Richard Konteh
Dr. Richard Konteh | |
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| Former Chief of Staff to President Ernest Bai Koroma | |
| Preceded by | Kaifala Marah |
| Succeeded by | Saidu Conton-Sesay |
| Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development | |
| Preceded by | Dr. James D. Rogers |
| Succeeded by | Mabinty Daramy |
| Minister of Trade and Industry | |
| Preceded by | David Carew |
| Succeeded by | Usman Boie Kamara |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 4 February 1963 Gbendembu Village, Sierra Leone |
| Political party | All People's Congress |
| Spouse(s) |
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| Children | Iyerich Richard Jr. |
| Residence | Freetown, Sierra Leone |
| Alma mater | Njala University |
| Religion | Christianity (Wesleyan) |
| Website | [1] |
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| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Sierra Leone |
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Legislative |
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Richard Konteh (born Feb 04, 1963) is a Sierra Leonean educator, public servant, a businessman and a man of great faith. He is an expert in development planning; management; peace building; conflict resolution; advocacy and governance.
Born in Gbendembu Village in the Gbendembu Ngowahun Chiefdom, Bombali District, Northern Province. He married his wife Isatu Zama Konteh (nee Sankoh) in 1992. Together they have two children: Iyerich and Richard Jr. Richard has a bachelor's degree, a post-graduate diploma and a master’s degree from Njala University, as well as a master's degree, a post-graduate diploma and a doctoral degree from the University of Dortmund in Germany. He taught English and Geography at the Wesleyan Secondary School in Kamakwie for 2 years and lectured at Njala University College from 1993 to 2003. He also worked as Programme Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation for the Catholic Relief Services (CRS) Sierra Leone between 2000 and 2003, and later worked as Programme Manager for ECOWAS/UNDP Regional Programme from 2003 to 2005 in Peace building and Post Conflict Reconstruction in West Africa.
Dr. Richard Konteh joined the public service when he was first appointed to Cabinet as Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development by President Ernest Bai Koroma shortly after his election on 17 September 2007.[1] He was later appointed Minister of Trade and Industry[2] in 2010, and Chief of Staff in the Office of the President[3] in 2013. In this role, Richard championed a number of economic and business-friendly reforms.
Konteh has announced his candidacy for the leadership of the All People's Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 Sierra Leone presidential and parliamentary elections. He is one of several candidates for the APC leadership. Konteh’s campaign (Richard Konteh 2023 (D-Unifier) Campaign)[4] promote unity with the slogan “We All Nar Wan” which means “We Are All One Unity Family.”
Early life and education
Early life
Born in Gbendembu Ngowahun Chiefdom (a multicultural settlement with significant number of Loko, Temne, Fula and Mandingo tribes), Richard Konteh is the son of Kanda Barnet Konteh, a Head Teacher and school Administrator for the Wesleyan Church Sierra Leone Primary Schools, and Alice Boroma Konteh, a business woman. Konteh has eight siblings, Steven, Agnes, William, Hudson, Elizabeth, Philip (late) and Edna (late).
Konteh was born into a Christian family in the predominantly Muslim north. He became a strong Christian and member of the Wesleyan Church in Sierra Leone (WCSL) - a protestant Christian denomination with presence in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, South Africa, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Indonesia, Asia, and Australia. Konteh helped the expansion and growth of the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone when he served as Associate Director of Planning and Development in 1992 and 1993.
Education
Konteh attended several primary schools in the Northern Region as his father who was a teacher moved many times around the region. He mostly attended the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone Primary Schools in the surrounding villages between Gbendembu and Kamakwie, before his parents sent him to St. Francis Secondary School in Makeni where he attended secondary School. Between 1980 and 1982, young Richard served the Kamakwie community as an Assistant Teacher with the Wesleyan Secondary School. He furthered his education at the Njala University College in1986 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education. Upon graduation, Konteh returned again to serve the Kamakwie community as a full time teacher at the Wesleyan Secondary School in Kamakwie in 1986 where he taught for two years.
In 1991, Konteh enrolled for a postgraduate degree in Development Planning and Management, in the faculty of Spatial Planning at the University of Dortmund in Germany. Through a scholarship offered by the university, Konteh pursued a Master of Science Degree in Development Planning and Management, jointly offered by the University of Dortmund, Germany, and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi, Ghana. In 1994, Konteh went on to study Energy Planning and the Environment at the Center for Development and the Environment, University of Oslo, Norway, where he earned a post-graduate diploma. In 1996, Richard returned to Sierra Leone and pursued another Master of Arts in Education, specializing in Geography at the Njala University College, University of Sierra Leone. In 1999, Richard earned a Doctorate Degree (PhD) in Spatial Planning (Specializing in Development Coordination) from the University of Dortmund in Germany.
In-between life and work, Konteh continued to educate himself in short courses and certificates; in the year 2000, he earned certificates in Small Scale Industries Promotion; and Public Relations in Project Work with the Association for Development Assistance (AGEH) in Cologne, Germany. That same year, he earned another certificate in Non-violent CONFLICT PREVENTION THROUGH EARLY WARNING AND EARLY RESPONSE organized jointly by the West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP), the Forum on Early Warning and Early Response (FEWER) in the United Kingdom, CEIP in Canada and FAST 1 Switzerland. In 2002, he also earned a certificate in conflict resolution, peacebuilding and reconciliation jointly awarded by the Kroc Institute, University of Notre Dame and Catholic Relief Services conducted at the University of Notre Dame in the United States of America.
Professional career
Richard Konteh’s professional career started with the Wesleyan Church of Sierra Leone (WCSL) where he served as Associate Director of Planning and Development from 1992 to 1993. His role helped WCSL expand its community and education development projects.
In October 1994, Konteh joined GEKO – Sierra Leone as executive director, where he directed and helped coordinate the activities of the NGO which is an affiliate of GEKO e.V in Germany. GEKO’s focus is in the field of development aid to make an alternative contribution to the aid of all kinds.
Between May 2000 and July 2002, Konteh was the Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, for the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) in Babadorie, Freetown. He was responsible for setting up the monitoring and evaluation system of ADRA-Sierra Leone, proposal development and monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes implemented by the agency.
Konteh joined the Catholic Relief Services - Sierra Leone (CRS-SL) in August 2000 as Programme Manager, Monitoring and Evaluation; Justice and Peace. Upon assumption of duty, he set up the M&E Unit for the organization. He also designed data collection tools and methodologies, collation of data, analysis and reporting that boosted the organization’s performance in the West African sub-region. In recognition of his expertise, Konteh was requested to assist CRS-Liberia in the preparation of their strategic plan. He also travelled to CRS-Nigeria to evaluate their peacebuilding and post-conflict reconstruction project in Kaduna, Nigeria. Konteh was invited by the Commonwealth Foundation and Commonwealth Secretariat to be part of a four-man Commonwealth Mission to Sri Lanka. In his capacity as Programme Manager for Justice and Peace, Konteh was entrusted with the responsibility for the design and overall supervision and management of funds for the agency’s Peace and Justice Projects and programmes implemented in collaboration with CRS partners. He coordinated CRS’s Just Mining Campaign, where he campaign for the effective and efficient utilization of the Diamond Area Community Development Fund and civil society campaign to ensure that communities participate in the process leading to the preparation of the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper and in the utilization of the HIPC funds. He also coordinated the National Advocacy Coalition on Extractives in Sierra Leone and managed funding received from USAID through Management Systems International (MSI). During this period of his service with the CRS, Konteh helped organise and formed the Network on Collaborative Peacebuilding in Sierra Leone (NCPSL). This was a Network of over 70 peacebuilding organizations in Sierra Leone. He was also instrumental in the formation of the National Advocacy Coalition on Extractives (NACE) in Sierra Leone. He further managed the USAID funded project as a subcontractor of MSI to popularize and enhance the effective utilization of the Diamond Area Community Development Fund (DACDF).
In 2003, Konteh was appointed Programme Manager for ECOWAS/UNDP Regional Programme to strengthen Africa’s Regional capacities in peacebuilding and ECOWAS Civil Society Focal Point. Konteh worked directly and provided technical support to the then Deputy Executive Secretary for Political Affairs, Defense and Security in the coordination and implementation of projects and programmes in the area of peacebuilding, good governance and security. He was also responsible for the coordination of works of short-term consultants in the implementation of programme activities within the sub-region; he prepared issues papers and organized sub-regional seminars and technical working sessions (youth peace forum, civil society forum, women’s peace forum); assisted in the supervision and coordination of the work of sub-contracting consulting firms. He collaborated in the preparation and organization of discussions with TV networks. As the Civil Society Focal Point in the Executive Commission, Konteh was also responsible for harmonizing all civil Society initiatives in the Commission and coordinating civil society activities in the sub-region. He further facilitated the process leading to the institutionalization of the relationship between ECOWAS and West African Civil Society.
In 2005, Konteh served as General Secretary of the West African Civil Society Forum (WACSOF). Democracy and good governance constituted a major thrust of WACSOF’s engagement in West Africa since 2004. Through engagement and work with ECOWAS, WACSOF is recognized as the civil society arm of the ECOWAS Commission that complemented the work of the Commission and member states in promoting regional peace, integration and economic development. Konteh designed and directed the programmatic thrust of the organization, mobilized resources and managed the Secretariat and its programmes. He organized the WACSOF annual fora that brought together civil society organizations and partners from the 15 member states of ECOWAS and the diaspora. He succeeded in initiating and sustaining strong partnerships between WACSOF and several international donor agencies including DANIDA, CIDA, USAID-West Africa Mission, European Commission, ECOWAS, AfDB and IFAD. Konteh spearheaded the preparation of WACSOF’s 5-year strategic plan and led most of WACSOF’s pre-elections assessment missions to ECOWAS member states.
Since 2014, Konteh has been a private businessman and development consultant. He offers consultancy services to a range of organizations and institutions at the national and international level. He is a proprietor of small to medium size businesses in the hospitality industry, education industry, in agricultural and real estate.
Membership of professional organizations
Konteh holds active membership in various national and international organizations including the SPRING International Association of Development Planners; the International Association of Agricultural Economists; the Network-Association of European Researchers on Urbanization in the south; and the International Editor, African Journal for Environmental Assessment and Management.
Political career
Dr. Richard Konteh was first appointed as Deputy Minister of Finance and Economic Development in 2007 by President Ernest Bai Koroma. In this role, Konteh was responsible for Economic Development, Regional Integration and Planning. He prepared the National Development Plan and managed the Public Investment Programme of the Country. He provided oversight for all United Nations Agencies and other Inter-governmental organizations involved in development activities in Sierra Leone. Konteh assisted the Minister of Finance and Economic Development in managing the economy of the country, including managing revenue and expenditure flows and ensuring that ministries activities were consistent with standard accounting and audit procedures and in conformity with the nations various programmes with bilateral and multilateral development partners including the IMF and the World Bank.
His outstanding performance led to his appointment as Minister of Trade and Industry in 2010 where he led the development and implementation of Trade Policy and provided policy guidance and supervision to affiliated institutions. He established the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME) Fund that provided affordable loans to SMEs. Konteh developed and domesticated the Local Content Policy (now Local Content Law) of Sierra Leone. He registered marked improvements in Sierra Leone’s Ease of Doing Business rankings achieving the status of 6th most improved country in the world for Ease of Doing Business. He rebranded Sierra Leone around the world and attracted more investors to Sierra Leone more than ever in the history of this country. Hosted the first ever investment forum in Sierra Leone that attracted over 300 reputable investors to the country.
In 2012, Konteh rose to the rank of Chief Minister (Chief of Staff to the President). As Chief Minister, Dr. Richard Konteh coordinated the successful implementation of the President’s Agenda for Change and the Agenda for Prosperity. He facilitated the implementation of key government and Cabinet decisions, and provided technical and managerial oversight over critical activities of Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Achieved Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Compliance. He facilitated the fulfillment of all criteria to achieve Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) Compact. He successfully established the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Programme, Performance Management and Service Delivery (PMSD) Directorate, and the Right to Access Information Commission.
Allegations
In June 2014, Dr. Konteh was relieved of his duty as Chief Minister,[5] detained for some time, released on bail and prosecuted for various alleged offences. A State House press release at the time stated that. “It has come to the attention of His Excellency the President that Dr. Richard Konteh, Chief of Staff in the Office of the President was not open and transparent in the conduct of official negotiations for a mining agreement with a private sector operator, thereby violating established policy, undermining existing institutional arrangements, and exposing government to potential loss of revenue. In another matter involving the illegal export of timber from Sierra Leone, the Sierra Leone Police are investigating an unauthorized executive order allegedly issued by Dr. Konteh granting an open-ended mandate to the timber harvesters, processors and exporters (SL) LTD to undertake the export of an unlimited quantity of value-added processed timber, in direct contravention of the approval granted by His Excellency the President for a fixed quantity of 30 containers only. Against this background, His Excellency the President has decided to relieve Dr. Konteh of his duties with immediate effect while the police continue with their investigations."
After 3 years of investigations and court appearances, Konteh’s case was thrown out of court in Freetown for lack of evidence.[6] During his trial, experts from the Criminal Investigation Department in Sierra Leone (CID) submitted proof that it was Konteh’s signature that was forged, and not Konteh forging the president’s signature as was alleged. Konteh is cleared of all wrong doings and allegations. Dr. Konteh said in an interview that the case against him is “fake news” and a political smear campaign to damage his reputation and political career. In another interview, Konteh said “ it is the greatest misconception and lies he has ever known.”
SLPP’s commission of inquiry
In 2018, immediately after taking office, President Julius Maada Bio’s administration announced a Commissions of Inquiry (COI)[7] approved to look into the performance of former All People’s Congress (APC) Government officials and that the scope of the inquiry will cover the period November, 2007 to April, 2018. Over 300 persons who served in senior positions in the former Koroma administration including Dr. Richard Konteh were indicted. Honourable Justice John Rosolu Bankole Thompson who headed Commission Number 2 of the three Commissions of Inquiry blasted the Bio regime for misusing the COI in a manner that was "not reasonable or permissible" and also "not cognizable" under the COI legal framework that President Bio had sent for approval to Parliament[8]
APC party leadership campaign
In 2020 it was announced that the All People's Congress (APC) would hold their convention to elect a new leader that will challenge president Julius Maada Bio of the SLPP who is facing re-election for a second five-year term in 2023. Dr. Richard Konteh, a former Minister of Trade and Industry and a former Chief Minister (Chief of Staff to the President) announced his candidacy for the leadership of the All People's Congress (APC) ahead of the 2023 Sierra Leone presidential and parliamentary elections. He is one of seven candidates for the APC leadership.
Konteh was consider an underdog by many to the previous APC leader Samura Kamara who became leader in 2018 by selection by then outgoing president and APC party chairman Ernest Koroma, instead of election - a move that was unpopular with the majority of APC supporters[9] APC ultimately lost the elections to the SLPP[10] However, his Unifier campaign has made tremendous gains in recent times making him a frontrunner for the flagbearership.
Konteh’s campaign (Richard Konteh 2023 (D-Unifier) Campaign) promote unity with the slogan “We All Nar One” which means “We Are All One Unity Family.” Konteh’s campaign is big on social reforms, and D-Unifier is seen as a movement that seeks to change the social and political landscape in Sierra Leone. Konteh is particularly concerned about injustice - be it social, economic, political, legal or tribal. His campaign put out a statement that reads in part “We believe sustainable poverty alleviation is possible in Sierra Leone only when greater equity among all the population groups is achieved.” “D-Unifier is helping to shape a poverty-free and socially-just Sierra Leonean society.”
Konteh has also stressed that under the APC leadership of Samura Kamara, the party had lost a very important election that was easily winnable, and as a result lost a significant number of seats in parliament and had lost trust among Sierra Leoneans, even in its traditional stronghold in Northern Sierra Leone. Konteh said the party will continue to lose even more support unless the party changes its leadership and promotes unity, and take a new direction to care more about the interest of Sierra Leoneans. The APC is thought to be divided between the old guards wing, and the younger generation wing of the party seeking reforms.
Leadership and personality
Konteh is considered a charismatic, visionary and a servant-leader as demonstrated by his challenge of the National Electoral Commission during the Tonko-Limba bye-elections.[11] He speaks and stands up against human right abuses and social injustice.[12] He rallies support for any candidate running for the APC constituency elections.[13][14] He led the APC party's position in challenging the credibility of the 2020 mid-term population and housing census in Sierra Leone declared by president Bio. He also led the party's position in challenging the credibility of the White Paper on the Biobele Commission of Inquiry.[15]
Publications
- Konteh, R. (2000) - Enhancing Community Development in Sierra Leone: The need for co-ordination (SPRING RESEARCH SERIES, Vol. 27, 2000 ISBN 3-934525-27-X Search this book on
.). - Konteh, R. (2000) - Co-ordination: A core problem in community development in Sierra Leone (SPRING RESEARCH SERIES, Vol. 31, pp. 54-68, 2000 ISBN 3-934525-31-8 Search this book on .).
- Konteh, R. (2000) - Community Participation in Primary Health Care in Ghana. (SPRING RESEARCH SERIES, Vol. 31, pp. 110-119, 2000 ISBN 3-934525-31-8 Search this book on .).
- Konteh, R. and Kamara J. (2000) - Constraints to Community Development in Sierra Leone. (SPRING RESEARCH SERIES, Vol. 31, pp. 69-84, 2000 ISBN 3-934525-31-8 Search this book on .).
- Sankoh, O. A. and Konteh, R. (1998) - The need to harmonize environmental policies of international donor agencies with those of developing countries, (SPRING Newsletter, Number 6, 1998).
- Konteh, R. (1997) - Saving mothers' lives: Things can go wrong (WORLD HEALTH FORUM, Volume 2, Number 2, 1998).
- Konteh, R. (1997) - Socio-economic and other variables affecting maternal mortality in Sierra Leone (COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT JOURNAL; 323:1, 1997).
- Konteh, R. (2006) - RESPONDING TO CONFLICTS: The role of civil society in West Africa (Published by United Nations University for Peace).
- Konteh, R. (2004) – The Role of Civil Society in Peace and Development (AFRICAN REGIONAL PEACE EXCHANGE, Vol. 1, No. 2, October 2004).
- Konteh, R. (2005) - RESPONDING TO CONFLICTS: The role of civil society in West Africa (Accepted for publication by UN University for Peace).
- Aiah A. Gbakima, Konteh, R. et al (2005) - Nutritional Status of Children in Displacement Camps in Sierra Leone (Submitted for publication).
- Aiah A. Gbakima, Konteh, R. et al (2007) - Intestinal Protozoa and Intestinal Helminthic Infections in Displacement Camps in Sierra Leone (AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINE AND MEDICAL SCIENCES (2007) 36, 1-9.)
References
- ↑ "President Koroma's Second Cabinet". The Sierra Leone Web. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ↑ "President Koroma's Third Cabinet". The Sierra Leone Web. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ↑ "Green Growth: The Future for Africa". African Development Bank Group. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ↑ "richardkonteh.com/home". Richard Konteh (D-Unifier). Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ↑ "Koroma sacks top aide". Africa Confidential. Africa Confidential. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ↑ "Freetown: Court throws out former COS case". The Patriotic Vanguard. The Patriotic Vanguard. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ↑ "SLPP Commission of Inquiry starts in January". Cocorioko. Kabs Kanu. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ↑ "SLPP Commission of Inquiry Judge Bankole Thompson Blasts Maada Bio for Misuse of Power". The Organizer.net. Awareness Times Newspaper. Archived from the original on 29 July 2023. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- ↑ "Revealed By An Insider… How & Why Dr. Samura Kamara Was Selected As APC Flag Bearer". Global Times Newspaper. Amadu Daramy. Retrieved 25 March 2021.[permanent dead link]
- ↑ "Why the Sierra Leone election was lost by APC after ten years of governance". The Sierra Leone Telegraph. Yusuf Bangura.
- ↑ "Tonko Limba by-election marred by malpractice". Sierra Leone Concord Times. Patrick Jaiah Kamara. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ↑ "Dr. Richard Konteh Speaks for Journalists". Forum Newspaper SL. Emm Kamara. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ↑ "Dr. Richard Konteh Rallies Support for John Allieu in Constituency 010". Forum Newspaper SL. Forum Newspaper. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ↑ "APC Leaders Drums Up Support for Kadie Davies". Forum Newspaper SL. Forum Newspaper. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
- ↑ "DEFIANT OVER WHITE PAPER RULING… APC GOES TO COURT". The Satellite Newspaper. The Satellite Newspaper. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
External links
Category:1963 births
Category:Living people
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