NATCOM boss suspension still intact- Information minister confirms

Politics

Sierra Leone’s minister of information and communications, Mohamed Rahman Swarray has confirmed that the suspension of Maxwell Massaquoi, head of the country’s National Telecommunication Commission (NATCOM) is still intact. The information minister made this statement on Thursday 9th January 2020 while speaking to journalists at the weekly government press briefing, Youyi Building in Freetown. He furthered that he did not suspend the NATCOM Boss but only played an advisory role in his suspension. “The NATCOM Board took the decision – this ministry did not take the decision,” he maintained. Meanwhile, a letter signed by A.S. Sheku, permanent secretary in the Information ministry pointed out that the NATCOM boss was suspended based on the instructions of the Minister of Information and Communications.

The letter which was addressed to the NATCOM Board, dated 9th December 2019 further explained that the minister’s directive among other things is based on the NATCOM Boss “delays in completing critical regulations that should have enhanced the regulatory posture of the commission even where the hired consultant had long summited draft documents to him to effect further action on them.” “His dilatory attitude towards the conclusion of the international Gateway contract, thus creating a lacuna in the existing management of the international Gateway,” the letter added. The Committee of Communication in Parliament in December 2019 in a meeting concluded with a resolution that the NATCOM Board should immediately re-instate the suspended NATCOM Boss as their action contravenes Section 10 of the NATCOM Act by acting on the instruction given to them.

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