As He Embarks On Promoting His Private Company… Bio Snubs Mattai In China

Sierra Leone Minister of Mines, Julius Mattai who at one particular time believed that he was the blue eye boy of President seems to be having serious problem with his former classmate now his Boss.
Mattai influenced led to the sacking of two Mines Minister and the removal of three permanent secretary when he was the Director of the National Mineral Agency (NMA).
When Mattai became Minister of Mines he stopped a cabinet approved contract with ARISE IIP for the operations of the Ports and Rail, for a monopoly with Chinese Kingho Company now Leone Rock which has among other things created an unfair use of the Ports and Rail.
Ever since the idea of the Mineral Wealth Fund was projected, Julius Mattai is believed to have been very much against the establishment of the Fund and to make matter worse the former personal assistant of Russian Oligarch will be heading the fund even though there are qualify Sierra Leoneans to head it.
The strained relationship between President Julius Maada Bio and his friend Julius Mattai, the Minister of Mines was seen in the just concluded Forum on China-African Cooperation.
The President himself on X revealed that he has signed a mining deal with a Chinese Company for the Tonkolili North but the Pictures the President posted were without the Minister of Mines.
The President said that as a country they have little of real value to show for nearly a century of mining, noting that his government assessment of the strategic value of their mineral resources is that they must get the maximum benefit from the sector for the benefit of the nation.
He went on to state that he witnessed the signing of a landmark agreement between the Mineral Wealth Fund Sierra Leone and China Overseas Engineering Group which is a subsidiary of China Railway Engineering Corporation which according to Bio, will open up the mining sector through key investments in the Tonkolili Iron Ore deposits and other infrastructure that are critical and transformational for the country’s economic development.
But experts have expressed their views that the Mineral Wealth Fund is nothing but a scam that will not have any benefits for Sierra Leone but individuals.
So far, the names that are associated with the Mineral Wealth Fund is former Personal Assistant of Russian Oligarch, former NPRC Strongman Karefa Kagbo and Sierra Leone’s Finance Minister Ahmed Fantamahdi Bangura.
Meanwhile the Minister of Mines Julius Mattai has seen the writing on the wall and has therefore embarked on the promotion of his private company INTEGEMS on social media instead of promoting theinterest of his ministry or the government.
Interestingly the action of Minister Mattai is not only unlawful but one that is unethical as Section 56 (3) of Act No. 6 of 1991 Constitution expressed that “A Minister or a Deputy Minister shall not, while he continues in office, hold any other office of profit or emolument whether by way of allowances or otherwise, whether private or public, and either directly or indirectly.”
It seems Mattai is no longer interested in being a Minister or he is just waiting for his time to be kicked out.