Salone loses $150 M to Illicit Fishing
Findings carried out state how Sierra Leone loses a whooping $150 million on illicit fishing activities annually.
Sources say officials of Fisheries Ministry connived with illicit fishermen in the absolute evasion of payment of taxes as mandated by law.
That fish mongers evade payment of registration for their fishing vessels, illegal trans-shipment of products from small to larger vessels at the high seas, fishing in no go areas etc.
It could be recalled that officials of Fisheries Ministry, up until the appointment of erstwhile Minister, Hadja Afsatu Kabba, have had their hands into deep rooted corruption conspiracy, taking bribes from vessel owners and in turned make them evade paying their taxes.
Credible information reaching desks of Sierra Express Media states how officials of Fisheries have had full days competing from among themselves in the erection of multi-million dollar houses.
Statements of concerned Sierra Leoneans are that the Fisheries Ministry was never known for generating money to the tune of eleven billion.
That Sierra Leoneans only came to know that the Fisheries Ministry is able and capable to raise billions for Sierra Leone months after the appointment of Afsatu Kabba as Minister.
It has authoritatively reached this press that the demotion of Joseph Koroma from that of a state Minister to an Ambassador came as a result of irregularities surrounding his activities with late Jamil Sahid’s son.
Joseph Koroma, we are told, connives with Jamil’s son (owner of a fishing company), to evade tax payments resulting to the tune of hundreds of million leones.
Although the Deputy Minister of Information and Communication, Hadja Saudata Sesay, lied to Sierra Leoneans that the removal of Joseph Koroma as Fisheries Minister to serve as Ambassador to China, is because of his experience on issues of international relation, the Sierra Express challenged that the forenamed Minister was terminated due to extreme unprofessional conducts.
It could be recalled also that the Global Times Newspaper a few weeks ago, exposed Joseph Koroma’s corruption involvement, identifying him as signing on two vouchers and receiving two salaries.
During periods of Afsatu as Minister of Fisheries, names of persons forming cabals at the said Ministry were identified and discouraged of corruption overindulgences.
This, according to source, was the foundation for complaints that lead to her malicious prosecution for corruption; no wonder poor Sierra Leoneans toed line to dish monies in her trust fund account for payment of court fines.
Monies alleged to have been fleeced due to conspiratorial conducts of bad officials of Fisheries Ministry (approximately USD 150 M) due to absolute tax evasion, demeans President Koroma’s vision for Sierra Leone.
Again, it indicates that Afsatu may have been the all and all in the improvement of such a Ministry.
More detail next issue.
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