Samuel Sam-Sumana
Encyclopedia
Alhaji Sahr Samuel Sam-Sumana (born April 7, 1962 in Koidu Town, Kono District
) is a Sierra Leone
an politician, and the current Vice President of Sierra Leone
. He became the newest Vice President on September 17, 2007, running as part of the All People's Congress
(APC) alongside Presidential candidate Ernest Bai Koroma
that defeated Presidential candidate Solomon Berewa
and his Vice Presidential candidate Momodou Koroma on the Sierra Leone People's Party
(SLPP) ticket. Sam-Sumana is the first Sierra Leonean Vice president
from Kono District
and the country's first vice president from the Kono
ethnic group.
Samuel Sam-Sumana holds a Bachelor degree of Science
(BSC) in Management Information System
from the Metropolitan State University
in Minneapolis, Minnesota
, United States
http://cocorioko.net/app/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=727&Itemid=37. He also holds a diploma
in Computer Network Support
Specialist from Knollwood Computer and Business School, in St Louis Park, Minnesota
, United States
.http://cocorioko.net/app/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=727&Itemid=37
Sam-Sumana is married to Khadija Sam-Sumana. The couple were residing in Minnesota, but returned to Freetown
when Sam-Sumana was named as the running mate
by the then main opposition leader and current Sierra Leone's President Ernest Bai Koroma
on the ticket of the All People's Congress
(APC).
in the Eastern Province
of Sierra Leone. He is the fourth son of the late Kono Chief Alhaji Samuel Sam-Sumana and Haja Sia Hawa Sam-Sumana. Sumana is a devoted Muslim
. Sam-Sumana attended the Koidu Primary school in Koidu Town and then proceeded to the Jaiama Muslim Secondary School in Jaiama
, Kono District and the Ahamadiya Muslim Secondary School in Freetown
.
, in the United States
.
At the height of the civil war in Sierra Leone, Sam-Sumana was agonized over the near total collapse of the infrastructure of Kono District. In his position as Vice Chairman, Kono-Union Chapter USA, he paid frequent visits to the district and forged a good working relationship with the chiefdom authorities in Kono and Kenema District
. He pioneered the construction and repairs of roads in Kono and Kenema districts using funds raised through advocacy and his own personal funds for the betterment of the then inaccessible areas of the Eastern region of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Earlier, the Vice President served as Managing Director of the United Diamond Mining Company, Kodu Town, Kono District, Sierra Leone. With his expertise in the field of diamond mining, he used to introduce environmental
friendly and just mining methods in the field bringing development to the people where his company operated.
Samuel Sam-Sumana also served as the Regional Manager for C-12 International, a company based in Texas
in the United States. The company engaged in diamond buying in Sierra Leone, Guinea
and Liberia
.
His native ingrained knowledge of the diamond industry made an asset to the company where he oversaw training, recruitment, planning and marketing. He provided advice to the company on the socio-political condition in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.
Honourable Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana holds a Bachelor degree of Science
(BSC)in Management Information System from the Metropolitan State University
in Minnesota in the United States. Samuel also holds two Diplomas, the first is the Diamond Rough Grading, Sorting and Polishing from the America Institution of Diamond Cutting and Polishing, in Deerfield Beach, Florida
, United States, and a Diploma in Computer Network Support Specialist from Knollwood Computer and Business School, in St Louis Park, Minnesota
, United States.
While in the United States, Samuel Sam-Sumana worked for Prudential Financial Group as the System Officer of the network support. He provided he strategic management and operational oversight for the Group, providing training and counseling to subordinate staff. At Allina Health Services, the Vice President ran the Network Support System. He provided the same service to Seagate Technologies in the United States.
Sam-Sumana is a member of the "Five-Man Committee" of the All People’s Congress Party; a party with which Samuel has had a life-long association imbibing the populist character of the Party; a key ingredient in VP Samuel Sam-Sumana’s personal make-up. He has contributed reasonably to the APC in the Kono District and beyond with the aim of strengthening the party in the District.
The Vice President is a substantial contributor to the Kono District Scholarship Board.
Kono District
Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Motema, Jaiama-Nimokoro and Sewafe. Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone.The population of Kono...
) is a Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
an politician, and the current Vice President of Sierra Leone
Vice President of Sierra Leone
The Vice President of Sierra Leone is a position in the executive branch of the Republic of Sierra Leone.-History:When Sierra Leone was declared a Republic in 1971 by then Prime Minister Siaka Stevens, the position of Vice President was created...
. He became the newest Vice President on September 17, 2007, running as part of the All People's Congress
All People's Congress
The All People's Congress is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, the other is the Sierra Leone People's Party . The party was founded in 1960 by Pa Mucktarru Kallay, Allieu Badarr Koroma,Alhaji Sheik Gibril Sesay C A Kamara-Taylor, S A T Koroma and Abu Bakarr S Bangura...
(APC) alongside Presidential candidate Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma is the fourth and current President of Sierra Leone. He was sworn in as President on 17 September 2007 at the State House in the capital Freetown, shortly after being declared the winner of a tense run-off in the 2007 Sierra Leone presidential election with 54.6% of the vote over...
that defeated Presidential candidate Solomon Berewa
Solomon Berewa
Solomon Ekuma Dominic Berewa was Vice-President of Sierra Leone from May 2002 to September 2007...
and his Vice Presidential candidate Momodou Koroma on the Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party
Sierra Leone People's Party is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, along with the All People's Congress .-Formation:...
(SLPP) ticket. Sam-Sumana is the first Sierra Leonean Vice president
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
from Kono District
Kono District
Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Motema, Jaiama-Nimokoro and Sewafe. Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone.The population of Kono...
and the country's first vice president from the Kono
Kono people
The Kono people is a major ethnic group in Sierra Leone at about 7.6% of the country's total population. Their homeland is the diamond-rich Kono District in south-eastern Sierra Leone. They form by far the single largest ethnic group in the district at about 52% of the population...
ethnic group.
Samuel Sam-Sumana holds a Bachelor degree of Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
(BSC) in Management Information System
Management information system
A management information system provides information needed to manage organizations efficiently and effectively. Management information systems involve three primary resources: people, technology, and information. Management information systems are distinct from other information systems in that...
from the Metropolitan State University
Metropolitan State University
Metropolitan State University is a four-year public university located in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, United States. It is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.-History:...
in Minneapolis, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
http://cocorioko.net/app/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=727&Itemid=37. He also holds a diploma
Diploma
A diploma is a certificate or deed issued by an educational institution, such as a university, that testifies that the recipient has successfully completed a particular course of study or confers an academic degree. In countries such as the United Kingdom and Australia, the word diploma refers to...
in Computer Network Support
Computer network
A computer network, often simply referred to as a network, is a collection of hardware components and computers interconnected by communication channels that allow sharing of resources and information....
Specialist from Knollwood Computer and Business School, in St Louis Park, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.http://cocorioko.net/app/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=727&Itemid=37
Sam-Sumana is married to Khadija Sam-Sumana. The couple were residing in Minnesota, but returned to Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
when Sam-Sumana was named as the running mate
Running mate
A running mate is a person running together with another person on a joint ticket during an election. The term is most often used in reference to the person in the subordinate position but can also properly be used when referring to both candidates, such as "Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen were...
by the then main opposition leader and current Sierra Leone's President Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma is the fourth and current President of Sierra Leone. He was sworn in as President on 17 September 2007 at the State House in the capital Freetown, shortly after being declared the winner of a tense run-off in the 2007 Sierra Leone presidential election with 54.6% of the vote over...
on the ticket of the All People's Congress
All People's Congress
The All People's Congress is one of the two major political parties in Sierra Leone, the other is the Sierra Leone People's Party . The party was founded in 1960 by Pa Mucktarru Kallay, Allieu Badarr Koroma,Alhaji Sheik Gibril Sesay C A Kamara-Taylor, S A T Koroma and Abu Bakarr S Bangura...
(APC).
Early life
Samuel Sam-Sumana was born on April 7, 1962 in Koidu Town, Kono DistrictKono District
Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Motema, Jaiama-Nimokoro and Sewafe. Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone.The population of Kono...
in the Eastern Province
Eastern Province, Sierra Leone
Eastern Province is one of the four provinces of Sierra Leone. It covers an area of 15,553 km² and has a population of 1,187,532...
of Sierra Leone. He is the fourth son of the late Kono Chief Alhaji Samuel Sam-Sumana and Haja Sia Hawa Sam-Sumana. Sumana is a devoted Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
. Sam-Sumana attended the Koidu Primary school in Koidu Town and then proceeded to the Jaiama Muslim Secondary School in Jaiama
Jaiama-Nimokoro
Jaiama-Nimokoro is a diamond-rich town in Kono District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. The town lies about 8 miles outside Koidu Town and 232 miles from Freetown. The towns of Jaiama and Nimokoro are twin to form Jaiama-Nimokoro. The population of Jaiama-Nimokoro is 5,150...
, Kono District and the Ahamadiya Muslim Secondary School in Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
.
Career
Before becoming the Vice President of Sierra Leone, Sam-Sumana was the Chief Executive Officer of Aries Rehabilitation Construction and Supplies (ARCS) SL Ltd, incorporated under the laws of Sierra Leone. As Chief Executive Officer, Sam-Sumana showed his Leadership and Management skills when dealing with people in his employ. He served as Vice Chairman Kono-Union Chapter USA, in MinnesotaMinnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
At the height of the civil war in Sierra Leone, Sam-Sumana was agonized over the near total collapse of the infrastructure of Kono District. In his position as Vice Chairman, Kono-Union Chapter USA, he paid frequent visits to the district and forged a good working relationship with the chiefdom authorities in Kono and Kenema District
Kenema District
Kenema District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Kenema, which is also the third largest city in Sierra Leone. The other major towns in the district include Tongo and Blama. The district is the most populous district in the Eastern province with...
. He pioneered the construction and repairs of roads in Kono and Kenema districts using funds raised through advocacy and his own personal funds for the betterment of the then inaccessible areas of the Eastern region of the Republic of Sierra Leone.
Earlier, the Vice President served as Managing Director of the United Diamond Mining Company, Kodu Town, Kono District, Sierra Leone. With his expertise in the field of diamond mining, he used to introduce environmental
Natural environment
The natural environment encompasses all living and non-living things occurring naturally on Earth or some region thereof. It is an environment that encompasses the interaction of all living species....
friendly and just mining methods in the field bringing development to the people where his company operated.
Samuel Sam-Sumana also served as the Regional Manager for C-12 International, a company based in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in the United States. The company engaged in diamond buying in Sierra Leone, Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
and Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
.
His native ingrained knowledge of the diamond industry made an asset to the company where he oversaw training, recruitment, planning and marketing. He provided advice to the company on the socio-political condition in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia.
Honourable Vice President Samuel Sam-Sumana holds a Bachelor degree of Science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
(BSC)in Management Information System from the Metropolitan State University
Metropolitan State University
Metropolitan State University is a four-year public university located in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, United States. It is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.-History:...
in Minnesota in the United States. Samuel also holds two Diplomas, the first is the Diamond Rough Grading, Sorting and Polishing from the America Institution of Diamond Cutting and Polishing, in Deerfield Beach, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States, and a Diploma in Computer Network Support Specialist from Knollwood Computer and Business School, in St Louis Park, Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, United States.
While in the United States, Samuel Sam-Sumana worked for Prudential Financial Group as the System Officer of the network support. He provided he strategic management and operational oversight for the Group, providing training and counseling to subordinate staff. At Allina Health Services, the Vice President ran the Network Support System. He provided the same service to Seagate Technologies in the United States.
Sam-Sumana is a member of the "Five-Man Committee" of the All People’s Congress Party; a party with which Samuel has had a life-long association imbibing the populist character of the Party; a key ingredient in VP Samuel Sam-Sumana’s personal make-up. He has contributed reasonably to the APC in the Kono District and beyond with the aim of strengthening the party in the District.
The Vice President is a substantial contributor to the Kono District Scholarship Board.