Sierra Leone Telegraph: 28 March 2021:
Questions are being asked about the whereabouts of over seven Billion Leones that cannot be accounted for by Sierra Leone’s ministry of finance, who in a press statement said that it gave 8.8 billion Leones to the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA), a claim the SLFA in their press statement in reply denies.
The ministry of finance says, it has disbursed 8.8 billion Leones for the Leone stars Versus Lesotho match, but SLFA says it only received 1.9 billion Leones, prompting calls for the Anti-Corruption Commission to step in and investigate alleged corruption at the ministry of finance, as corruption grows to unprecedented levels across government ministries in the country.
This is what the SLFA said: “The Sierra Leone Football Association’s attention has been drawn to the press release by the Ministry of Finance dated today 26th March, 2021 headlined “Payments towards Sierra Leone’s participation in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches against Lesotho and Benin and the Paralympic games in Tunisia”.
“Whilst the FA would like to thank the Ministry of Finance for its financial support and encouragement towards the country’s participation in international football and sports activities, as an institution which prides itself on transparency and accountability particularly where our country’s tax payers’ funds are concerned, we would like to raise the following concerns:
“1. The SLFA would like to inform the public and the Ministry of Finance that at no point in time has the SLFA been made privy of the published amounts Le 8,835,325,769 by neither National Sports Authority (NSA) or Ministry of Sports (MOS) despite several requests by SLFA officials.
“2. The SLFA can publicly confirm that the sums published in the aforementioned release does not reflect the budget request presented to the MOS/NSA by the Sierra Leone Football Association for the matches (Lesotho and Benin).
“3. Contrary to the Ministry of Finance approved amount of Le 8,835,325,769, the FA can confirm that it officially requested from the NSA/MOS the sum of Le 1,923,750,000 (One Billion, Nine Hundred and Twenty-Three Million, Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Leones) for the Lesotho vs Sierra Leone match in Maseru.
“4. Contrary to the MOF approved amount of Le 2,449,456,888, the FA can confirm that its officially requested from the NSA/MOS the sum of Le 2,450, 060,000 (Two Billion, Four Hundred and Fifty Million, and Sixty Thousand Leones) for the Sierra Leone vs Benin match in Freetown on the 30th March 2021. This amount includes cost for foreign based players (flight costs, accommodation, feeding) and CAF match officials as well. There are no records in our correspondence to the MOS/NSA of requesting the said amount in respect of allowances for players. The allowances of players and technical officials for the said match inclusive of winning bonuses is Le I,078,100,000 (One Billion, and Seventy-Eight Million, One Hundred Thousand Leones) only.
“Furthermore, the FA would like to draw attention to the fact that the Lesotho vs Sierra Leone match is based on a reciprocal agreement – meaning, the SLFA/GOSL will only be liable to cover the costs of the Sierra Leone delegation flights and extras for the remaining 9 officials in Lesotho.
“Finally, the SLFA would like to inform the Ministry of Finance and the public that ALL expenditures at the national stadium ahead of the Benin match is being undertaken by the SLFA, without the financial assistance of the NSA or MOS.
“Our Institution remains committed to Raising Our Game through Good Governance and Integrity.”
This is what the ministry of finance said:
Welcome to Sierra Leone the only place I am proud to call my precious home; A lovely place of hope it once was where the bluest brightest skies and whitest clouds were always visible above on our Creators mesmerizing canvass for portraying his loftiest ideas,skill, grandeur and awesome magnificence of our beautiful universe. Have you forgotten,nation of peace loving people how cooing doves and white clouds always soared inseparably above like loving,caring husbands and wives?
Indeed once upon a time there was a dazzling light whose brightness had us transfixed like the Star Polaris; a time of hope when everything in Existence,under the sun was once deeply in love with my beloved Sierra Leone;But not anymore – the gentle doves and whistling wind that sang the sweetest songs to us,have been replaced by the unpredictable hands of time with wicked,predatory vultures and an angry, growling storm; And to make matters worse, all those shepherds of great skill and empathy that once cared diligently for a fragile nation of harmless,trusting sheep have also been duly replaced by ruthless hyenas and wolves(lol)
Now my Sierra Leone exists no more. What can be seen now are a bunch of crazed,dazed and confused SLPP rats in a frantic search of free government cheese. And who is it among you hungry millions languishing in abject poverty in Sierra Leone that is still not amazed as they keep on struggling in a maze of greed totally unfazed in their search for material riches and power?(lol)
You know,its saddens one’s mind to see the people of Sierra Leone being treated like slaves in their own country by their own leaders.Taking into consideration the amount of money that this administration is squandering,you will just wish in a blink of an eye that they all vanished into a thin air. These monies, had this administration used it wisely or followed their slogan “new direction” could have been used to erect fantastic apartment buildings around the slum areas of Kroo bay, Susan’s bay, Moa wharf, etc for residents of those areas for free. At least that could have been a good campaign starting point for the Bio government and above all a slap on the face for the previous APC government for failing to do such.
But again, like I have been saying all along on all my previous comments in this forum that: Maada Bio does not have the qualities of a leader, he should never have been even allowed to run for an office such as that of the president, and has missed a great opportunity to help the people of Sierra Leone whom he pledged to fight for through his flagship program called “fight to eradicate corruption”. What a shame! I’m well certain that the next administration will transform the slum communities of Freetown into modern neighborhoods…trust me!
8 Billion Leones is missing in Sierra Leone only the Good lord knows where it went;(lol)The Finance Minister JJ Saffa says it grew wings overnight and flew like a angry bird out of sight never to be seen again;Another SLPP Criminal told his visiting guests that a fetish SLPP Priest had demanded the hefty sum as a down payment for the arduous task of getting them easily reelected in 2023;(lol) Someone in the crowd of SLPP loyalists had protested; “Do it first and we will pay you ten times more;” he shouted. The fetish priest started walking angrily away. “PAY HIM THE DAMN MONEY” the President growled; “Do you think my work to transform Sierra Leone will be completed in just one lousy term?”(lol)
So they paid him that juju criminal a hefty sum – Gentlemen, they used money that belong to our struggling market women,carpenters,and street vendors to pay a lousy Fetish priest that has guaranteed them incontestable victory in the year 2023. But Stargazer is it true? True indeed! Friend that’s what I was told by men who are Defenders of truth in the privacy of my home – Yup, that’s the way the story goes.(lol)
in 2019 I was prepared to sponsor the National Football Team and bring them into the 21st Century with a new international coach and new players, rebrand the National Stadium and put forward a marketing plan to make the national team more attractive to local supporters. If my offer had been accepted this disgraceful episode of bribery and malfeasance would not have taken place.
A wise man once said;”As long as Greed is stronger than compassion there will always be suffering.” Totally agree! Indeed those words can be said to be an accurate description of what is going on in my volatile,fragile Sierra Leone
presently.Indeed all that our poor people have experienced are sighs,and cries of despair and regrets because honest,fulfilling Yesterdays have never existed in my little beloved country Sierra Leone. Again who would have thought or even guessed that the financial hardships,rampant corruption and economic troubles of yesteryear would have spiraled completely out of control like a kite with a broken string? And sadly all the money and time spent to ensure that progress is duly attained have turned out to a wasted effort – a faulty boomerang that refuses to return to its point of origin is what the New Direction strategy for prosperity has become.
The Finance Minister “JJ The Hangman Saffa” is an Albatross hanging around the necks of the people of Sierra Leone.Not so long ago,over a two years or so he caused the chickens to crow deliriously when he pathetically boasted he would fix our economy in their first year in office whenever they assumed the reins of power – It was all lies folks,illusions and delusions that were bound to create confusion that’s what they were.Now here they go again juxtaposing truth and falsehoods because of their greed for material riches and power.As if the dirty bribes they have taken from foreign investors have not been enough to taint their deplorable images now they have turned their unscrupulous gaze directly towards Football. O Thief that floats like a leaf in the wayward wind;Directionless as a ship that creeps in the dark without a rudder that is unable to chart its own course Sierra Leone has now become.
A sinister Finance Minister that floats like a leaf in the winds, a criminal lost in denial that gloats over the misfortunes of the poor suffering masses keeps on steadily sailing like a dry leaf in the wind,while our ailing currency keeps on soaring higher towards the skies on the wings of unchecked inflation.O mercy mercy me! A sinister Finance minister with quicksilver policies that resemble a Hangman’s noose is in control of the well being of our struggling hungry millions of abjectly poor people.O mercy mercy me.(lol)