The Sierra Leone Police Wives Association has on Tuesday October 25, 2022 paid a courtesy call on the Director General of the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA), at the Agency’s office in Freetown.
The purpose of the visit is to see how best they will effectively collaborate with the Agency in achieving their three years strategic plan which speaks to Business development, skills development, women empowerment, and address water and toilet facilities in the various Police Barracks across the country.
In her opening statement, the President of Sierra Leone Police Wives Association, Mrs. Matilda Doris Sellu said that when she took over as a President of the Association in July, she made a conducted tour across the country to familiarize herself with the Police wives and the challenges encountered in the various Police Barracks. “This was the first time for the Association to tour across the country,” she said, adding that previously, when a new president takes over the Association, she will invite the “Mammy Queens and their deputies” of the various Barracks to a meeting in Freetown and they will take the message to their members.
Highlighting the things which she identified in the various Barracks across the country, the President said that the Barracks lack water and wash facilities which are drastically affecting women and girls in the Barracks.
She disclosed that her predecessor established a Technical and Vocational Training Center that promotes economic, social and cultural development of Police wives, vulnerable women and children across the country, adding that over 250 people graduated from the Vocational center last year. “I have lobbied for job opportunities for these graduates,” she said. “I want the Vocational school to be established in every regional headquarter towns.”
She disclosed that after her tour, she held a workshop in Freetown where she engaged all the “Mammy Queens and their deputies” on the way forward of the Association regarding the issues identified, noting that they developed a three-year strategic plan from October 2022-September 2025.
She pointed out that their strategic plan speaks to the issue of business development, skills development and how to address the challenges identified in the various Police Barracks across the country.
The Director General of SLLCA, Mr. Fodeba Daboh assured the Sierra Leone Police Wives Association of the Agency’s selfless support in ensuring that their strategic plan is fully actualized.
“On behalf of this Agency, I want to assure you of our selfless support in making sure that the strategic objectives which you highlighted are fully actualized, by ensuring that we partner with you to achieve a common objective,” DG Daboh assured.
Mr Daboh said that he believes the things which the Association is asking for are very essential, noting that because of the Agency’s engagement with multinational companies, they will link the Association and the multinational companies so as address the needs of the Association.
“What we can assure you of is that, because of our engagement with
He pointed out that Multinational companies have moral obligation to provide their corporate social responsibility, noting that “Local Content for us is to ensure compliance of those provisions”, adding that they will coordinate the space in making sure that they do what is called linkages between the Police Wives Association and that of the multinational companies. “I think you are definitely in the right place and you are not asking us for much,” he said.
He said that they are always glad to partner with other Institution because President Bio is every interested in partnership and collaboration. “You highlighted key things like business, women empowerment, and technical vocational education,” he said. “Our work is anchored within those pillars.”
He disclosed that they want to make sure that the made in Sierra Leone product is given premium not only in Sierra Leone but at the global stage. He added that the Agency want to ensure that Sierra Leoneans compete at the global stage because the world has become borderless due to the Africa Continental Free Trade. “We have been enhancing the skills of our entrepreneurs,” she said.
By Stephen V. Lansana