A high level delegation comprising senior members of NASSIT and key government functionaries led by the Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh on Thursday 23 November, 2023 paid a working visit to the Hilton Sierra Hotel project site at Aberdeen in Freetown with the objective to have firsthand information about the development of the work done so far.

The project which was awarded in 2011 had been stalled for almost two years now due to number of reasons including but not limited to the outbreak of Ebola in 2014, Covid-19 and importantly finance according to the Ing. Trudy Morgan, the Programme Director of IDEA-SL.

According to the Chief Minister, the delay to complete the project has attracted the attention of President Maada Bio who, he said insisted on visiting the site to know about the development made so far. He said the government has already engaged the Finance Ministry to support the project for speedy completion. He assured government’s commitment to the project, given its benefit to the country which he said cannot be overemphasized. In that light he said they will continue to engage the Developers, IDEA group.

The project Director of IDEA who won the bid to construct the 400 bedroom Five Star Hotel insisted the outbreak of both Ebola and Covid and lack of finance among other challenges largely delayed the work as contractors abandoned the work as a result.

However, Madam Morgan assured the delegation that if all things go well as planned ‘without interference,’ the work will be completed within a year and proudly disclosed that about 84 percent of the work has already been completed.

The Director General of NASSIT, Mr. Fuaod Daboh who disclosed that the Scheme leased the property to IDEA property developers, stressed that they want to see the completion of project without further delay, given that it has enormous benefits to the country, including employment as the workers will be contributing to the scheme. “That is why we are happy that government comes in to rescue the project,” he added.

Like the Chief Minister and the NASSIT Director, the Ministers of Tourism, Labour and other representatives expressed similar sentiments.