400 Ghost workers discovered at Water Quay
The Sierra Leone Ports Authority situated at Cline Town in the east end of Freetown is one of the institutions sabotaging President Koroma’s Agenda for Change despite the hard working and dedicated General Manager, Captain Benjamin Davies.
Over the years, SLPA was known to be a den for corrupt with certain heads of department who were hell bent on corrupt practices that had deprived Government of revenue meant to be spent for the good of the country.
Very recently these reporters were at the Audit section of the SLPA at Cline Town to investigate a pressing corruption matter presently under investigation by the SLPA management relating to mismanagement and embezzlement of the institution’s funds.
While the investigation was on going, other malpractice was unearthed involving a number of ghost workers totaling over 400, receiving salaries from certain Heads of Department.
Upon investigation, this reporter learnt that a popular worker nickname Goal Finger who passed away sometime last year attached to the Container Section and one Adama Engineer, also late became the spot light when certain people were still receiving salaries for these two people who had since died in 2009.
It was understood that the issue of ghost worker is not new at Port as it used to be a syndicate through which senior heads in the finance section have been siphoning monies kept in a separate account.
The company’s Head of Finance, Mr. Crispin Cole who was recently investigated by the ACC on alleged mismanagement and embezzlement and was sent on leave for some months but later reinstated to resume duty as the new Financial Controller has been linked to the syndicate.
The ACC, under the leadership of Abdul Tejan Cole was also investigating another matter of alleged embezzlement and mismanagement involving one Adama Jalloh attached to the cash office. The alleged amount was put at Le 70 million dating back to December 2009.
A letter was written by former ACC Commissioner, Tejan Cole to Ports Management requesting that Adama report herself to the ACC.
The mater, according to investigation, was poorly handled by the ACC based on familiarization between Madam Jalloh and Tejan Cole, the former ACC Commissioner which eventually died quietly. Some Ports are anxious to know what went wrong with that investigation.
The Public Relations Officer at SLPA, Mr. Sheka Sesay when interviewed by this press about the alleged 400 ghost workers said the SLPA management is presently investigating the matter and are expected to come out with results within two weeks from date, the latest being the 15th July 2010.
He told journalists that the alleged 400 ghost workers are yet to be confirmed by management and that a committee has been set to investigate the matter of which he is a member. “I am a member of the investigating committee and the issue is yet to be confirmed but we are presently investigating the matter,†he said.
Sie Sall and Sall Tee Jay, Freetown
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