Concord Times (Freetown)
Bhoyy Jalloh
4 January 2008
State House Monday announced the appointment of Alpha Kholifa Koroma as chief immigration officer replacing Alice Kamara.
The President also appointed Jacob Kanu chairman National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) replacing Andrew Keili and chief executive officer of Sam-King Services Wilfred Sam-King is now the new chairman of the Sierra Leone Insurance Commission.
President Koroma has over the weekend declared that the lowering of the stop-logs and the closing of the left tunnel at the Bumbuna Hydro project site was the beginning of the end of the longest hydro project in human history.
Koroma stated that he was delighted that experts have certified the design and construction of the dam as in keeping with international standards.
"We can say that it is safe and we have every reason to believe we can proceed from this point to its completion," he said, adding that by the end of 2007, the country would be receiving electricity from Bumbuna.
He seized the opportunity to appeal to the local people to be vigilant in safeguarding the site's equipment from thieves and asked them to form vigilante groups for this purpose.
The President thanked donor partners, including DfID, World Bank, and the African Development Bank "who came to our rescue when the appeal was made for the funds to complete the project." He also thanked the contractors (Salcost) whom he said "have had enough of Bumbuna" and should look for other projects to work on in the country.
Koroma said: "Today we are lowering the stop-logs and closing the left tunnel. From this moment, the circumstances of the project will change, Bumbuna will change, and we are entering the point of no return.
From this moment, we will be assured that Bumbuna is indeed a reality." Meanwhile, the President was yesterday Grand Chief Patron at the 30 Annual General Meeting and Educational Conference of the West African Insurance Companies Associates (WAICA) themed: "The Relevance and Role of WAICA in the Economic Development and Integration of West Africa." Giving the keynote address, President Koroma said as former President of WAICA and a product of the insurance industry, he was having fond memories as he was seeing dear friends, colleagues and lecturers from the sub-region. The President appealed to the insurers to face the challenges of improving the lot of West Africans by creating mergers and mega companies, designing and developing new products to reflect the changing environment, and to help bring the informal sector into the mainstream financial sector. Closing, the President said, "Be assured that you have not lost me. You can always be guaranteed of my personal support. I am still very much a member of WAICA," to a standing ovation.
The President also officially launched the organization's journal, which carries his citation as Personality Profile.
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