By Mento and Emmanuel
The management of Charlieco Enterprises and Logistics Company at 7 Short Street in Central Freetown had vowed to take legal action against the UN agency, World Food Program (WFP) country office in Sierra Leone if the administration continues refusing to honor the payment of Eighty Million Leones (Le80M) to the said management for transportation and crane service as agreed.
Explaining to journalists at a well-attended press conference at the address earlier mentioned above, the Manager for Charlesco Logistics Company, Charlie George Williams spoke about the legal agreement signed between himself and management of WFP on 1st July, 2021 to provide transportation and crane services in Port Loko District.
Before I deliver the services, Mr. Williams said he was contacted and held discussion with the Admin at the Logistics Department in respect of the contract, adding that in doing such exercise, he had to measure the tonnage to be used.
Manager Williams said, they told him to provide 15 tonnages of crane services to clear generators. “Each trip should be paid for the sum of twenty million Leones (Le20M).
According to Mr. Williams, the agreement also spelt out clearly that they should transported four generators to 4 different locations within the District which they did satisfactorily.
Mr. Williams continued that WFP staff and the receiver of the generators who penned down their signatures in approving the completion of the job acknowledged the fact that they delivered the crane services as it supposed to be.
Mr. Williams said he was very careful during the time of transporting the generators because he was signed to pay for anything which might damage or got missing during the process of transporting the generators.
He maintained that after the crane services had completed, “I submitted an invoice in the tune of Eighty Million Leones (Le80M) with other necessary documents based on agreement”, he told journalists and discussed that he was surprised to be told by the WFP management that based on the job he did, they would not able to pay him the Le80M as agreed, but they negotiated to offer him Thirty Five Million Leones (Le35M).
“Up to date, they hold on to my payment because they wanted to under pay me against my will” he told reporters.
Mr. Williams said WFP legal department didn’t respond even to the complainant letter written to them by his business lawyer, noting that based on his lawyer’s advice; he organized the press conference to inform the public on how WFP which is perceived as a humanitarian organization is maltreating local companies in the motherland of Sierra Leone.
According to the Logistics Company Manager, they prefinanced the project or used their physical cash not only to pay staff or to maintenance those expensive equipment, but also to buy fuel, pay the toll gates and other unavoidable reasons.
“It is very unfair for a big Organization like WFP to boycott such a legal agreement”, he fumed and queried why the reduction from Le80M-Le35M?.
“However, we have been working with WFP for the past five years based on prefinancing projects, but it is bad to deprive the business because they have to pay workers and the maintenance of equipment, advancing that it is not easy to run a whole company at this part of the world.
Concluding, Manager Williams intimated this press that as law abiding citizens, they would be left with no option but to take the appropriate legal action if negotiation continues to fail.
Below are the official responses of WHO Director of Communication on the damning allegations.
“The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has been using its best efforts to amicably resolve differences with Charlie CO Enterprises and Logistics Company regarding the applicable rates for services provided to WFP on July 2 2021”.
“WFP looks forward to the swift and mutually agreed resolution of this matter”. The Director of Communication said.
Dr. Samura Kamara Joins Sanda Taindaren Chiefdom in Ceremony of P.C Kafoir 1
In a bid to give a heroic home coming, and to also demonstrate their passion and support for P.C Sheik Kandeh Abdurrahman Bangura Kafoir 1, the people of Sanda Taindaren came out in their thousands on March 5 to welcome the People’s leader.
The ceremony, which was held at Tawheed & Seven Spikes Islamic Primary School, Sanda Taindaren, attracted thousands of Sandatonians and non-Sandatonians from the nook and cranny of Sanda. It was symbolic and filled with anxieties as the people were in their cultural attires honoring the traditionally and spiritually ordained leader.
Dr. Samura Kamara who hailed from that district was also in attendance to grace the occasion.
During his brief speech, Dr. Samura Kamara thanked the people of Sanda Taindaren for their unbounded love shown to the Paramount Chief.
“The love you people have shown to P.C Kafoir 1 speaks volume of the trust, confidence and respect you have for your leader”.
He further pleaded with the P.C Kafoir 1 to be a compassionate and a family leader if he wants to succeed.
He ended by adequately congratulating P.C Kafoir 1 and also encouraged the people to cooperate with their leader in order for the Chiefdom to succeed.
“I have no iota of doubt in you as your developmental legacies are boldly writing on the walls”. Dr. Samura concluded.
P. C Kafoir 1 thanked Dr. Samura Kamara for leaving his busy hours to show how deeply he cares for not only him but his Chiefdom and his people.
He said, he will not disappoint his subjects as he has a very clean slate in terms of development and leadership.
The programmer was climaxed with melodious traditional songs and dance.
Kenyan Wildlife Experts present Assessment Findings to Tourism Minister
Three Kenyan wildlife experts called into the country have presented findings and recommendations on their nationwide assessments and exploration of wildlife tourism resources to the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs.
An awareness raising workshop was held at the Ministry’s Conference room, Kingharman Road, Freetown recently.
The exercise was backed by President Bio, whose desire was for Sierra Leone to have a wildlife safari park using the Kenyan experience in wildlife tourism and sanctuary management as a benchmark. The Kenyans together with the tourism Ministry and Line MDA’s embarked on a weeklong assessment and exploration of the Country’s tourism wildlife potentials.
The Permanent Secretary, Andrew Sorie, commended the expert for traversing the country and assessing protected areas, parks, sanctuaries, hoping that the natural resources will amount to wildlife tourism and the prospects for increased arrivals, investment and job creation.
The Director of Tourism, Mohamed Jalloh explained the benefits of wildlife tourism which he said will contribute greatly to Sierra Leone’s economy. He acknowledged the contributions of the tourism minister and heads of line MDA’s for their pivotal role throughout the exercise.
He said the recommendations proffered by the experts will be put into practice in actualizing Sierra Leone’s wildlife potentials.
In her keynote address, the Minister of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, Dr. Memjunatu Pratt, appreciated the Kenyans for a job well done saying that it was the first ever national engagement on wildlife tourism, and it happened at a time when the Ministry of Environment had enacted the new wildlife act.
She said tourism is now revolutionized and the focus should be on positive activities in answering questions to deforestation and destructive environmental practices. She maintained that tourism is a vehicle for integrated development for developing countries while recognizing the Paramount Chiefs as Ambassadors of wildlife tourism in Sierra Leone.
Presenting their findings and recommendations, the Lead Kenyan expert, Michael Wanjau, talked about conservation issues and context for wildlife tourism in Africa and biodiversity conservation approaches in Africa.
Bernard Njoro, a Kenyan Wildlife expert, presented the SWOT analysis upon which the key recommendations were generated. They recommended active government presence in all parks and sanctuaries, undertake conservation stakeholders’ analysis, develop and implement conservation education and sensitization programme and develop basic park infrastructure among others.
The Minister of Environment, Chairman of NTB, Head of NPAA, Paramount Chiefs all made valuable contributions towards the discourse.
A cocktail dinner was hosted by the Ministry for the Kenya experts at Country Lodge. The occasion was climaxed with crowning of the lead Wildlife expert, Michael Wanjau, as honorary paramount chief.
