The New Dawn Liberia | Truly Independent

President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf Thursday announced a new policy measure that would require all high-level political appointees, particularly cabinet ministers to sign a one-year performance contract by which they will be evaluated to stay on.

Mrs. Sirleaf said the measure will be enforced to ensure that appointees carry the right amount of commitment to their jobs to enable government realize its development agenda.

“You should also take note that all high-level political appointees, such as Ministers, will be required to sign a one-year performance contract in which they will give me established goals, and what they need to achieve those goals, and at the end of that year, they will be evaluated on basis of their performance and that will be a determination of their continuation,” Sirleaf said.

“This is a new policy,” she said, “but it is one which we are going to enforce to make sure that people carry the right amount of commitment to their jobs and that they achieve the goals that we all want to see, so that our development agenda can be realized.”

Mrs. Sirleaf announcement of the new policy measure comes as members of her reshuffled cabinets face confirmation hearings at the Senate.

Apparently armed with the president’s directive, most of the reshuffled cabinet members who have appeared before the senate have gone with long speeches in which they have outlined some expected achievements during the first few months in office.

So far those who have appeared before the Senate for confirmation include Finance Minister designate, Amara Konneh, who has promised to create 20,000 jobs, Agriculture Minister Florence Chenoweth, who says she is over qualified for the post and Internal Affairs Minister designate, a man with a controversial education background that has sought the efforts of traditional leaders to seal his appointment.

Meanwhile, in direct response to opposition outcry, Mrs. Sirleaf maintained that her government will be inclusive, adding, “That the government is not composed of only Senior Ministers”.  “Other appointments are coming,” she said.