By Ralph Simeon Sesay
Maada Lahai, Project Manager, Youth in Fisheries Project, Ministry of Youth Affairs, has told the Justice Biobele Commission of Inquiry that three sitting APC Members of Parliament,, in the persons of Hon Kemoh Conteh, Hon Amadu Kanu and Hon Abdul Karim Kamara have defaulted in terms of paying back recovery loans as a result of fishing boats they directly benefitted from in the Youth in Fisheries Project under the Ministry of Youth Affairs.
The Youth in Fisheries Project was initiated by the then Minister of Youth Affairs, Mr. Alimamay Kamara, for youths in seven riverine Districts in the country. The project was to later recover the sum of Le35,000,000 for a boat, which was to be paid in a twenty four (24) months period.
Hon Kemokoh Conteh of Waterloo and Hon Amadu Kanu of Ribbi, Moyamba District, had directly benefitted from fishing boats in the Youth in Fisheries projects, but have failed to pay back the loan even when the Ministry of Youth and Affairs had made frantic efforts to get them to honour their obligations.
Mr. Abdul Karim Kamara, another APC MP, was, according to the witness, part of the Project Implementation Committee at the Ministry of Youth Affairs. In fact, he had loaned a specific amount from the project, which he also failed to pay up to date, despite attempts by the Ministry of Youths to get them to comply over a year ago now.
Mr. Maada Lahai told the Commission that upon his appointment as Project Manager for the Youth in Fisheries Project in August, 2018 he conducted an assessment of the project and discovered a number of anomalies, ranging from the management of the assets and finances of the project as well the loan recovery process.
On assets, Mr Lahai told the Commission that the project had procured seventy (70) boats with horse power engines, laptops and vehicles, etc. He expressed disappointment that the beneficiaries of the project, including the three MPs, have not made efforts to pay back the loans as initially agreed.
“I discovered that Loan Recovery Officers, in the project, had connived with the Project Managers to siphon monies collected from boat owners as part of the recovery of loans for the project,” Mr. Lahai noted.
The Project Manager further told the Commission that he discovered, upon assumption of office, Le169,000,000 in the Youth in Fisheries Project held at the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank.
He concluded that he has not received handing over notes from his predecessor and that the entire Project Implementation Unit members were never around to brief him on the status of the project, including its assets, finances as well as efforts at recovering the loan by beneficiaries.
The Youth in Fisheries Project was one among several projects initiated by the then Minister of Youth Affairs to create employment and livelihood opportunities for youths in riverine communities. The model of the project was to get beneficiaries, mainly youths, in these riverine communities to pay back in installments for a period of twenty four months after fulfilling an upward payment of Le2,500,000. The Project was funded by a grant of USD 500 by the Prince of Saudi Arabia.
Mr. Maada Lahai has assured the Commission that the project is currently aligned with the National Development of the Government and that a project proposal has been presented to the Ministry of Development and Economic Planning for funding.
He concluded that the project is viable for the livelihood of youths within riverine communities and that the Ministry of Transport and Aviation has been contacted to provide technical expertise in the specification design of boats for riverine terrains.
The state has also presented the Finance Officer of the Project, Mohamed Tholley, who spoke on all the financial transactions in the various projects, including withdrawals from the project account. He explained to the Commission about the various procurement exercises they undertook as well as payments made to various suppliers for the provision of goods and services. The finance Officer however promised to avail the Commissions with all the financial documents when necessary.