NETPAGE’S CONTRACT WITH GOVERNMENT EXPIRED IN DECEMBER, 2023
The Chairman Parliamentary Account Committee (PAC), Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh has disclosed that the contract between the Government of Sierra Leone and the contractor, Netpage SL Limited expired in December, 2023.

He further noted that the company has continued producing Sierra Leone’s E-passport with no valid contract signed by both parties. The Deputy Speaker made this disclosure on Wednesday 30th October, 2024 at PAC sitting held at the New Administrative Building in the House of Parliament.
The Committee was probing into queries raised into 2021 and 2022 Auditor General’s Reports regarding the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

Hon. Tawa Conteh has raised serious concerns over the continued production of Sierra Leone E-passports by Netpage SL Limited with no valid contract which has prompted him to temporarily halt the country’s E-Passport production.

During the hearing, it was revealed that an outstanding royalty of 8% each electronic passport was not pay to the government of Sierra Leone by Netpage SL Limited by third party representative.
According to the PAC Chairman, Four Hundred and Twenty-Nine Thousand, Six Hundred and Twenty-Seven United States Dollars ($428,627) has not been paid to the Government of Sierra Leone for E-passport produced in 2022 by the contractor, Netpage SL Limited.

He disclosed that the audit team recommended for the contractor to expedite the payment of the outstanding royalty into the Consolidated Revenue Fund (CRF).

The Deputy Speaker demanded that both Netpage and the Sierra Leone Immigration Department to furnish the Committee with the necessary documents regarding the contract.

The Deputy Speaker maintained that the then Chief Immigration Officer (CIO) and the Ministry of Internal Affairs realized that there was an amendment to the contract.

According to him, the contract signed by both the company and government didn’t capture any royalty at the time of the approval agreement in December 2013 under the previous administration.
He said the then Minister of Internal Affairs and the Chief Immigration Office decided to sign another contract in which royalty was included, which both parties agreed.

Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh cited section 40 (4) of the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone that gives the President powers to enter into any agreement on behalf of Sierra Leone, but such agreement can only be valid if it is tabled and ratified by Parliament.

But it was discovered that such agreement was not tabled and ratified by the House of Parliament.
The Chairman said that the agreement has not been tabled in Parliament and they should not force or coerce the company to pay such an amount but rather they will negotiate with them to make certain payment to the government.

Hon. Wuyatta Bernadette Songa said though the agreement has not been brought to Parliament, but it doesn’t waiver the fact that agreement has not been made.

She suggested for such agreement to be brought to Parliament when the House resumed by next week for further deliberation on it. More details about the contract in subsequent editions.