The Director General of the Sierra Leone Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission (SLEWRC), Emanuel Mannah, has been accused of conflict of interest and alleged abuse of office.

According to reports, Mannah allegedly awarded contracts to his personal consultancy firm, Finance Applied Management and Engineering (FAME), as well as to a close associate, Brima Bah, causing significant staff attrition within the organization.

Sources reveal that FAME was contracted for a $70,000 World Bank-funded project to review the SLEWRC Act 2011. Additionally, $40,000 was allocated for a nationwide energy sensitization campaign involving Town Hall meetings, which reportedly did not take place as planned.

Mannah is accused of merging the funds for these separate projects, misrepresenting the activities as identical, thereby breaching Section 37 of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) Act, which addresses misappropriation of donor funds.

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Further allegations claim Mannah awarded one of the projects to a company owned by a friend, sidestepping the required stakeholder engagement process. Critics argue this decision violated procurement rules and siphoned funds intended for the national energy campaign.

Concerns were formally raised during a session in Kenema on August 26, 2024, by Paramount Chief MP of Kenema District, Hon. PC Kanneh. The MP criticized Mannah’s actions as a diversion of purpose and warned of potential donor confidence erosion if the ACC fails to intervene.

As public scrutiny mounts, stakeholders are calling for a thorough investigation into the allegations. Observers fear that unchecked malpractices at SLEWRC could undermine the institution’s credibility and jeopardize critical donor relationships.

Efforts to contact Mannah for a response have so far been unsuccessful. However, this media outlet will continue to monitor and report developments surrounding this issue