The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the Parliament of Sierra Leone has secured a commitment from VIP Sierra Leone Limited to supply approximately NLe20 million worth of rice to the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) for August 2026, despite outstanding payments owed to the company for supplies delivered between January and July this year.
The agreement was reached on Friday, 6 November 2026, during a meeting convened at Parliament by the Public Accounts Committee, chaired by the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, following concerns over delayed Government payments and their potential implications for the continued supply of rice to police personnel.
The meeting brought together representatives of VIP Sierra Leone Limited, the Financial Secretary, the Sierra Leone Police and the Accountant General’s Department to examine the existing contractual arrangement between the Government of Sierra Leone and the rice supplier.
According to a statement issued by the Public Accounts Committee, discussions focused primarily on the outstanding financial obligations covering seven months of rice deliveries, from January to July 2026, and the need to ensure that the welfare of police personnel is not compromised by delays in settling contractual payments.
During the engagement, VIP Sierra Leone Limited explained the financial difficulties associated with continuing supplies without receiving payments for rice already delivered under its agreement with the Government.
Despite those challenges, the company reaffirmed its commitment to fulfilling its contractual obligations and assured the Committee that it would supply rice to the Sierra Leone Police for August 2026.
The Committee welcomed the assurance and commended VIP Sierra Leone Limited for demonstrating cooperation and commitment to supporting the Sierra Leone Police during a period of challenging Government fiscal conditions.
Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh, assured the contractor that the Committee would engage the Ministry of Finance to pursue an amicable settlement of the outstanding payments.
The Committee also examined the financial terms of the existing rice supply contract. It was informed that the agreed contractual price stands at NLe900 per bag of rice. However, following deductions for withholding tax, VIP Sierra Leone Limited receives approximately NLe840 per bag, compared with a prevailing market price estimated at NLe750.
The disclosure provided the Committee with further insight into the pricing arrangements governing the contract and the financial circumstances surrounding its implementation.
Members of the Committee expressed concern about the possible consequences of prolonged payment delays, particularly their potential to disrupt the regular supply of rice to the Sierra Leone Police.
They stressed that ensuring the availability of rice for police personnel remains an important welfare consideration and called for constructive engagement between the Government and the contractor to resolve the outstanding financial obligations.
The Committee further acknowledged that VIP Sierra Leone Limited had continued to honour its supply commitments despite the financial difficulties associated with delayed payments.
Following the discussions, the company gave a firm assurance that it would undertake the August 2026 rice supply, valued at approximately NLe20 million, while awaiting further engagement between Parliament and the Ministry of Finance regarding the outstanding payments.
The Public Accounts Committee, in turn, reaffirmed its determination to follow up with the Ministry of Finance to facilitate an amicable resolution of the matter.
The parliamentary intervention highlights the importance of timely Government payments to contractors providing essential services to public institutions, particularly where interruptions could affect the welfare and operational readiness of security personnel.
It also underscores Parliament’s oversight responsibility in ensuring accountability, monitoring contractual obligations and encouraging cooperation between Government institutions and private sector service providers.
Although the meeting produced an agreement concerning the August rice supply, the outstanding payments for January to July 2026 remain unresolved, pending further engagement with the Ministry of Finance.
The resolutions were formally communicated in a statement issued by the Public Accounts Committee on Friday, 6 November 2026.
