The Director General of Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA), Mr. Fodeba Daboh, and the Commissioner of the National Youth Commission (NAYCOM), Ngolo Thomas Katta have on Friday, March 12, 2021, assured IZELIA Textile and Design Training Hub of government support.
They gave this assurance during the opening ceremony of the IZELIA Garments, Textile, Design and Factory, at its Training Centre, Kingtom in Freetown. The ceremony was attended by stakeholders in both the private and public sectors. The business model implemented by IZELIA, building a Creative Ecosystem and a Blueprint for Circular Designers, is working with women and youths to develop sustainable fashion and lifestyle products fits for everyday life.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Daboh, the Director General of Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA), said that IZELIA Hub is a true manifestation of human capital development that President Bio has laid premium on, adding that IZELIA is not only involved in fashion design or a lifestyle brand, but it also contributes to national development.
“To us, this means protecting, supporting, and opening opportunity for every Sierra Leonean,” DG Daboh said. “If you were following yesterday, the President had a virtual conference with Women in leadership where he reiterated that we cannot do without the women taking the lead.”
He said that 80% of the registered local entrepreneurs including IZELIA are women, noting that seeing Sierra Leonean entrepreneur being featured in International media houses like BBC, CNN and Aljazeera showcasing fashion design is part of rebranding Sierra Leone.
He pointed out that the SLLCA Act is geared towards giving space to all local entrepreneurs, adding that the Agency encourages indigenous technology and national development in domesticating the country’s economy.
“As stress in the Sierra Leone Medium Term development Plan 2020-2023, we can promote tourism-based activities that link with the rural economy and culture, among others,” he assured.
He said that there are currently two major opportunities that are even beyond Sierra Leone: The ECOWAS Trade Realisation Scheme of which Sierra Leone is a signatory and the Africa Continental Free Trade Agreement that has been signed.
“This means that the country needs to position the entrepreneurs so that they cannot only compete locally, but at the global stage,” he said, noting that if the economy should turn to local content economy, then the private sector should take the lead. He said that they want to put the economy in the hands of Sierra Leoneans, and not so much foreigners as it is now. He assured that the Agency will create market opportunities for IZELIA.
The Chief Executive Officer and Proprietor of IZELIA Textile and Design Training Hub, Isatu Harrison said that the first showroom was opened in Freetown in 2018 and the garments and textile factory opened this year.
Highlighting their tangible results, she said that her factory has created apprenticeship opportunities for 30 youths, enrolled 10 youths on the Africa Literacy Project, trained over 100 young designers on circular fashion and natural dye processes, created 37 fulltime jobs, supported employees and apprentices to set up bank accounts and social security, and also created a cooperative of women in Makeni who produce 70% of the Gara [tie dye] they used, among others.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Youth, the Commissioner of the National Youth Commission (NAYCOM), Ngolo Thomas Katta said, “We believe that this is in the interest of Sierra Leone and also young people in the country. The Minister said IZELIA is already partner to the youth sector.”
He said that the activities of IZELIA speaks with the sector’s goals and resonate with cluster one and six of the Mid-Term Development Plan which speaks about human capital development, job creation and youth employment, among other.
Commissioner Katta said, “Let us come to the table and discussion public private partnership in a much more constructive way. The government under President Bio is pushing a very strong discussion around a public private partnership. That is just the trajectory, there is no other way we can get jobs for young people because 40% of our population is young people.”
He assured that government is prepared to create the enabling environment for private sector, adding that government want to see competent based educational training for young people. He added that IZELIA Training hub is doing great job for the young generation.
He said that the Minister with consultation with Cabinet can invoke Section 19 of the National Youth Commission Act of 200 and gives incentives to persons or organizations who employ young people over 10. “This part of the law. So, we all have responsibility to challenge government to make sure those laws are used in the interest of the people of Sierra Leone,” he said.
By Stephen V. Lansana
16/03/2021. ISSUE NO: 8021