Executive Director of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)Dr. Bondi Gevao has informed members of the Public Account Committee that the names of some of their colleagues who owned companies that are operating in the country but failed to do their Environmental Impact Assessment licenses will soon be sent to the committee.
This came about came last Wednesday August 12, when the Deputy Chairman of the committee Hon Abdul Titus Kamara was probing in to queries raised by the Auditor General for 2017 which indicate that proper monitoring has not been done of companies operating in Sierra Leone especially on the Environmental Impact Assessment(EIA) licensed.
Hon Kamara said this indictment on his colleague members of parliament is serious and that names must be submitted on Friday to the committee clerk.
“We are law makers, we are not above the laws, we must not impede the work of EPA,” he stated
Hon Francis Kaisamba said as parliamentarians they are pace setters and that they should not take law in to their hands as this is a big indictment.
That he wants to see the names of members of parliament involved.
About companies that are operating without valid licenses, Dr. Gevao said he is on record that there are company operating illegally.
That it will be interesting to know that the companies prefer to pay the fines which is Le 25m than the fees which is Le 60M-these companies will prefer break the law without taking their EIA licenses.
He said that is the reason they are engaging the Ministry Environment so that they can enact new laws so that the fines will be heavy.
According to the Executive Director, some of these companies have started operating since 2014 during the time of the Madam Ejatu Jallow.
Hon Kamara said EPA lacks monitoring so the committee has to stand them down for tomorrow Tuesday August 18.
That they want the names of companies operating since 2014 and that EPA should lace with the Audit department on what they want EPA to respond to before they face the committee on the said date.
