Sierra Leone’s third telecommunication company, Qcell since its inception has deliberately or otherwise refused to adhere to the laws of the country.
Reliable inside information reaching FORUM NEWS SL revealed that Qcell SL is in blatant violations of the country’s Local Content Policy and the Financial Regulation Act governing the operations and management of companies within the borders of Sierra Leone.
Being a Gambian investment operating the labelled as Qcell Sierra Leone, inside source also have it that the network operations rely on the backing of a very senior personality in President Julius Maada Bio’s government, hence the reason for the company’s reluctance to comply with regulations and state policies.
FORUM NEWS SL was reliable informed that Qcell’s senior and middle management, operational decisions and personnel related issues are highly dominated by Gambians nationals with lucrative salaries scales compared to that of regional standards, while Sierra Leoneans working with the company are still occupying the lower cadre of management with salaries far below what the leading companies like Africell and Orange offer their staff monthly.
Another irony unveiled by FORUM NEWS SL is that Gambians in higher and middle management levels are paid salaries and other allowances closed to what others offer to staff.
Another worrying sign for Sierra Leoneans working with Qcell SL are the persistent molestations and intimidation they are faced with in the hands of Gambians under the watch of management.
FORUM NEWS SL therefore urge the current Minister of Labour, Social Security and Employment, Mohamed Rahaman Swarray, Human Rights activists in labour and employment related issues and the media to launch a crusade to discourage Qcell SL from enjoying impunity with regard gross violations of the country policies and regulations.
This medium is therefore calling Sierra Leone Financial Intelligent Unit (FIU) to probe the company with regards allegation of capita flight handing over Qcell SL years back.
FORUM NEWS SL investigation into the company’s financial dealing remitting cash out of the country have it that Qcell SL since its commenced operations, has not been banking large amount of money in commercial banks in Sierra Leone but in The Gambia. A worker with the company attached to Administrative and Human Resources Department (name witheld), confided in these investigators that whenever Qcell SL is billed for any payment, the company’s Freetown management will have to call Banjul for approvals and signing cheques before any payments are made.
Such manner of operations, this medium was told is not in any way helping financial institutions in Sierra Leone but Gambian banks operating in the Banjul, The Gambia.
Moreover, indisputable sources at Qcell SL Wilkinson Road Freetown headquarter disclosed that revenue generated above Ten New Million Leones are quickly transferred to The Gambia via capital flight, hence, a situation other telecommunication operator and the general citizenry described as ‘robbing Peter to pay Paul’ approach that is also in violation of the local content policy.
FORUM NEWS SL will in subsequent editions make public sensitive financial transaction and employments documents as evidence of Qcell’s duplicity in its operation in Sierra Leone.
However, the management of Qcell SL has refused to grant the FORUM NEWS SL an opportunity to get their side of the story as stipulated by the ethics of the profession.
