint those who have performed and those who have the requisite competence, commitment, integrity and good human relations."
She appointed Acting Finance Minster Augustine Ngafuan (Lofa) as Foreign Minister, Acting Planning and Economic Affairs Minister Asmara Konneh (Gbarpolu) as Finance Minister, re-nominated Defense Minister Brownie Samukai (Lofa) to remain in his post while Acting Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah (Grand Bassa County) was named new Presidential press secretary, replacing Mr. Cyrus W. Badio.
Before heading the Finance Ministry, Ngafuan served as Director of Bureau of the Budget and Board member of LBDI (Liberia Bank for Development & Investment). He earlier worked as Assistant Manager at the Central Bank of Liberia (CBL).
Mr. Jerolinmek Piah rose from Deputy Information Minister for Public Affairs, to become Presidential press secretary.
He entered the information ministry from Assistant Minister for Planning and Administration at the Ministry of Gender and Development.
Mr. Piah, who has MA in International Studies from the IBB of the University of Liberia, earlier served as national coordinator of the National Child Rights Observatory Group.
Mr. Konneh served as Deputy Chief of Staff to President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf for Policy and Communications, where he spearheaded several initiatives including reforming the management practices at the Ministry of State through a performance improvement program.
He also coordinated the development of policies and communications strategy. In this capacity, he helped to organize Liberia's first conference on ICT4D that brought ICT giants such as Microsoft, Cisco, and others to Liberia.
Konneh he earned a master's degree in Public Administration from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
Minister Samukai, a former chief of police, who received training in Israel and the United States in political and economic development, served as commander of the 'Black Berets', a paramilitary force in defense the Interim Government of National Unity headed by Dr. Amos Sawyer during the war.
He also served as security officer with the United Nations, initially in Timor Leste, and later from 2000 he was with UNHCR and the UN Department of Safety and Security in Dar es Salaam, responsible for refugee resettlement in Tanzania.
