Mrs. Kate M.B. Karemo-Garnett, COMMITTED TO SERVE
The REDD + and Capacity Building Project was implemented from the 16th of May 2014 to 15th May 2015 and extended for four months to 15th September 2015 with no cost extension. The aim of the Project was to contribute to the establishment of a low-carbon and pro-poor development of Sierra Leone, whilst enhancing the degree of environmental protection and maximizing the benefits offered by environmental services. The project was funded by the European Union – The Operational Programme Estimate (OPE1) Team was responsible for the implementation of the project.
Mrs. Kate M.B. Karemo-Garnett, Acting Executive Director of the National Protected Area Authority (NPPA) told this press over the weekend that she was called to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) as a witness to identify my signatures and not being indicted for corruption. She said upon her arrival at the ACC she noted that her signature had been falsified on most of the documents. “I have never been arrested by ACC but was invited to answer questions and to verify whether the signatures the ACC had on record were really mine or a forgery,” she said, and added that on the documents that did bear her original signature; she signed to receive DSA for a Study Tour to Uganda as part of a six-member delegation from Sierra Leone.
On her personal dealings with officials, the Acting Executive Director pointed out that “I have never carried any relationship other than a professional relationship with officials I work with.” She further clarified that the Minister of Agriculture is not part of the Board and has little influence on decisions made, and that he is only updated on decisions taken by the Chairman and Board of Directors of the NPAA.
“My appointment as Acting Executive Director and the suspension of the substantive Executive Director, Dr. Kolleh A. Bangura was an administrative action taken by the Board of NPAA pending investigation by the Anti-Corruption Commission into ineligible expenditure and misappropriation of donor funds,” Mrs. Karemo-Garnett told this press.
She also pointed out that at no point during the investigation of the ACC did the Chairman and Board of Directors of the NPAA attempted to interfere with the investigation and that an update was requested by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and not from NPAA Board. “They have been very eager in working with the ACC to come to a swift and accurate conclusion. I am also not aware of any occasion that the Minister of Agriculture or Chairman and Board of Directors of the National NPAA aided and abetted corruption or corrupt practices of employees at NPAA,” she said, revealing further that the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food Security and the Chairman and Board of Directors of NPAA are anxiously waiting to receive from ACC, the outcome / report of the investigation.
On the decision to suspend Dr. Kolleh A. Bangura, Amos D. Kamara and Joseph Sahr Kaifineh on half salary until after the investigation is concluded by ACC, Mrs. Karemo-Garnett noted that it is completely a Board decision without any interference from outside sources or bodies, which is in accordance with the Civil Service Conduct Code, which dictates that it is legal and lawful to put a worker on half pay pending the conclusion of an investigation.
The signatures on the award of contract clearly show the names of the members of the implementation team that signed and approved the document (Dr. Kolleh A. Bangura (Project Coordinator and Executive Director at the time), Amos D. Kamara (Imprest Administrator) and Joseph Sahr Kaifineh (Imprest Accounting Officer).