State House authorises payment of $ 60 USD Million Dollars to Pavifort

Reports reaches this medium have it that State House sometimes in 2024 authorised the payment of over sixty million united states dollars to Pavifort for road contract.

The payment, according to credible and reliable sources from the ministry of finance was so huge that financial analysts viewed it as a first of its kind payment made to contractor for roads that were never constructed, rehabilitated or refurbished.

Those who are familiar with the operations and activities of the Pavifort Boss, Alimu Barrie, says because of his close ties with the President’s wife, Barrie enjoyed scooping government’s contract more than any local contractor in the country. A close and senior SLPP member told this writer that it was through the influence and support of Madam First Lady Fatima Bio that Alimu Barrie’s Pavifort got awarded a road contract in the Gambia while others believed he is a shrewd businessman.

The decision by state house to have authorised the payment of over sixty million united states dollars to Pavifort, report states, was the reason why World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) became upset with the Bio-led-SLPP Government.

It is reported that between September to November 2024, Pavifort received over sixty million united states dollars payment from the Ministry of Finance which caused heavy shock in the financial sector.

According to some World Bank and IMF Officials who spoke to this writer on condition of anonymity, they claimed that, ‘‘The whopping sum of $60M was for the first time paid to a single contractor for what many believed are roads which are not existing at a time when Karpowership  and other government contractors were struggling to get pay from the government.’’

This, according to investigation, was the reason why IMF has suspended all its activities in Sierra Leone following the huge budgetary overruns on roads by the government of Sierra Leone between November and December.

It was understood that IMF Reviewed Mission did a staff visit in April this year and highlighted huge budgetary overruns within the financial sector of which the huge payment of over 60 million dollars made to Pavifort became a topic of discussion. Also, the IMF Team also learned that the government did not meet the criteria, and so IMF did not do any review rather they postpone the review to June until the government is able to meet the criteria.

This situation has faced a financial standstill for the government programmes with the government struggling to raise revenue while at the same time spends massively on less pressing things.

The IMF suspension simply means that all other credible financial organisations like the World Bank etc are expected to suspend their activities with the government of Sierra Leone until June.

State House Press Secretary , Yusuf keketoma Sandi Esq when contacted could not be reached for official response from government.

In an effort to contact Pavifort Chief Executive Officer, Alimu Barrie refused picking his calls nor respond to several text messages sent to him via whatsapp and sms.

See more details in our next edition…