Archives October 2022

Police Wives Association Pays Courtesy Call on DG of Local Content Agency

Police Wives Association Pays Courtesy Call on DG of Local Content

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

Regional Conference hosted by the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency

Regional Conference hosted by the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency

Sierra Leone through the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA) has on Monday November 15, 2021, hosted a two-day Regional Conference on Local Content with the theme: How to Increase Local Employment and Procurement in the Mining Sector of the Mano River Union (MRU), at the Radisson Blu hotel, Aberdeen in Freetown.

The Regional Conference brought together government Ministers, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs), GIZ, and stakeholders from the four MRU countries (Sierra Leone, Guinea, Liberia and Cote d’Ivoire) closely involved in local content issues in the mining sector given the focus on the Regional Resource Governance in West Africa program (ReGo) of the German development Cooperation (GIZ).

The conference which is hosted with the support from GIZ will end today, 16 November, 2021. The overall objective of the conference is to share knowledge, learn new strategies with the aim of formulating a national roadmap/action plan on the implementation of a local content strategy as well as designing plans to work together to improve local content in the MRU region. 

Sierra Leone’s Minister of Trade and Industry (MTI), Dr. Hinga Sandy said that the development of this regional strategy will enhance job opportunities in the sub-region for the younger folks and this will lead to meeting the demand of the job sector in the country. He commended GIZ for their support to establishing the online portal to facilitate reporting process of the companies.

In his welcome address, the Director General of SLLCA, Fodeba Daboh said that each country in the MRU has a similar but different local content model, noting that the Sierra Leone model is covered by an Act of Parliament and covers all sectors including the mining, whilst other MRU States are only sector specific.

He added that each of the model is aimed at more job creation, technology transfer, building skills, and sourcing goods locally. “This conference is strategically aimed to achieve some component of our respective country’s development plans in line with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on decent work and economic growth, among others,” DG Daboh said.

Speaking on the theme, he said that it is very important to compare progress in the MRU States especially among Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, which among others continue to face developmental challenges despite having abundant natural resources.

“Despite our difference in terms of strategies and languages, however, exchange of experiences methodologies and good practices for example are critical in ensuring that local content is achieved across the space,” he added. “These two days Regional Conference on local content will provide an important opportunity for us to formulate action plans within our respective countries on implementation of local content strategies and also enable us to work together in improving local content in the MRU region.” 

In his keynote address, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Timothy Musa Kabba stated, “My experience as extractive professional has shown that investors in the extractive sector are willing to procure goods and services locally. This is because it is not only cheaper, but it injects cash into local economies, builds faith in entrepreneurship among young people and enhances science, technology, and innovation.”

He added, “But let us face it, we can only compete and build confidence in investors to source goods and services locally if we have the right skillsets, competence, and capacities to take advantage of the opportunities that local content brings to our sub region.”

He pointed out that investment in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM) is critical to building the right competences that are required to support investments in all sectors, but most especially, investment in the mining sector in meaningful ways.

The Country Director of Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia of GIZ Regional Office, Christian Widmann said that “each MRU State has a unique economic and mining sector context: Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea are among the least developed countries in the world, despite having enormous minerals and other natural resources.”

He said that the domestic private sector is relatively less developed, in the absence of other industrial sectors.  “Cote d’Ivoire is a middle-income country with a comparatively capable national private sector. However, the country has significant rural poverty around mining areas and a less mature industrial mining sector,” he said.  

He emphasized that according to the benchmarking study commissioned by the Regional Resource Governance in West Africa program (REGO) of the German development Cooperation (GIZ), despite unique contexts, all MRU member States are in relatively early stages of realizing local content in the mining sector, adding that, and as such, “best effort” policies combined with monitoring and facilitation by government authorities are likely to yield to more successful results than strict targets.

Representing Ambassador Medina Wesseh, MRU Secretary General, the Programme Manager of MRU, Jerry B. Tarbolo said that the MRU was established in 1973 with the view of enhancing intra-union trade between member States and promoting the local content of goods originating from all member States.

He disclosed that the Consolidated Eleventh (11th) Protocol of the MRU on Principles and policies affecting inter-union trade entrenched between member States clearly articulated that “no custom can be imposed or equivalent charges can be levied on intra-union trade or any goods originating or manufactured in any one of the member States of the MRU.” He disclosed that the statistics on intra-union trade will have to be reviewed.

He called on member States to popularize the Eleven Protocol of the MRU on Principles and Policies so that both local and small-scale traders, most of whom are willing traders, to join security on the various borders as well as the MDAs, will understand that member States have acceded to a Protocol of Goods of Origin so that our traders can move more freely without harassment and paying of high custom fees on the goods whilst the transverse during business.

First Lady Opens “Made In Sierra Leone” Trade Fair and Exhibition

First Lady Opens “Made In Sierra Leone” Trade Fair and Exhibition

The First Lady of Sierra Leone, Mrs. Fatima Maada Bio has disclosed that she has been consistently using Sierra Leonean made clothings throughout the last one year for both indoor and outdoor activities.

She made this announcement while officially opening a three-day ‘Made-In-Sierra Leone’ Trade Fair and Exhibition at the Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko Hotel Garden in Freetown, organised by the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA) on Friday May 20 2022.

In her keynote address, the First Lady described her made in Sierra Leone clothing as the most beautiful dresses she had ever put on, which, according to her, continues to attract so much admiration from local and international friends.

She associates the good news to the added value and quality being invested by brilliant women and men that are passionate about promoting ‘Made in Sierra Leone’ products.

First Lady touring to see the Made in Sierra Leone Products

Mrs. Bio said she is humbled to be amid Sierra Leonean business experts in their various fields, along with partners that are more than ready to promote the made in Sierra Leone platform, which, according to her, is an opportunity for women to celebrate and support one another. According to her, it requires stronger forces and partners to develop the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to support the general growth and development of the nation’s economy.

She congratulated the business community for surviving the COVID-19 pandemic.

On behalf of her husband and the country, the First Lady expressed gratitude to development partners who are supporting SMEs and the “Made in Sierra Leone” initiative nationwide, while assuring the government and the country’s approximately 52 percent of women of the government’s continued support.

Value Chain addition
Value addition and packaging

She said a government that empowers women enjoys development.

Mrs. Bio said: “When the enterprises are successful, they take care of many problems in our homes, from health, education to food.”

She made a clarion call for partners to continue to support the made in Sierra Leone imitative.

The First Lady said she was very impressed with the local goods she saw on display, while urging all present to patronise accordingly.

She expressed optimism that the three-day trade fair will showcase the nation’s local content, as she called on all to use the opportunity to appreciate those business people by way of buying their products.

“As the industry undergoes transformation under the leadership of the Director-General of SLLCA, Fodeba Daboh, the institution has been moved from baby’s steps to where it is today,” she added, while encouraging the DG to continue the good work.

The Director General – Sierra leone Local Content Agency

The Director-General of SLLCA, Mr. Fodeba Daboh, said the purpose of the ‘Buyers and Sellers’ meet is to bring local suppliers across the country together to showcase their different local contents to fellow Sierra Leoneans and the world at large. He said local content is not only about competing locally, but rather, it is also about international competitiveness and ensuring that goods and services, including people from this part of the world, are placed in a better position to compete internationally.

Hon. Minister of Trade and Industry – Dr. Edward Hinga Sandy

The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr. Edward Hinga Sandy said: “What we are seeing on display here is a true testament of the work of people who believe in themselves and have been doing this trade for a long time, making sure citizens are better placed in a way that they can produce what we consume.”

The minister applauds the work of SLLCA, stressing that they are making gains under the leadership of Fodeba Daboh.

According to him: “We are seeing a new trajectory of energy and much life, ranging from the increase in the number of companies to a more responsive local content law in the SLLCA Act.”

Strategic Communications Division
Office of The First Lady
Info@officeofthefirstlady.gov.sl
+232 303 68273