The $4.5 Million University Scandal: A Clear Sign of Sierra Leone’s Enduring Corruption
The University of Sierra Leone’s (USL) disastrous $4.5 million deal with the questionable Nigerian developer, Femab Properties, has revealed the deep-rooted corruption and mismanagement plaguing public institutions in Sierra Leone. This incident is not an isolated case but a clear example of how the system is easily exploited by fraudsters with little to no accountability.
The deal, intended to build a new campus for the Institute of Public Administration and Management (IPAM) in Bureh Town, has turned into a warning of how public funds can be easily misappropriated by dishonest individuals. Handing over $4.5 million—a sum that could have significantly improved the lives of many struggling students—without conducting proper checks is nothing short of criminal. Instead of being used for necessary educational infrastructure, this money has disappeared into the hands of a developer with a questionable background, leaving students and faculty with only broken promises.
Serious concerns arise about how Femab, a company with no solid history of completing large projects, was chosen for this deal. A simple background check would have shown that Femab is involved in multiple legal disputes in Nigeria and has a history of failed projects. The so-called subsidiaries it claims to operate are mere empty fronts, as reported by Africa Confidential. This lack of scrutiny and disregard for the public good is alarming and suggests either gross incompetence or deliberate collusion between the fraudsters and those in power.
Even more worrying is the silence from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC). This scandal should have triggered an immediate and thorough investigation, but the ACC has remained mostly inactive. Instead of targeting the key players behind this massive misuse of funds, the ACC seems more focused on minor cases, allowing the real culprits to continue their schemes unchecked. Without the investigation by Africa Confidential, this scandal might have remained hidden, and even now, there has been no significant response from the authorities.
The true victims here are the people of Sierra Leone, especially the students and faculty of IPAM, who were promised a modern campus but are left with nothing but an empty plot of land. Meanwhile, those responsible for this disaster continue to escape justice, exploiting a system meant to protect the public interest but instead shields the corrupt. This scandal highlights the urgent need for major reforms in managing public-private partnerships in Sierra Leone. Without transparency, accountability, and strict oversight, these partnerships will remain vulnerable to fraud and embezzlement.
It is crucial for the government to take strong action. There must be an official inquiry to uncover the full extent of this scandal and to hold those responsible accountable. The ACC must fulfill its duty to fight corruption at all levels, targeting not just the small-time offenders but the key players who orchestrate these schemes. The public must also demand better from their leaders. The loss of $4.5 million is not just a financial scandal; it is a moral outrage that must not be forgotten.
0 Comments