Le 250m contract embarrasses Minority Leader

Business

The Acting Minority Leader of the Opposition Sierra Leone Peoples Party, Emmanuel W. Tommy yesterday told Awoko in an interview that the Le 250m contract awarded to him for the rehabilitation and construction of the Koidu Government Hospital has embarrassed him. Hon. Emmanuel Tommy said the contract was awarded to him in 2005 by the Ministry of Health but since that period the Ministry was not able to meet the contractual agreements which he said had greatly embarrassed him. He said suppliers are threatening him with law suits as well as the bank interests increasing. Even though he stated that within 28 days after signing the contract, late payment shall be paid with interest but that was not heeded to by the Ministry of Health whom he said were paying him in piecemeal. He stressed that he did not misappropriate the contract nor abandon it because he is an indigene of Kono who wished well for the District. According to him most of the civil work was almost at its finishing stage. The SLPP acting Minority leader further said “I ran out of money and was not paid for the extra I spent and the project was to last for only a year. Each time they are supposed to pay, it will take months and just imagine the cost of building materials nowadays” He said despite writing several letters to the Ministries of Finance and Health explaining the irregularities on their part, nothing was done to remedy the situation. “Up to date, they value the present price on the basis of the 2004 cost and because of all this discomfort I have been operating an overdraft from the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank. That is also threatening me”. What he said he had completed was the mortuary building, X-ray building, construction of the theater, staff quarters and 12 bedrooms for private wards. A meeting is expected on Friday in Kono with stakeholders and the MP to see the way forward on the project. By Ishmael Bayoh

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