By Ralph Sesay
Mohamed Bangura, former Director General of the National Telecommunications has told the Justice Thompson Commission of Enquiry that Cabinet under the Koroma Presidency had acted contrary to extending the monopoly for the management of the International Gateway to Sierratel from the initial two years slated in the National Telecommunications Act of 2006 to five more years ( from 2008 to 2013)
He continued that after the two years period ended as provided in the NATCOM Act of 2006, the National Telecommunications which is the sole authority responsible for the extension and management of the international gateway was not consulted rather a cabinet conclusion was sought by the Government of Sierra Leone to extend Sierratel monopoly to another five years.
This, he noted, was contrary to what the 2006 Act has stated in terms of who has the sole authority to manage the business of the country’s International Gateway.
The former NATCOM Director General further disclosed that he had advised the Board of Directors that the business of extending the monopoly of the country’s gateway should be done by NATCOM and Cabinet conclusion.
He added that one Mr. Alpha Sesay was the then Managing Director of Sierratel for the two and five years period respectively.
Mr. Bangura also revealed attempts to get Cabinet not to extend the monopoly to Sierratel by government for another two years after the five years extention.
This, according to him, failed and another two years was given to a company called MDIC managed by one Mr. Adel Tagar to replace Mr. Alpha Sesay.
The former Director General also told the Commission that Sierratel who was given the monopoly to manage the country’s international gateway also signed an agreement with TELTAC AFRICA for the subsequent management of the international gateway.
Mr. Bangura noted that at the end of the two years under the management of MDIC, government was forced through an agreement with the World Bank to terminate the monopoly and digest 50% of the funds to SALCAB that would eventually manage the submarine fiber optic cable that was to land in the country.
Lead state counsel for the state at this juncture applied for an adjournment of the examination in chief on the witness against the backdrop that he wants to present certain documents to the witness and that he also wants to make copies of the documents for the defense counsel.
This was not objected to by the defense counsel and therefore hearings were adjourned to Wednesday 31st July, 2019 on which date the former Director General who has appeared and testified twice at the Commission of Enquiry in his capacity as Director General will continue his testimony and cross examination by the defense counsel.
Mr. Sesay was the first Director General of NATCOM appointed in 2011 and served under veteran politician and current Member of Parliament for Constituency 34 Binkolo and Mapaki, Bombali District, Ibrahim Ben Kargbo.