By Mariama Janet Deen
A country having patriotic citizens contributing to its growth and development makes improvement so much easier. What better way to be of service to a nation than being in the civil service? Civil servants contribute immensely to a nation’s development with us not noticing at times . Mama Salone as a nation is blessed to have patriotic citizens who have served her through the civil service for over decades.
Meet Ahmed Muctarr Mustapha
Thinking about a civil servant who has consistently served Sierra Leone for over 30 years with vast experience in the civil service? Ahmed M. Mustapha, who started as a temporary worker and moved up to Permanent Secretary is definitely the answer. Hailing from Bunumbu Village, Peje West Chiefdom, Kailahun District, Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, Ahmed M. Mustapha can best be described as one who is steadfast and committed to his work and Mama Salone without any bounds.
His Service
“I began working in the civil service as a temporary worker. Some of my colleagues that I started the journey with went for greener pastures. I knew I couldn’t leave no matter how little my salary was,” Ahmed M. Mustapha explained.
Even though he was earning very little income to cater for his family, Mr. Mustapha decided to serve his country in the best way he could. He worked as a Temporary Officer at the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning from 1986-1991. In that capacity, he served as the administrator attached to the Planning Unit, where he handled all administrative and personnel matters of the unit. From 1991-1993, he was a Higher Executive Officer at the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. Between 2000-2005, he became the Senior Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Labour. After which he worked at the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development as Acting Deputy Secretary from 2005-2007. From 2007-2012, he was the Acting Deputy Secretary at the Ministry of Sports, moving on to serve in the department of Human Resource Management as the Deputy Director of Training and Career Development.
He also served as the Acting Provincial Secretary for the North in 2014 and was promoted to the position of Permanent Secretary in 2015. In 2018, he was the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Social Welfare, Gender and Children’s Affairs and in 2019, he served in the capacity of the Assistant to the Secretary of the Vice President. And he is presently the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. We can definitely say Ahmed M. Mustapha dedicated most of his life to serving the country.
Being Patriotic
“I love working in the Civil Service. I believe that is one of the best ways I can contribute to the nation’s development.”- Ahmed M. Mustapha.
His love for Sierra Leone supersedes all other interests. To him, it is a duty to consistently contribute to implementing growth oriented initiatives and also promoting peace and harmony. Ahmed M. Mustapha played a pivotal role in the establishment of Safety Net. Safety Net was created to cater for the old, vulnerable and needy persons who couldn’t cater for themselves. He also contributed to settling disputes in various districts in Sierra Leone when he was a Provincial Secretary. Amidst the shooting, fighting and the use of other violent weapons, Mr. Mustapha went to ensure the lives of people living in Kabala were not lost in the fight between the police and the youth of Kabala because of the situation surrounding the transfer of the youth farm. Ahmed M. Mustapha also settled the discord between the youths of different townships and mining companies and also disputes among people living in the provinces because of chieftaincy titles.
One might be tempted to say those were all related to his job. Definitely! But could a person risk his life because of a job when he knew he could send his subordinates to observe the situation and report to him? Food for thought!
His Message to Young Sierra Leoneans
“As patriotic Sierra Leoneans, we should move out of our comfort zones to do something for the nation. It should not always be about how the government can cater for our needs, as we should constantly ask ourselves about what we can also do for Mama Salone and provide positive answers.”- Ahmed M. Mustapha
Photo Credit: Moseray Koroma (Super Mos Photography): +23278145373/+23288914840
