The Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency (SLIEPA) has on 4th July, 2020, ended its engagement with selected Chiefdom Authorities across Sierra Leone.
The purpose of the meeting according to the SLIEPA Acting Director of the Investment Promotion Department, Mr. Victor Bangura, was to establish and further strengthen collaboration between SLIEPA and chiefdom authorities in readiness for the arrival of investors especially after the COVID-19 scourge. He also said that, the meeting was to encourage authorities to inform SLIEPA of investors who approach them with the interest of investing in their Chiefdoms.
Mr. Bangura revealed that the relevance of such approach is to have investors follow due process, allowing open and transparent process between the investors and the communities where they intend to operate, aimed at avoiding future disagreement leading to dispute. When due process is followed, he noted, all parties (the investors, communities and the Government) become winners; the investors establish their businesses, create jobs for the people and pay taxes to the Government, which are used to develop the Country.
With open hands, all the chiefdom authorities visited, welcomed the idea to work with SLIEPA. They assured the Agency of prompt notification of the presence of any investor in their localities.
Among other speakers, Paramount Chief (PC) Alhaji Masakama Knamanka the (III) of Kulifa Wuhala Chiefdom, explained about the various investment opportunities in his Chiefdom; he said they are craving for investors to tap into those opportunities. PC Joe Kangbai Macavoray of Tikonko Chiefdom, Bo District, said to profit from business depends on how you do it, noting that they have water, sand, vast arable land, minerals, but they have not been realizing much benefits from them. While PC Prince Lappia Boima, of Kakua Chiefdom, Bo District, expressed satisfaction on collaboration among Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs); he ask SLIEPA to continue finding market for local producers.
Other members of the SLIEPA team included: the Acting Director of Marketing and Communications Mr. Francis Minah, Deputy Director, Head of Provinces, Mr. Alex J Mammy, Manager of the Investment Promotion Department, Mr. Hardy Jalloh,
Officer in-Charge of SLIEPA Office in the Southern Province, Mrs. Habibatu Shyllon, Investment Promotion Officers, Mrs. Phebean Jaia, Nafisatu Kokofele, Victoria Kanneh, Mrs. Phatima kamara and Hassan Skikay.