The Director General of Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA), Fodeba Daboh has on Monday, December 21, 2020, disclosed that in this year-FY2020, the Agency was able to link several local entrepreneurs to Multinationals Enterprises (MNEs), Non-Governmental Organizations, and Donor partners.
He made this disclosure when addressing Journalists on the agency’s successes, challenges and plans for 2021 at the Agency’s conference room in Freetown.
Highlighting the agency’s successes, Mr. Daboh disclosed that 90% of supermarkets in Western Area have now dedicated ‘Made in Sierra Leone’ shelves, adding that 70% of Local Entrepreneurs reported increased sales in 2020 as a direct result.
He said that the number of businesses registered with the Agency increased from 95 in 2019 to 245 in 2020, which is a 158% increment.
The General Director added that the Agency Succeeded in negotiating with Sierra Leone Standards Bureau (SLSB) a 70% discount on testing fees for local entrepreneurs registered with SLLCA has led to increased turnout for testing.
He said they conducted capacity building training for 90 local entrepreneurs (15 per region & 30 in Western Area) in Exhibition Skills, customer’s service, packaging and branding etc.
He disclosed that they also built strategic partnerships with GIZ, World Bank, Invest Salone, Agro-Processing & Competitiveness Project, Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE), Ministry of Agriculture and National Youths Commissions (NAYCOM), adding that the Agency is also nominated to the skills development fund grant award committee-MTHE (TVET directorate) and bid evaluation committee (local content obligations in SL oil and Gas sector)-petroleum directorate.
He stated that for the first time they invited external auditors to audit the agency’s 2019 Financials, and also for the first time they prepared 2019 Annual Report on the Agency’s Activities.
He disclosed that the number of companies reporting on their Local content plan has increased from 18 in 2019 to 32 in 2020, accounting for 78% increments.
He stated that they conducted monitoring visit to selected MNEs in the Southern Region to ensure compliance with local content reporting and workforce development, and significant improvement was noted.
He said that they are collaborating with GIZ in undertaking a Local Content study in the Mano River Union (MRU), and when completed, will shed light on strategic intervention areas for rapid local content development.
He said that the Agency won Awards- Integrity Award 2020, Local Content Implementation Champion 2020, adding that he was among the 100 most outstanding Sierra Leonean 2020.
Highlighting the planned activities for FY2021, he said that the Agency will be implementing four key deliverables: Communication and Outreach Programme, Procurement and Local Supplier Market Development Programme, Skilled workforce Development Programme, and Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Programme.
Explaining the Research, Monitoring and Evaluation Programme, he said that the Agency will conduct Monitoring and Evaluation of Companies including Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) and International Non-Governmental Organizations (INGOs) for employment, trainings and procurement.
Speaking on the challenges, he disclosed that the Agency has inadequate funding and manpower to carry on the operations of the Agency, adding that they only have 25 manpower which comprises both permanent staff and contractual staff.
By Stephen V. Lansana
23/12/2020. ISSUE NO: 7972