By: Heritage Media Team

The Executive Director of the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration (SLMA), Paul S. Massaquoi has in a statement issued over the weekend cleared the air on procurement allegations making the rounds on social and traditional media on the refurbishment of the Administration’s headquarters in Freetown.

In his statement, Paul pointed out that he returned to serve his country in 2018 from Britain – a decision that was carefully deliberated and considered by his family and very close friends.

He said his first appointment was as the Chief Executive Officer of the President and the First Lady’s Foundation providing corporate governance and social responsibilities under the Office of the First Lady.

‘I also served as one of the custodians of the national project, Hands of our Girls Campaign, representing the First Lady at high profile meetings including the African Union to present issues of national concern which are to compliment government’s effort.

I am sure my records there were and still remain very clean before I was posted to the Sierra Leone Maritime Administration, a little over seven months ago. My appointment like others sparked a huge debate amongst many especially those who are against Diasporas securing jobs and those who for some reasons had personal issues with me’.

He explained that before this time in London through hard work and dedication he did nothing wrong and that after several managerial positions in corporate institutions across London, he still own a very lucrative Health Care Recruitment Agency and helped to employ several Sierra Leoneans single handedly.

Paul further narrated that many people who know him will attest to the fact that he hailed from a humble background with very good track record in both personal and academic upbringing and that he has never engaged in any discrepancy that will bring disrepute to his family name. A greater part of his statement reads thus….

‘Yes some skirmishes here and there with few people who I may not name but I am not one with a gigantic appetite to enrich myself or conspire to fraud or join a criminal syndicate as suggested in this forum.

I believe we have seen different publications about things that have unfolded during my tenure at SLMA.

Let me therefore quickly summarize the very situation that has course conflict of ideas here, maybe that will bring some clarity

ACC is charged with the responsibility to investigate allegations of corruption et al…

Including allegation of carrying procurement activities without due processes as in the case of SLMA

Parliament has oversight responsibility over government business and it is statutory that every MDA is invited to present a report on their departments activities – STATUTORY.

So it is obligatory on all MDAs to attend a committee meeting when required by Parliament and/or attend an enquiry meeting if an allegation is reported to the ACC and when the ACC requests a representation for a defense against any such allegations.

I was appointed at the end of May last year but officially became a signatory to the Administration in July 2020.

Before my time the following institutions were already at the Administration carrying out either an enquiry or investigation on different matters.

ACC investigating the SLMA for enquiry into financial details of 2016/2017

2018/2019

2019/2020

Financial year report

The IMO – enquiry into the international conventions and obligations of the Administration

State House enquiry into the seven Directors that were in suspension already when I took over whilst I was busy carrying out a robust internal assessment of the Administration.

After which I presented a recommendation to all the stakeholders including Parliament on all the issues inherited with several recommendations for the rebranding of the Administration moving forward.

Proud to say that all of my recommendations were unanimously approved by all, including the Board, the Ministry, Management and Stakeholders who attended the presentation

I my first official management meeting, I presented to the senior management the recommendations, and approvals by stakeholders and a responsibility was given to each and every senior manager including the procurement manager who was charged with the responsibility to carry out his duties in relation to the refurbishment of the internal facelift of the office and advise management and myself on the procurement processes.

Myself and management had strongly relied on the advice of the Procurement Director and team throughout the process and believed the process was based on his advice.

Yes I have the overall oversight responsibility to check that processes are carried out accordingly.

I am not suggesting in any way, shape or form that the process was compromised or that I did not carry out my duties nor am I completely ignorant of what prevailed in terms of the facelift procurement process. However, my submission is that I had just started work in the public sector and learning the processes. As a result, I strongly relied on the advice and directives of my experience senior managers, who I entrusted the most.

Little also did I know that and individual within the organization  was one conspiring against my leadership so he intentionally was not following due processes and providing me with accurate report in relation to the work that was carted out in order to undermine and bring my effort to ruin.

Following his suspension for other internal conspiracy, he now formed part of the team that had gone all out to create the poor media frenzy that is making waves around me and my administration creating panic and pandemonium.

We have been informed that he also was able to use his influence with those he know in parliament and the NPPA to create the malice that have now engulfed my Leadership and the Administration

Of course it is clear that the SLMA was the most disturbed and divided institution both politically and regionally

But of course we have had the opposition succeed there for over 10 years without any such bad press or publicity. How they did that, remain another topic of the day. Maybe, they are united within their system or with each other. That remains to be immolated.

However, the Administration has been under the spot light for all reasons little under three years as of all the financial mismanagement has been carried out during the SLPP governance. Which is very hard to swallow as far as my experience is now.

The two years or so of the SLPP leadership at Maritime is only as a result of disunity and infighting between or amongst the average southeasterner but to suggest that the surmountable issues and inadequacies of the SLMA for the past 20 years is as a result of the Leadership under the SLPP, I will categorically say no.

But in this short period in HE President Bio’s government, we have seen the uprising of members fighting against each other internally and externally, we have seen so many cabals and groups personally having interest and wanting to take over the Administration by controlling any head that is placed there.

However, for the past seven to eight months apart from the bad press over the administrative anomaly of a refurbishment process that should have been corrected, the Administration has achieved so much but no one care to take cognizance and publicize.

Under my leadership during the last seven months, I have steered the SLMA by focusing on the country’s blue economy and digitalizing a high income skill and capacity building programme to gain more financial freedom from the burden of unemployment in Sierra Leone

– I have embarked on the review, amendment and domestication of all the international conventions in order that we meet our national and international obligations especially the Maritime Security Bill that has recently passed Cabinet approval and the STCW convention which will lift the Maritime and the Government of Sierra Leone from black list and one that will increase the Administration’s revenue and international job opportunity for Sierra Leonean by over 30%.

I have created more jobs for Sierra Leoneans and after 45 years, the country now have the opportunity to send over 800 sea farers on board every vessel flying the flag of Sierra Leone.

Internally, the Administration is very stable with digital IT system in place to reconcile revenue, identify leakages and rectify errors.

I embarked on a robust debt collection, monitoring and evaluation which helped the Administrations to pay back all its creditors and supported its search and rescue projects.

Staff salaries were also increased after 20 years plus, bonuses paid to every board and staff member.

For the first time in 20 years, the Administration now has its own search and rescue center and equipped boats to discharge its national obligations

The first time in 20 years the Administration has and will supply life jackets nationwide to every government institution and parastatal.

Yet, one internal administrative error has made me look like a criminal and an incompetent Administrator?

I am not saying am a saint, but the effort that I have put in under just six months to revamp one of the most economically damaged institution in the country and to get such stick is just unbelievable

I hope that this noble forum would in future carefully assess a giving situation, exercise a good sense of judgment and reasoning especially when it comes to free social media information before coming to conclusions or judgment of a person’s activities or character

The allegations made will be investigated by a credible institution less by a renown Barrister of Law and I believe the end will only justify the means as we are all taught.

But for now, I don’t see myself as one that has joined any criminal gang as suggested in this group nor do I have any intentions to defraud the state as suggested.

I am pretty sure that my employer is fully aware and following this matter keenly. I strongly also believe that my employer believes in my character and abilities as a person and therefore is able to sieve between fact and or fiction to determine the right step forward.

For now my vision and intention was and still remain the vision of my President for the task that he’s assigned to me and that I must ensure that this carried out to the best of my abilities without distraction.

That is my humble submission to my fellow Sierra Leoneans and to those who may have been following as well as those who have been misled and misguided by those carrying out such propaganda.