David Maurice Panda-Noah, Sierra Leone’s newly appointed Minister of Internal Affairs, yesterday took his oath of office in the presence of President Dr Julius Maada Bio at State House, in accordance with Section 57 (Act No. 6) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone.

David Maurice Panda-Noah, whose ability to make tough policing and national security decisions – without political interference, will soon be tested, was the Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority which is established to regulate and coordinate development in the transport industry, including the registration and licensing of vehicles, the licensing of drivers, the prescription of routes for passengers and goods transportation.

Will Panda-Noah (Photo) be given a free hand by the president to make vital policing decisions that could make real difference in bringing law and order across communities, or will he become another puppet – pulled by a string from State House?

Taking his oath of office, president Bio told Panda-Noah: “I congratulate you on this new assignment.

In response, Panda-Noah thanked the president for his appointment, saying that he is greatly honoured and humbled to be called upon to serve his country as internal affairs minister.