New MRU SG takes office

Newly appointed Mano River Union or MRU Secretary General Mrs. Medina Wesseh final took office over the weekend at a well-attended ceremony in the Sierra Leonean capital Freetown, a week after the Union’s council confirmed her nomination.She took over from outgoing Secretary General Dr. Hadja Saran DarabaKaba The MRU comprises four West African countries; Liberia, Sierra Leone, Guinea and Ivory Coast, who joined in recent years.

The ceremony, which was hosted by Sierra Leone’s Minister of Finance and Economic Development Momodu L. Kargbo brought together the ministers of Finance from the four MRU countries, representatives of development partners, the United Nations and family members.

She described her ascension to the sub-regional group’s top position as a faith in women leadership at the MRU, something she said must encourage newly appointed officials to build upon the programs and progress which Dr. Saran DarabaKabba and others before her have done over the years of stewardship to the government and people of the sub region.

She thanked the Authority of Heads of State of the MRU for accepting her, while pausing to reflect on the personal friendship President Ellen JonshonSirleaf has with other leaders in the sub-region.

She said the relationship between President Sirleaf and other leaders within the MRU has kept the region at peace with itself.

“In regards to President Quattara, long years of working in international Financial institutions together, with PresidentConde long years of being opposition leaders together and living in and out of their respective countries, and President Ernest BaiKoroma long years they have been in office and built upon initial trust and friendships,” she said

Mrs. Wesseh said president Sirleaf has made it a cornerstone of her foreign policy that no inch of Liberian soil will ever be used again to cause instability in the sub region. “We will work and ensure that remains her legacy and history will be kind to prolong this peace,” she added.

She further thank the outgoing MRU officials, saying that the MRU remains grateful for their commitment while pledging that the new corps of officers will continue to build upon that which they have done.

“We will continue to work with existing and new partners for the greater good of the people of the MRU,” she said.

“Our cornerstone will be to see a continued safe and secured sub region, promoting and protecting the rights of all most especially women for sustained socio economic and political development of all four countries of the Union.

The people of the Mano River Union are the same people and they must continue to rise and shine,” she concluded.