MONROVIA, Montserrado – President George Weah has made 29 new appointments in government. The appointments according to the executive mansion take effect as of Friday, when the names of the newly appointed officials were released.
Those appointed include Dean Julius Sawolo Nelson as president of the University of Liberia; Edwin Juah, assistant minister for European Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Esiaka Sheriff, assistant minister for research, planning, and development at the Ministry of Agriculture; and George Gontor and William Thompson, II, deputy minister for energy, and assistant minister for energy, respectively.
| Ministry/ institution | Appointee | Position |
| Ministry of Foreign Affairs | Edwin Juah | Asst. Minister for European Affairs |
| Ministry of Internal Affairs | Esiaka Sheriff | Asst. Minister for Research, Planning & Development |
| Ministry of Mines and Energy | George Gontor | Deputy Minister for Energy |
| Ministry of Agriculture | William T. Thompson II | Assist. Minister for Energy |
| Ministry of National Defense | Tarplah Davis | Deputy Minister for Operations |
| Ministry of Post & Telecom. | Varney Okai | Deputy Minister for Operations |
| Ministry of Public Works | Macarthur Hilton | Assit. Minister for Rural Development |
| Civil Law Court | J. Kennedy Peabody | Resident Judge, 6th Judicial Circuit Court |
| Liberia Embassy in Washington DC | Al Jerome Chede | Minister Counselor for Press |
| Liberia Ant-Corruption Comm. | Nbuduis Nwabudike | Chair |
| Kanio Bai Gbala | Vice Chairperson | |
| Charles Gibson | Commissioner | |
| LIBTELCO Board | George Howe | Member |
| Chicago Broght | Member | |
| Alexander Zoe | Member | |
| Civil Service Agency | Teetee Pailey | Deputy Director General for Adm. |
| Rural Renewable Energy | Joseph T. Williams | Executive Director |
| Liberia Agency for Comm. Emp. | Mariama M. Koon | Deputy Executive Director |
| Liberia Medicine & Health Products Regulatory Authority | Keturah Chupee Smith | Executive Director |
| Center for National Documents and Record Agency ( CNDRA) | Emmanuel Lomax | Director General |
| National Food Assistance Agency | C. Neileh Daitauoh | Director |
| National Housing Authority | Henry Clarke | Depurt Managing Director for Oper. |
| Mittal Operating Company | Gonsahn Matardy | Board Member (Gov’t representative) |
| Liberia Electricity Corporation | Charles Gibson | Board member |
| National Oil Company of Liberia | Richard B. Devine | Board Chairman |
| Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company | Rnadolph Cooper | Board Chairman |
| University of Liberia | Julius Sawolo Nelson | President |
Earlier, Weah appointed Edwin Harris as Director-General of the Financial Intelligence Unit to replace outgoing Director-General Alex Cuffy, whose tenure expired two months ago.
Harris’ appointment is still pending confirmation from the senate, as it is required by law.
According to the Executive Mansion, Harris holds a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A. and brings more than eight years of progressive work experience in the regulatory agency, anti-corruption, and anti-money laundering consultancy.
“He has skills and broad knowledge in policy formulation, research and other anti-corruption strategies from the public and private sectors. He also has vast knowledge and understanding of the Patriot Act, European Union Directives, U.K. Bribery Act and other international protocols on anti-money laundering and countering terrorist financing,†the executive mansion said in a release.
The release also revealed that the president is confident that the new Financial Intelligence Unit director general’s institutional knowledge as lead consultant of the unit between 2012 and 2014, coupled with his education and “impeccable experience,†will play a vital role in advancing the principles of the institution.
Featured photo by Gbatemah Senah
