The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency, today, October 26, 2024 embarked on a cleaning exercise at the Aberdeen-Lumley beach, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Freetown. This initiative aimed to enhance the beach’s appeal by ensuring a cleaner, more environmentally-friendly coastal area, fostering tourism, and promoting civic engagement in environmental preservation.

The beach cleaning event attracted community members, government representatives, and volunteers from various local organizations, reflecting a collective commitment to maintaining the country’s natural beauty. Volunteers worked together to clear litter, dispose of waste responsibly, and ensure the beach area is pristine and welcoming for both locals and tourists.

The involvement of the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency is crucial, as it highlighted the importance of local partnerships in achieving sustainable development. By supporting such initiatives, the Agency aims to increase environmental awareness, reinforce the nation’s commitment to sustainable tourism, and encourage active civic participation among Sierra Leoneans.

The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs emphasized that maintaining a clean and safe beach environment is integral to promoting Sierra Leone’s image as a prime eco-tourism destination. They expressed gratitude to all volunteers and stakeholders for their efforts, stressing that continued partnerships and community involvement are key to preserving the country’s natural resources for future generations.

The Aberdeen-Lumley beach cleaning exercise not only succeeded in enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the beach but also served as an educational platform, inspiring Sierra Leoneans to protect their environment and contribute to sustainable development.

The Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA) has on Friday April 12, 2024 paid a familiarization visit to the Sunbird Bioenergy Sierra Leone Limited (formerly Addax Bioenergy Sierra Leone Limited), at the Mabilafu, Mara Chiefdom in the Bombali District.   

In his welcome address, the Associate Finance Manager of the Sunbird Bioenergy Sierra Leone Limited, Patrick Tucker said that the visit of the Agency shows a very good recognition to their company, adding that they are pleased to work with the Agency.  

The Director General of SLLCA, Mr. Fodeba Daboh disclosed that the Agency’s visit is just a familiarization visit. “We are here to listen to your concerns and challenges with regards Local Content issues,” he said, noting that many time Multinational Companies take the work of the Agency as an institution that Police them.

He said that the Agency’s mandate cut across every sector, pointing out that that the Agency’s mandate is to create sufficient linkages between foreign Companies and the local businesses.

He disclosed that they want to localize Sierra Leone’s economy thereby making it as a local content economy. He said that they want to see Sierra Leonean employees in managerial positions.

He said they believe in localization and value chain development. He said that they do not settle for low standards.

He disclosed that the Agency is working on a Critical Skills Database where Sierra Leoneans at home and abroad can upload their skills and curriculum vitae, adding that Multinational companies will login to the Agency’s website and search for the relevant skills they need for their companies which will prevent Multinational companies from bringing experts in country to do the same job that a Sierra Leonean can do.

He commended Sunbird Bioenergy Limited for submitting their Local Content Plan, noting that the Company do not need to submit another Plan until after three years. “However, they need to enter into a partnership agreement with the Agency so that the Agency will monitor the implementation of their plan,” he said. 

DG Daboh told them about the Local Content Audit which is conducted once every year to ensure their compliance level.

He said that they regulate to ensure compliance to Local Content laws, noting that quiet recently, the Agency has approved the Local Content Plan for Sunbird Bioenergy Sierra Leone Limited.

He disclosed that local content is about job creation for Sierra Leoneans, noting that the President Julius Maada Bio has declared 500,000 jobs for Sierra Leoneans which the Agency will coordinate and facility the space so as to actualize what the President has said.

“So, we are here today to meet with this Company to see their facilities and staff,” he said, noting that the Agency will come again at any time this year to evaluate the compliance rate of Sunbird.

The Director General of Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA), Mr. Fodeba Daboh has on Friday December 9th, 2022, received the ‘Most Influential Local Content Champion in Sierra Leone 2022’ from the Global Impactful Women, at the New City Hall in Freetown.

Director General of SLLCA Receives Most Influential Local Content Champion in Sierra Leone 2022

The Award was received by senior management staff of the Agency on behalf of the Director General who was unavoidably absent.

This is the second prestigious award the Director General has received in less than a month after he had earlier received the 4th Prestigious Awards from The Women’ Forum Sierra Leone for his outstanding achievement in creating the enabling climate for women led businesses across the country.

The Award was received by senior management staff of the Agency on behalf of the Director General who was unavoidably absent.

Sierra Leone High Commissioner in Accra, Ghana, Her Excellency Francess Virginia Anderson on Thursday 1st December visited the ongoing West Africa Agro Food Trade Show, which is being held at the Accra International Conference Centre.

High commissioner Anderson visits Sierra Leone’s booth at the West Africa Agrofood Conference

During her visit to the fair particularly Sierra Leone’s booth, High Commissioner Anderson met with the country’s representatives of institutions such as the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency, Standards Bureau, Agro processing and Competitiveness Project of the World Bank.

She applauded and congratulated all representatives of Sierra Leone and urged them to always do more in ensuring their products meet the required standards as by so doing Sierra Leone’s Flag will fly high.

She encouraged them to be doing all they could in improving what they do and making sure even their packaging meets international expectation.

As a nation she said, Sierra Leone will continue to do that which is needed in showcasing its quality.

Sierra Leone’s Products displayed at the West Africa Agrofood Conference in Ghana

A total number of 18 Agro processing Local Entrepreneurs also formed part of Sierra Leone’s team. They informed the High Commissioner about the purpose of the fair and how it has been.

According to them, the event brought together 98 exhibitors of 21 countries from Africa, Asia and Europe with a goal of displaying value chain of Agroindustry products and facilities.

Representative of the Agro processing and competitiveness project at the Small Medium Enterprises, Haja Meyers briefed the High Commissioner on how exceptional the entrepreneurs have been, and that they continue to receive support from the Agro prosessing and competitiveness project of the world bank.

She pleaded with the High Commissioner to support them in any way by ensuring they also enter the regional market through the desired networking.

Sierra Leone Local Content Agency Director General, Fodeba Daboh appreciated the High Commissioner for the visit while promising that his Agency and all others working together in the same interest will continue to project Sierra Leone’s local content to Africa and the world at large.

The Director General of Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA), Mr. Fodeba Daboh, and other senior government officials recently attended the seventh International Summit & Exhibition for Applied Education and TVET at the Hunan International Convention & Exhibition Center, Changsha in China.

The summit on Wednesday, August 16, 2023, to Friday, August 18, 2023, was hosted by the International Transnational Education Association (ITEA) and co-hosted by the International Cultural Communication Center Malaysia (ICCCM).

The Summit is a joint Development of National Vocational Education Standards and National Qualifications Frameworks collaborative project with The Gambia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Cambodia, and Pakistan.

The Sierra Leone delegation comprises the Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education Mr. Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara who delivered the keynote address, Chief Technical and Higher Education Officer, Dr Josephous Brimah, the Acting Director of National Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), Abdul Senesie and the NCTVA representative, Mr Abdul Rahman Sesay.

In his keynote address, the Deputy Minister of Technical and Higher Education, Mr Sarjoh Aziz-Kamara said that His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio’s Big Five changer for sustainable economic development and social process is in line with the objective of this summit. He emphasized that developing middle-level manpower through TVET can help achieve the “Big Five”.

In his address, the Director General of the SLLCA, Mr. Daboh explained that the Agency’s key priority and strategic focus is skills development and strengthening the capacity of local enterprise.

DG Daboh believed that a skilled workforce could create a pool of Sierra Leonean professionals’ workforce ready for immediate use by multinational companies.

He added that the Agency has built and will continue to build a robust network between local firms and their international counterparts.

“It is against that background that we are working diligently with the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education and its affiliate Agencies like NCTVA and Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) to develop our middle-level manpower and also to curb the persistent skills mismatch between schools and colleges and employing firms,” DG Daboh added.

He disclosed, “So far, we have developed a scorecard for companies registered in Sierra Leone which makes adherence to Agency laws easy and enticing.