In a recent parliamentary session, the Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, who doubles as the Deputy Speaker of Sixth Parliament, has raised concerns over the continued production of Sierra Leone E-passports by Netpage SL Limited.
The Deputy Speaker of Parliament said each passport production lacks a valid contract, raising serious national security concerns.
Hon. Conteh informed that is of security risk when Netpage SL Limited is still printing and producing Sierra Leone’s E-passport.
He continued that “the contract between the Government of Sierra Leone and the contractor, Netpage SL Limited expired in December, 2023, but they are still producing Sierra Leone’s E-passport which is of a security risk”.
The Deputy Speaker made this disclosure on Wednesday 30 October, 2024 at the New Administrative Building in the House of Parliament when the said committee was probing into queries raised into 2021 and 2022 Auditor General’s Reports regarding the Ministry of Social Welfare.
During the hearing, it was revealed that an outstanding royalty of 8% each electronic passport was not pay to the government of Sierra Leone by Netpage SL Limited by third party representative
According to the PAC Chairman, at the Audit Service Sierra Leone (ASSL), Sahr Mustapha Four Hundred and Twenty-Nine Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-Seven United States Dollars was not pay to the Government of Sierra Leone for E-passport produced in 2022 by the contractor, Netpage SL Limited.
He disclosed that the audit team recommended for the contractor to expedite the payment of the outstanding royalty into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).
The Deputy Speaker demanded that both Netpage and the Sierra Leone Immigration Department to furnish the Committee with the necessary documents regarding the contract.
According to Hon. Conteh there were two contracts between the Government of Sierra Leone and that there was an intention to enter into a contract with company.
Upon investigation, Deputy Speaker maintained that it was revealed that the then Chief Immigration Officer (CIO) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs realized that there was an amendment to the contract.
He said the contract signed by both the company and government didn’t capture any royalty as the time of the approval agreement in December 2013 under the previous administration.
He said in good faith, the then minister of Internal Affairs and the Chief Immigration Office decided to sign another contract in which royalty was included, which both parties agreed.
Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh cited section 40 (4) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone that gives the President powers to enter into any agreement on behalf of Sierra Leone, but such agreement can only be valid if it is tabled and ratified by Parliament.
But it was discovered that such agreement was not tabled and ratified by the House of Parliament.
The chairman maintained being that the agreement was not tabled in Parliament, they should not force or coerce the company to pay such an amount, but rather they will negotiate with them to make certain payment to the government.
Hon. Tawa Conteh said being that the agreement was not ratified in Parliament and they can’t do anything about it, he considered the issue resolved. He suggested that both parties be given two weeks to negotiate and bring a report of the negotiation.
In her submission, Hon. Wuyatta Bernadette Songa said though the agreement was not brought to Parliament, but it doesn’t waiver the fact that agreement was not made, but however, though it was not ratify by Parliament it doesn’t take the responsibility of the contractor not to pay the above-mentioned amount into CRF.
She suggested for such agreement to be brought to Parliament when the House resumed by next week for further deliberation on it.
“It is a matter of urgency that this document has to be brought to Parliament for ratification,” she emphasized.
