A high-powered delegation from the National Social Security and Insurance Trust, led by the Director General, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, and the National Revenue Authority led by the Commissioner General, Samuel Jibao, on Wednesday 17th June 2020, made a working visit to the Hilton Cape Sierra Hotel at Aberdeen in Freetown.
The visit was to have a first-hand update on the progress made in the construction of the hotel and to assess the challenges thereof. The team made a conducted tour of the landscape and the facility under construction.
Speaking at the construction site, the Director General of NASSIT, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh stated that the visit was underpinned by the desire to have a first-hand update on the progress made in the construction of the hotel and to discuss challenges faced by the company. He said the presence of the Commissioner General of the National Revenue Authority and team would help them validate the nature of work and to ascertain the effective use of the machinery and equipment that were granted duty waivers. He concluded on a note of satisfaction with the level of progress made and the quality of work and materials used.
On his part, the General Manager of the Hilton Cape Sierra Hotel, Wilben Short, expressed his gratitude for such a high powered delegation to visit the site. He intimated the team that the hotel was situated on an Eighteen-acre land, and that the project was in two phases. The first phase, he explained, which constituted an ultra-modern hotel comprising Two hundred rooms was situated on a Ten-acre land, adding that progress had been made on that project which would have been completed in September, 2020 but for the covid -19 interruption.
The second phase, Mr. Short said, would utilise the remaining Eight acres to develop a villa, an apartment block and Office space.
According to the General Manager, the Eighteen acres of land was leased to NASSIT for Fifty years by the Government of Sierra Leone and then NASSIT leased it to the Hilton Company for a renewable period of 48 years. The said lease was NASSIT’s shares in the investment, which would earn it 5% of every income generated by the Hotel upon completion.
He informed the team that the constructing company, Shapoorgie Purigeh, was poised to meet the deadline but their endeavour had been challenged by the Covid-19 pandemic and the delay in renewing the duty waver on materials they were importing.
On his part, the Commissioner General of NRA lauded the project as a worthy enterprise, saying he was impressed with the level of work and the capital investment, while confirming that he was aware about the challenges in the renewal of duty waivers.
According to the Commissioner General, duty waivers for a project of such magnitude should have the authority of Parliament which the previous waiver lacked. He called on the Director General and team to initiate the process through the Ministry of Finance.
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