NEWS > Breaking News State House Crony Bags $149,000 Spare Parts Contract At National Power Authority Posted by on Jan 15, 2008, 04:11

Some of her colleagues called her the freaky girl, others say she a “high timer lucky woman” but she addresses herself as “State House Baby” who can “go for it” and “get it at once”.Ramatu Kamara, an employee of NASSIT in the research section now pays more time in her underground deal in getting contract directly from State House.

She maintains no business centre, certificate or office where she runs her business as a contractor or business woman, but that doesn’t stop her from getting a $149,000 contract for transformer spare parts for the energy sector at the National Power Authority.

 Instructions for the award of this contract reportedly come from State House to the Ministry of Finance, and documentations at the office of the deputy Financial Secretary’s office is almost complete for the payment of 30% to Franzine Trading Enterprise at Bathurst Street in Freetown.

This outfit is the front used by Ramatu Kamara, owned by Mr. Greenwood, a former classmate at the Institute of Public Administration.

Mr. Greenwood, with office at Bathurst Street whose company is being used for the contract confirmed to this press that he knew Ramatu Kamara “We were classmate and friends” Said Greenwood, and went on, Franzine is the company, but is owned by me and the nature of the contract, he explained is to supply spare parts for the transformers to which we are expecting a 30% payment to be made this week.

Finance sources say, payment would  this week. On the issue of violation of the procurement Act in the award of the contract, Mr. Greenwood claimed that he was invited to a tender board but would not state the date and time the board convened a meeting of that nature, nor was he able to explain when the contract was advertised in the local newspaper for the attention and participation of other members of the public.

According to the Ministry of Finance sources, the process for the availability of funds to address the contract was addressed by the President, Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma when he signed a warrant granting permission for funds to be made available. Although, the process requires parliamentary approval for the utilization of the 2008 budget, however, sources say the Majority Leader of Parliament, Hon. Eddie Turay is out of the country and Minority Leader, Mr Momoh Pujeh was in the provinces at the time the warrant was signed by the President.

The speed the process undertook sent wild signals to employees at the Ministry of Finance who interpreted it as the “President Interest” for those at NASSIT, it was very easy for them to read it in the behaviour of Ramatu Kamara that she has “Hit a Jackpot”

With the zero tolerance for corruption song of this baby APC government, it is not known how far members of the party would propagate this chorus.