BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY
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Profile
Alhaji Momodu Koroma-1
Born on the 12th September, 1956 in Mamboma, Jaiama Borgor Chiefdom in the Bo District to the late Madam Mamie Kassay, a native of Mamboma and the late Alhaji Momoh Koroma who hailed from Makabie village, Yoni chiefdom in the Tonkolili District. Madam Mamie Kassay was a Mende, born to the late Section Chief Lahai Kassay of Tongowa section in the Jaiama-Bongor Chiefdom.
Education
* Primary education in Bo
* Bo Government Secondary School, - GCE O Level – 1966 – 71
* Christ the King College in Bo, GCE advanced Level Certificate – 1971 – 73
* Njala University College – Bachelor of Science Degree in Education with Physics as a Major and Mathematics as a Minor, 1975 – 1978
* University of Reading, UK – graduated with a Master of Science Degree in Meteorology/Atmospheric Physics.
* Certificate in statistical analysis of Climate data.
In 1987, proceeded to the United Kingdom to pursue a postgraduate program at Sussex University in Energy, Science and Technology Policy Studies as part of a research project conducted the West African Science and Technology Policy Studies (WATPS)
Employment and Service to the Nation
Bank Clerk at the then Barclay’s Bank in Bo just after leaving school in 1974.
After graduation in 1978 he first served as a teacher at Christ the King College for a brief period before proceeding to Njala University College to serve as a Research and Teaching Assistant from 1979 – 1981.
Lecturer Physics Department, Njala University College, University of Sierra Leone – 1984 – 1991.
Also served as a lecturer in Mathematics and later as acting head of the Department of Mathematics from 1992 – 1995.
He was also active in Research in Solar Energy and Environmental Physics within the University as well at the International Center for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy. He was also, at one time in his academic career, an Associate Researcher of the Third World Academy of Sciences. He collaborated with other Academics in several research projects including Technological Change Management at the Sierra Leone Oil Refinery.
Appointed Minister of State, Presidential Affairs and Public Service and later as Minister of Presidential Affairs from 1998 – 2002.
Also Acting Minister of Energy and Power for almost a year.
As Minister of Presidential Affairs, he was the Political Assistant to the President in his Office. He also had the good fortune of initiating the Good Governance and Public Service Reform Program which later led to the establishment of the Anti Corruption Commission, the Security Sector Reform Program, the Privatization of State Assets, Judicial Reform Program and the reform of the Civil Service. He also directly supervised the Public Sector Management Support Project (PSMS) funded by the World Bank. In his capacity as Minister of Presidential Affairs, he served on several crucial state bodies like the Defense Council, the National Security Council and a number of donor partnership committees.
Instrumental in establishing the Government House in Conakry as the nerve center of the Government in exile. He was also instrumental in hosting the only international conference of the exiled government, a move that focused international attention on the atrocities and the excesses of the junta and subsequently the plight of our people. He also worked relentlessly with the UNDP during that period to develop five project proposals that received attention from the UN when the Government was returned to power.
Appointed as Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in the SLPP Government and served in that ministry from 2002 – 2007 and on a number of occasions acted as Finance, Transport and Communication and Local Government Minister.
As Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, he was the Principal Adviser to the President on Foreign Relations. He served on the Executive Councils of ECOWAS, the Manor River Union, the African Union and the Organisation of Islamic States as well as the Commonwealth Ministerial Committee.
As the first Post-Conflict Foreign Minister, he initiated a lot of high-level diplomatic contacts that led to the re-engagement of several multilateral and bilateral ties which resulted in several donor funded programs for the country and the establishment of new diplomatic relations.
During Alhaji Koroma’s tenure as Foreign Minister, the Ministry in conjunction with the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) developed the Peace Consolidation Strategy, a document that facilitated Sierra Leone’s adoption as the first candidate of the United Nations Peace Building Commission which was set up to address the problems experienced by post-conflict countries. Alhaji Koroma also led negotiations for the first allocation of funds from the UN Peace Building Fund.
In order to ensure that Africa benefits from the 2004 proposed United Nations reforms, the African Union set up a Committee of ten to negotiate with other regional blocks at UN. During Alhaji Koroma’s tenure as Foreign Minister, Sierra Leone was elected Chair of the Committee of ten. He therefore became the Chairman of the Africa Union Ministerial Committee of ten for the reform of the United Nations.
In India, he signed the first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), with the Government of India for technical and financial assistance to Sierra Leone in the areas of Agriculture, Water and Telecommunications.
One outstanding achievement of Alhaji Koroma was the consolidation of the relationship with the Peoples Republic of China after the civil war. During that period, he signed agreements for a new office complex for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a new sports complex in Bo, a new referral hospital at Jui, etc.
Alhaji Koroma also signed the first MOU with the EXIM Bank of China for the support to the Telecommunications project between Huawai Technologies of China and SIERRATEL that has now resulted in the GSM and CDMA network in Sierra Leone.
Alhaji Koroma was very instrumental in securing the Kingdom of Morocco’s support to the electricity sector, as well as the Libyan Government’s support to the Transport and Agricultural sectors.
On leaving office in 2007, Alhaji Koroma established a Consultancy called Future Standards as 17 Campbell Street.
Researchers on ICT policy with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) in Addis Ababa.
Alhaji Koroma is also one of the few Africans invited twice (2008, 2009) to do a presentation at the Annual World Policy Conference, an international Think Tank on Global Policy formulation in the areas of Development, Security and International Peace, Good Governance and the Environment.
Service to the Party and Political Activism
Alhaji Momodu Koroma first became an active member of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) when he was elected to the Party Executive of the student branch of the Party at Njala University College in 1977.
During his student days, he supported and campaigned for many SLPP candidates during the 1977 General Elections. He was Polling Agent in the Moyamba North Constituency in the 1977 General Elections.
As a lecturer at Njala University College, remained an active ‘underground’ member of the party during the days of the one-party system, to the extent that when the ban was lifted on political pluralism in 1990, he resigned his post in the University to become the first Regional Organizing Secretary of the SLPP in the South in the post one party period. He was also slated by the party to contest the parliamentary seat of the then Constituency of Bo South1.
During the period of the Military Junta of the NPRC, Alhaji Koroma was again an active member of the ‘underground’ movement that furthered the objectives of the party to keep it alive. As soon as the ban on multi-party politics was lifted in 1995, Alhaji Koroma was part of the Interim Executive that revitalized the party throughout the country. In the process, he became the Secretary of the Constitutional Review Committee that drafted the 1995 version of the current party constitution.
Ensuring Victory - QUOTES FROM M.K.
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“The coming elections are going to be about comparing the record of President Kabba’s Administration, particularly the last 5 years of that administration, with the record of the current government. In 2007, there was hardly any other record to compare with. What record there was could hardly be remembered by the older folks, much less the youths who never witnessed or heard of the APC record. So the APC opposition then had a field day to paint our Government ‘black’ in the face of extreme hardship and the concomitant rising expectations after the war".
“I believe that having served in the core of the SLPP Government from 1996 – 2007, and haven been privy to the delivery of government services and the inner workings of government, I stand the best chance of challenging the current government at the elections".
“Although Sierra Leone is a secular state and any elected President is duty bound to adopt a secular attitude to all religious matters, it is however a fact that 70% of the country’s population, including me, are Muslims. That is fact that cannot be swept under the carpet".
“I also have the advantage of being fluent in Mende and Temne having being born to parents from those tribes. I stand a chance of neutralizing the tribal divide in the voting pattern of Sierra Leonean politics".
“Having contested as Vice Presidential candidate in the 2007 elections, I am of the conviction that I am a household name in the country that needs no further introduction, an attribute that will put me in good stead against an incumbent President".
“given my age, I can relate to the youths, who can relate better to someone not too far removed from them demographically speaking".
“I am a familiar face in many diplomatic circles and the donor community. I believe I can be trusted and respected by them.”
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