The Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, has raised serious concerns about a proposed tax concession and deferred tax deal for Aminata and Sons Limited.
He warned that the agreement could lead to major revenue loss for the Government of Sierra Leone, while offering very little benefit to the country.
Speaking on Truth Media’s Morning Devotion Programme on Monday, 15 June 2026, Hon. Conteh said the issue came to his attention when it appeared on Parliament’s Order Paper for review. He explained that the matter had earlier been scheduled for discussion but was not included at the time. When attempts were later made to bring it back, he objected, citing the serious financial impact and Parliament’s duty to protect the country’s economy.
Hon. Conteh acknowledged that Aminata and Sons Limited has been operating in Sierra Leone for about five years and is now one of the country’s leading petroleum importers. He noted that the company imported about 15.5 million litres of petroleum in January alone, showing its strong position in the sector.
However, he questioned why the company should benefit from a three-year deferred tax concession to support storage facility projects. He argued that such investments should be funded by the company itself, especially in a well-established and profitable industry.
He stressed that the petroleum sector is one of the government’s main sources of revenue through taxes and duties. According to him, the proposed deal could cost the country about 33 million US dollars over three years, which is roughly 11 million dollars each year.
Hon. Conteh said tax waivers should mainly be given to new or developing industries that create jobs and grow the economy. He warned that giving such benefits to already profitable companies weakens government finances.
He also raised concerns about agreements that allow companies to claim large investment costs without clear proof of national benefit. Referring to Aminata and Sons, he mentioned its past operations in Liberia and called for careful review of such deals.
On Parliament’s role, he said lawmakers have a constitutional duty to check decisions made by the executive. While praising President Julius Maada Bio for efforts to raise funds for development, he said it is not possible for any President to examine every detail of every agreement.
He explained that Parliament acts as a safeguard by reviewing such decisions independently to protect public resources.
Hon. Conteh added that although Cabinet approval is important, Parliament must still carry out its own checks. He said agreements should be properly reviewed by technical experts before reaching Cabinet, and also be carefully examined by Parliament.
Explaining the financial impact further, he said the deferred taxes amount to about 263 billion old leones. He argued that if the government invested this money at high interest rates while charging the company a much lower rate, it would result in a big financial loss to the state.
He also compared Sierra Leone to other countries like Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire, where such tax concessions are rarely given to established oil companies. Instead, investors are expected to fund their own business operations.
Hon. Conteh said the matter will now be referred to the Minister of Finance for further review. He expressed confidence that the government will reject the proposal and confirmed that it will not be debated in Parliament in its current form.
Meanwhile, reports from Liberia have linked Aminata and Sons Corporation to past allegations of financial misconduct. Civil society groups, including the Citizens Solidarity Movement, had previously called on Liberia’s Ministry of Commerce and Industry to disqualify the company from a petroleum bidding process.
The company had earlier handled the sale of Japanese-donated petroleum products and was seeking to take part in another round of bidding when concerns were raised.
