NEWS
In Sierra Leone....Vice President Sumana Takes Up Rotten $1.4 Million CT Scanner Case
By
Nov 26, 2009, 11:41

Last Saturday at an enclosure of a government building in the heart of the city of Freetown  in Sierra Leone were the Vice President Hon. Alhaji Sam Sumana, the recently appointed supervisor of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Dr. Len-Gordon Harris, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation, Mr. Jamal Shallop owner of a number of companies including Imres Pharmacy, which was used to order the Philips CT Scanner and other officials reportedly assembled at the building to discuss the fate of the $1.4 Million CT Scanner brought to this country by the Wheeler Duper of Lebanese extraction.

At the meeting, the issue of whether the scanner is brand new equipment or repainted and refurbished and brought to Sierra Leone formed part of the discussion. Mr. Shallop as usual insisted that the equipment is new, but developed fault as a result of poor shut down by the operator. Mr. Shallop who is not a medical official and has never gone through the rudiment of medical profession explained that he fulfilled the criteria of the contract and went beyond what was stipulated in the contract document “I did all these because Sierra Leone is my country and I want to provide quality equipment” He told the gathering.

But the quality equipment which Mr. Shallop is bragging about, since its arrival has not been able to perform its function despite the loud and historic launching ceremony conducted by government at the Connaught Hospital, which was graced by H.E President Ernest Bai Koroma and some members of his government and civil servants attached to the Ministry of Health and Sanitation. Speeches relating to “Agenda for Change” as the watchword of the APC government climaxed the ceremony on the day in question.

At the meeting Dr. Len-Gordon Harris explained that the country medical unit lacks trained and qualified personnel to operate such complex medical technology, but that notwithstanding if the equipment brought into this country by Mr. Shallop is workable, that would be proven in the not too distance future as he volunteered to shop around the west coast of Africa for a trained and qualified operator.

The Warranty period provided by the manufacturer, according to documentary evidence with this press is for a period of 12 months and between the date of arrival and installation the Warranty period had already lapsed. It is not known whether Mr. Shallop will use his relationship with the Manufacturer for an extension of Warranty period since the purpose for which the item was bought has not been served.

Mr. Shallop’s defence during the discussion as to the way forward is that he went the extra mile, but the extra mile he has always capitalized on as part of his defence strategy has proved insignificant as the equipment is still not working. The Vice President Hon. Sam Sumana said that he would like to put the issue of scanner behind his back as the health sector now under his control needs to be improved.

Mr. Shallop was ordered to come with an engineer, if he believes that the $1.4Million scanner is a new one and working to train personnel at the Connaught Hospital, how to operate it in line with the contract agreement. A source at the National Reveune Authority has intimated that Mr. Shallop refused to pay the custom duty for the scanner as he argued that the contract for the supply of a CT. Scanner excluded payment of custom duty. To him, the order is subject to a waiver, because it was meant for the government.

This not the first time that Mr. Shallop is refusing to pay duties for goods imported to this country on behalf of the Sierra Leone government. To secure a waiver or clear Goods on Permit at the Quay is not anything difficult for him as the current Minister of Finance and Economic Planning and Development, Dr. Samura Kamara has always been instrumental in his effort to secure a waiver or “Clearance on Permit”, a facility that is mostly not enjoyed by many Sierra Leonean businessman and women.

Mr. Shallop’s Assessment by the National Revenue Authority (NRA) for the year 2008, and other withholding taxes up to and including February 2009 for a Ministry of Health contract for the supply of drugs and other medical supplies showed not only inconsistency but replete with financial discrepancies, which he was not penalized for, because of his strong connection with the system and those at the helm of political power.

Sources say he is using the Squash Game Relationship with President Koroma to get his way round and allegations are that he usually called on Ministers, Permanent Secretaries and Officials of the Procurement Authority and Units at the various department when he is at the Presidential Lodge watching the President and his friends including Mr.Mamoud Bashoon and his “puppet nicknamed Jumbo” playing squash to give an indication to them that he has the blessing of President Koroma.

At the Ministry of Finance, payments to Mr. Shallop relating to contacts are treated with urgency and with less time as Dr. Samura Kamara would instruct that it should be done quickly. This, according to sources at the Ministry of Finance was the reason that facilitated the $1.4 Million for the CT. Scanner that bears poor configuration and with only two slices. The MX4000 Dual CT.Scanner is, according to expert contacted at the Philips sub-office in Ghana explained that the C.T Scanner ordered is small equipment bought by Mr. Shallop, which can only serve in small community hospitals and not the size of the Connaught Hospital. The price the official explained for a –two-slice CT Scanner is far less than the amount claimed to have been used to buy the equipment