In the absence of vice president Sam Sumana who is away in the United States, and n the event that President Kroroma left for Abuja for serious and regional summit meeting, Speaker of Parliament, Abel Stronge was sworn in as president, as per the Constitution, 1991.
President Ernest Bai Koroma left the shores of Sierra Leone on Monday, June 16, 2009 to attend the regional workshop for the harmonization of public finance statistics in Abuja, Nigeria. The President and entourage will return home on Thursday.
Meanwhile, as Vice President Sam Sumana was also out of the country, Speaker of Parliament Justice Abel Stronge has been sworn in to act as President at a ceremony at State House today. The oath-taking ceremony was administered by the Chief Justice, Umu Hawa Tejan -Jalloh.
Quoting from the 1991 Constitution, Secretary to the President E B Osho-Coker said Section 54 6 states that whenever the President or Vice President are both for any reason unable to perform the functions of the President, the Speaker of Parliament shall perform those functions, and shall take and subscribe to the oath of office as set out in the second schedule before commencing to perform those functions.
After administering the oath, Chief Justice Tejan Jalloh congratulated the acting President on behalf of the people of Sierra Leone and on her own personal behalf, saying that with him at the helm, all will definitely go well.
Responding, Acting President Abel Stronge thanked the Chief Justice for the sentiments expressed and promised to uphold the Constitution.
The occasion was witnessed by the Minister of Presidential Affairs Joseph Koroma, Minister of Marine Resources Afsatu Kabba, and State House officials.
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