In his opening statement in the Conference Room of the New Administrative Building of Parliament, Chairman of the aforementioned Committee, Hon. Bashiru Silikie of constituency 082 encouraged all contractors to endeavor to work with the Committee in that, it is not created to witch-hunt anyone but to help provide the political will for all contractors to swiftly do their work awarded by Government. He urged that every contractor should see the Committee as partners in development and the purpose of achieving their goals and that of Sierra Leone.
Whilst probing on contractors; on all the road contracts awarded by the previous Government, Hon. Bashiru noticed that most of the contractors did not appear before the Committee with the required personalities and documents that should be presented to the Members of the Committee. He, thus, reacted that all contractors should take Parliament very seriously. He advised that when Parliament summons any contractor, such contractor/institution should endeavor to furnish the Committee with its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and other senior personnel that directly signed contract (s) with the central Government, adding that all the documents that are requested by the Committee should also be available to aid the Committee to effectively probe their contracts and activities in the interest of every Sierra Leonean.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh and other Committee Members stood down all Road Contractors that did not meet the criteria of the Committee, adding that they should furnish the Committee with the following personalities including CEOs and Managing Directors, and to also come along with required documents like the one presented to Sierra Leone Roads Authority (SLRA) before winning the contracts, a status report that should capture among other things the cost of all contracts, start and end date of all contracts, level of work done, challenges, and the amount received from Government and other development partners.
The probing was witnessed by the Deputy Minister of Works, senior personnel of SLRA, the media; and the following road construction companies: GENTO, BETON VILLA, FIRST TRICON, CSE, SECON, CHICO, and GUICO PRES. CRSG and PARVI FORT were absent during the Committee’s probing.
