{{short description|Politician of Sierra Leone}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Tamba Lamina |image = |caption = |office1 = Minister of Local Government and Rural Development |term_start1 = 27 June 2019 |term_end1 = |predecessor1 = Anthony Brewah |successor1 = |office2 = Sierra Leonean High Commissioner to the United Kingdom |term_start2 = 2 August 2018 |term_end2 = May 2019 |predecessor2 = |successor2 = Morie Komba Manyeh |birth_date = |birth_place = Koidu, Kono District, Sierra Leone |death_date = |alma_mater = Fourah Bay College<br>London School of Journalism<br>Oxford Brookes University<br>King's College London |spouse = Salma Lamina |party = |Educational background = }} '''Tamba John Sylvanus Lamina''' is a Sierra Leonean politician and diplomat. He is the current Minister of Local Government and Rural Development in the cabinet of Julius Maada Bio, serving since 2019.
==Early life== Born in Koidu, he is a member of the Kono ethnic group.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.kdda.co.uk/articles.html|title=KDDAUK Members Courtesy Call to SL High Commission in London|publisher=Kono District Development Association|first=Abdulai|last=Briama|date=November 16, 2018|accessdate=December 27, 2019}}</ref> After attending the prestigious Bo School, he received bachelor's degrees in politics, philosophy & history and in education from Fourah Bay College in 1986 and 1987, respectively. He moved to London, where he studied journalism at the London School of Journalism and became a registered nurse. He then received his PgDip in gerontology from Oxford Brooks University in 1997. Lastly, he received his MSc in leadership in healthcare from King's College London in 2006.<ref name="Meet">{{cite news|url=https://www.theorganiser.net/stories/16-stories/145-h-archive-the-organiser-news-stories-may-august-2018|title=MEET OUR NEWLY APPOINTED SIERRA LEONE HIGH COMMISSIONER TO THE UK!|publisher=theorganiser.net|first=Saa David Musa|last=Yamba|accessdate=December 27, 2019}}</ref> While in the United Kingdom, he worked in various leadership and managerial positions for both the National Health Service and the private sector.
He has served as chair of the Kono District Descendants Association, Sierra Leone People’s Party UK branch and the Old Bo Boys’ Association.<ref name=Meet/> He also chaired the Julius Maada Bio Support Group UK, which led to his entry into national politics.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://sierraexpressmedia.com/?p=73953|title=Maada Bio To Hold Town Hall Meeting In UK|publisher=sierraexpressmedia.com|date=June 17, 2015|accessdate=December 27, 2019}}</ref>
==Political career== Lamina was approved as Sierra Leonean High Commissioner to the United Kingdom by Parliament in August 2018.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.demirrornewspaper.com/index.php/politics-k2-2/10-politics/298-parliament-approves-forty-one-presidential-nominees-for-ambassadorial-and-other-appointments|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228023543/http://www.demirrornewspaper.com/index.php/politics-k2-2/10-politics/298-parliament-approves-forty-one-presidential-nominees-for-ambassadorial-and-other-appointments|url-status=usurped|archive-date=December 28, 2019|title=Parliament Approves Forty-One Presidential Nominees for Ambassadorial and Other Appointments|publisher=demirrornewspaper.com|date=August 8, 2018|accessdate=December 27, 2019}}</ref> In February 2019, Lamina hosted a Sierra Leonean diplomatic mission to the United Kingdom. He met with Queen Elizabeth II to discuss development, and then delivered a speech announcing the break of "a new dawn" in Sierra Leonean history.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/sierra-leone-high-commissioner-to-uk-presents-credentials-to-her-majesty-queen-elizabeth|title=Sierra Leone High Commissioner to UK presents credentials to her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II|publisher=gov.uk|date=February 20, 2019|accessdate=December 27, 2019}}</ref>
In May 2019, President Julius Maada Bio reshuffled his cabinet, and Lamina's was promoted from High Commissioner to Minister of Local Government and Rural Development.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://cocorioko.net/president-maada-bio-reshuffles-his-cabinet-recycling-ministers-and-changing-two-ambassadors/|title=President Maada Bio reshuffles his cabinet, recycling ministers and changing two ambassadors|publisher=Coco Rioko|first=Kabs|last=Kanu|date=May 10, 2019|accessdate=December 27, 2019}}</ref> He was approved by members of Parliament at his new position on June 27, 2019.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://awokonewspaper.com/sierra-leone-news-lamina-becomes-minister-of-local-government-amidst-controversy/|title=Lamina becomes Minister of Local Government amidst controversy|publisher=awokonewspaper.com|date=June 28, 2019|accessdate=December 27, 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lamina, Tamba}} Category:Living people Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:21st-century Sierra Leonean politicians Category:High commissioners of Sierra Leone to the United Kingdom Category:Local government and community affairs ministers of Sierra Leone Category:Sierra Leonean nurses Category:Fourah Bay College alumni Category:Alumni of the London School of Journalism Category:Alumni of Oxford Brookes University Category:Alumni of King's College London Category:People from Koidu