BY MARILYN KING
232NEWS, FREETOWN
Sierra Leone Chief Minister, Moinina David Sengeh, the Director General of the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT), Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, and the Minister of Tourism and Culture, Nabeela Tunis, on Thursday 23rd November 2023, visited the construction site of Cape Sierra Hotel, at Aberdeen, Freetown.
The Programme Director IDEA Sierra Leone, ING, Trudy Morgan, said they from IDEA, run by IFC, in conjunction with NASSIT, to build a five star Hotel.
She continued that they started a while back with challenges, and those challenges has been documented severally.
She furthered that they had been rehabilitated the building by NASSIT, and they from IDEA Sierra Leone are the successful bidders. She stated that they started the turning of the sod in 2011, and it was animus delayed and they were hit with Ebola, and during Ebola everyone left the site, and after Ebola they came back and had 400+ contractors working on the site.
She noted that in 2019 Covid came in Sierra Leone, and in 2020 fewer people were allowed to work. She said currently work is not ongoing.
She emphasized that work slowed in 2020-2021 into 2022 because of Covid. She said the last work was done early 2022.
She also noted that the building will be having 8th Stories and five kitchens. She concluded that the work will be done in a year if they start early and if there will be no distraction.
The Minister of Tourism, Nabeela Tunis, said as the programme Director Stated earlier that the completion of the building will be in a year so as an industry they will be under pressure to have this facility and running.
She said they will look forward to seeing their plan and they will be happy to be in a round table to discuss those things that they think may have an impact in achieving the completion of the building within a year.
The Chief Minister of Sierra Leone, Moinina David Sen said the reason they are there is because the president directly told them to come and find out what is going on with the construction of the building.
He furthered that they had a meeting with government and the schedule is to see the people who are involved in the project and talked about the completion of the building.
He said that there will be a new Hilton in Sierra Leone, where tourists will be visiting.
The Director General of NASSIT, Mohamed Fuaad Daboh, said the project was taken by IDEA Sierra Leone, and NASSIT is a partner, and they leased the property to IDEA Sierra Leone, and IDEA Sierra Leone, are the ones that are doing the project.
He said it is a big leap in terms of their image and in terms of their image and in terms of attractions they get from investors and also in-terms of explaining stability in Sierra Leone.
He stated that Hilton is an international brand that is all over the world. He also maintained that Hilton flag is flying along our coast. He continued that on the side of employment for government is huge and also for NASSIT and once employees are working and they are paid , their contributions to NASSIT will be deducted. He stated that If the Hotel is completed it will be big benefit to Sierra Leone. Viewing of the ongoing construction climaxed the occasion.
