The National Commission for Privatization (NCP) in collaboration with State House Monday 11th April, 2022 resolved to set up an Interim Management Team to oversee the affairs of the Sierra Leone Telecommunications Company Limited (SIERRATEL) until the privatization process is complete before SENTINEL will take over.

The Interim Management Team comprised six members including two representatives from State House and National Telecommunications Commission (NATCOM), one from SIERRATEL’s Staff Union, two from NCP and a retired senior official of SIERRATEL, Francis Matturi.

The latest development was disclosed by the Executive Secretary of NCP, Safura Bintu Rogers, in a press briefing at SIERRATEL Headquarters in Freetown.

According to the Executive Secretary, NCP and State House took the decision following the strike action of irate SIERRATEL workers that called for the Management led by Prince Bio to step aside for an interim administration to take over until the handing over of the company to the new partner – SENTINEL.

At the press briefing, the Head of SIERRATEL Interim Management Team, Francis Matturi, who retired from the company after he had served for over twenty-three years, disclosed that the Committee was set up to look into the affairs of SIERRATEL with regards its activities including a review of its administrative set-up, technical, financial, commercial, human resources and every other activity the company engaged in, adding that they would be more concerned with the customers working with SIERRATEL and the people helping them in this category.

Director of Engineering and Infrastructure at NATCOM, Sahr Momoh Sewah, who is representing NATCOM on the Committee, disclosed that as an experienced engineer, he would lead investigation into the technical challenges in the network and how to proffer solutions to them.

The Satellite Newspaper reports that, the General Secretary of Sierra Leone Union of Postal and Telecommunications Employees, Edward Kamara, expressed gratitude to His Excellency President Brig. (Rtd) Julius Maad Bio for endorsing the Interim Management Committee as well as NCP that has been with them in their industrial action.

“My role in the Committee set up is to help them ensure that all the welfare issues of workers are well addressed so that when the changes come, they will not see it difficult to adapt,” Mr. Kamara concluded.