The former minority leader of the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), Hon Emmanuel W. Tommy is currently in poor health over a year now and he is calling on the government to pay him the sum of Le1,634,748,850.00 (One Billion, Six Hundred and Thirty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Leones) as his entitlement for the reconstruction/rehabilitation project of the Government hospital Koidu town Kono district Eastern Sierra Leone.

Speaking to Awoko Newspaper at his Tommy street residence in Kenema, the former minority leader explained that he signed an Agreement, on the 1st day of January 2005 between the Government of Sierra Leone (hereinafter called “the Employer”) and Emmanuel W. Tommy & Associates (hereinafter called “the Contractor”) of the other part.

Whereas the Employer is desirous that the Contractor execute the Reconstruction / Rehabilitation of the Koidu Government Hospital (hereinafter called “the Works”) and the Employer has accepted the Bid by the Contractor of the execution and completion of such Works and the remedying of any defects therein for the sum of Le1,634,748,850.00 (One Billion, Six Hundred and Thirty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Forty Eight Thousand, Eight Hundred and Fifty Leones). He said since the completion of the work he has not received his money and that has greatly affected his life. He said all his vehicles are grounded and it is over a year he cannot go to church and the situation is becoming miserable for him.

His son Tamba T. Tommy told Awoko that in April 2020 President Bio paid a visit to his father, the former minority leader at his 3 Tommy street Kissy town residence in Kenema. He further explained that all the documents about the payment for his father were handed over to His Excellency for his attention and payment. The President then passed the documents to the Resident Minister East Hon. Andrew Ansu Fatorma with an instruction to ensure that the payment is immediately effected and he is to be the mediator between the Tommy family and the government of Sierra Leone for the said payment.

Speaking to the Resident Minister East Hon. Andrew Ansu Fatorma on phone about the matter, he explained that the ups and down nature of his job has made him not to do much at the moment because most of the time he is in Freetown, the finance minister J.J. Saffa is out of the country and in fact this coming week he will try to engage him. He said anytime President Bio visits Kenema he always give him some amount for his up keep.

He said he needs to follow up the matter but the nature of his job has created some lapse on his part as he always go to Freetown based on request. He promised that if possible before the end of this week or early next week he will go to Freetown and engage the finance minister J.J. Saffa on the matter for final resolution. He went on that before now he has taken the president, the vice president to his residence on visits and all of the visits have yielded some support for him.