BIOGRAPHIES OF SENIOR OFFICIALS
Biographies of officials serving in principal positions from the Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service up to Assistant Cabinet Secretaries and other senior officers…..
JOHN SUMAILAH, (GOOR)
SECRETARY to the cabinet and head of the civil service (SCHOCS)
JUNE 2018 – PRESENT
John Sumailah, Grand Officer of the Order of the Rokel (GOOR) was sworn in as Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service in June 2018………
JOHN SUMAILAH, (GOOR), is the current Secretary to the Cabinet and Head of the Civil Service, Cabinet Secretariat-(Office of the President) in Sierra Leone. He is an Honorary Fellow of the International Professional Managers Association: FIPU (Certified International Professional Managers). He holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from the University of Sierra Leone (USL), majoring in Philosophy, Rural Sociology and Sociology of Development and numerous managerial training courses at home and abroad.
He has got a lot of selected Professional trainings and qualification certificates gained such as: Civil Service Reform Programme: Training on Strategic Management-(Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), USL, Freetown, Sierra Leone, 2008); Workshop on Fostering Synergies between Africa and Korea-(Korea-Africa Economic Cooperation (KOAFEC)/African Development Bank, Accra, Ghana, 2008); Seminar on National Government Administration for Senior Officials-(Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), International Affairs Division, National Personnel Authority (NPA), 2006); Singapore/Commonwealth Study Programme for Permanent Secretaries on “Managing the Complexity of Networked Government”-(Civil Service College, Singapore, 2006); National Training on Costs, Finance and Budgeting Processes of Education-(ADEA and CODESRIA, Freetown, 2003); Singapore /Commonwealth Seminar on “Making Change in the Public Service” –(Civil Service College , Singapore , 1998); 3rd. Commonwealth Programme on Human Resource Development Studies , (Pakistan Administrative Staff College, Lahore, Pakistan , 1994); Position , Classification and Compensation Administration Course-(Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), USL, 1994, Freetown , Sierra Leone) and Programme on Job Inspection –(Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM), 1992, Freetown, Sierra Leone).
John Sumailah is highly skilled, proactive and proficient in Public Administration and Management, with excellent interpersonal and organizational skills and with active involvement in leadership roles focused on developmental issues.
He has over 40 years work and practical experiences in the Public Service, of which over 25 years in Strategic Managerial Leadership, providing general management services, alignment of Sectoral programs into the National Agenda, coordinating and communicating with experts, consultants and organizations such as Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), NGOs, UN Agencies, Regional Bodies and International Financial Institutions.
He has served in various government MDAs and in different positions/postings such as: Development Secretary, Ministry of Finance and Economic Development-2011-2018; Assistant to the Secretary to the President, Office of the President, State House-2009-2011; (Special Acting) Development Secretary-2008-2009 and Deputy Development Secretary-2006-2008, Ministry of Development and Economic Planning; Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology-2002-2006; Senior Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Presidential Affairs-1997-2002; Assistant Secretary, Ministry of Parliamentary and Political Affairs-1996-1997; Assistant Secretary, Council Secretariat (Cabinet Secretariat)-1994-1996; Establishment Officer-1993-1994, Higher Executive Officer-1989-1993 and Executive Officer-1982-1989, Establishment Secretary’s Office(HRMO); Executive Officer in Training, Ministry of Health-1978-1982; 3rd. Grade Clerk-1977-1978 and Temporary Clerk-1976-1977, Income Tax Department.
Sustaining a high performance reputation, maintaining quality standards and minimizing corporate risk, cost and liabilities have been a consistent hallmark of his career commitment. He has undertaken a lot of special duties/assignments including : Member, Governing Board of African Training and Research Centre in Administration for Development (CAFRAD)-2018 to date. Chairman, Technical Committee of the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ)-2017. Member, Special Task Force on Public/Civil Service Reform Programmes on: Comprehensive Pay Reform for the Public Service (2010) and Civil Service Code, Rules and Regulations (2009). Ministry of Finance and Economic Development-Member, Board of Directors-Electricity Distribution & Supply Authority (EDSA)-2014-2018; Country Representative, Board of Directors, ECOWAS Bank for Investment & Development (EBID)-2013-2017 and Member, Technical Committee of the UN Institute for Development & Economic Planning (IDEP), Dakar, Senegal-2012-2016. Ministry of Parliamentary & Political Affairs: Served as Team B Leader in the Staff Rationalization Exercise in ten (10) Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) under the Civil Service Reform Programme-1997 and Member of the Task Force on the Civil Service Registration and Verification Exercise-1997. Interim National Electoral Commission (INEC): Assisted the Executive Secretary, Interim National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the administrative management and conduct of the 1996 Presidential and General Elections -1996. Council Secretariat (Cabinet Secretariat): Member, Special Task Force for the implementation of the Pay and Grading Policy under the Comprehensive Civil Service Programme-Team Leader of the Job Analysis exercise in various MDAs-1996. Establishment Secretary’s Office (HRMO): Served as Assistant to the Secretary of the Professor F. O. Kwame Investigating Committee on a wide range of academic and administrative issues in the constituent colleges of the University of Sierra Leone-1995; and as Establishment Officer-He assisted the Secretary in Training and Recruitment in the planning and implementation of Clerical Training Programmes, served as a resource person in the Clerical Training Programmes conducted by the Training and Recruitment Division of the Establishment Secretary’s Office and other sectoral Departments; represented the Establishment Secretary at meetings of the Public Service Commission (PSC), assisting and advising the Commission at interviews for the selection and placement of candidates into the Graded Clerical Service; served as Co-opted Member of the Standing Committee on training which is entrusted with the task of setting Conditions of Service, Salary Scales, Recruitment Policy and the creation and grading of posts and standards of discipline in the Civil Service; served as a Member of the IMF/World Bank Job Inspection Team that carried out Functional Review exercises in the Departments of Finance, Health, Education, Works and Agriculture, respectively, in 1992 & 1993; and served as Member of the Job Evaluation Team in the Development of Health and Social Services (Health Division) under the Comprehensive Civil Service Reform Programme in 1993 & 1994.
Mr. Sumailah is well versed with wealth of working experiences in the Public/Civil landscape of Sierra Leone. He is a seasoned Public Servant richly laden with pretty strategic public administrative and management education and skills. He has over 25 years of experience in strategic and managerial leadership; providing administrative and management services to MDAs, alignment of programs/projects with national priorities, developing and reviewing reports; coordinating and communicating with experts, consultants and organizations such as MDAs, Development Partners, International Professional Organizations, Regional Organizations, CSOs, NGOs and UN Country Teams (UNCTs).
He is passionate about knowledge management and innovation. He is familiar with the principles, innovative approaches, best practices and lessons learned of the Project Cycle Management including result-based management of in-country programs, phases of result-based management, reviewing and reporting performance; approaches in Public/Civil Service Reform and Performance Management across the Public Sector.
He is unrivalled when it comes to Inter-Agency coordination, representation and advocacy. He established coordination and strategic alliances with MDAs, donors and public sector institutions for effective institutional representation, coordination, advocacy and positioning.
He is a competent professional who consistently applied the following management skills: professionalism, integrity, communication, analyzing, HR management (including staff development and performance management), planning and organizing, accountability, transparency, team-building, creativity, commitment to continuous learning, decision-making and judgement.
JOHN SUMAILAH, (GOOR), THE CURRENT CABINET SECRETARY AND HEAD OF THE CIVIL SERVICE OF SIERRA LEONE….,,,Follow the Cabinet Secretary: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram
BIOGRAPHIES OF SENIOR OFFICIALS
