High commissioner Anderson visits Sierra Leone’s booth at the West Africa Agrofood Conference in Ghana, urges representatives to improve quality for world market

Sierra Leone High Commissioner in Accra, Ghana, Her Excellency Francess Virginia Anderson on Thursday 1st December visited the ongoing West Africa Agro Food Trade Show, which is being held at the Accra International Conference Centre.

High commissioner Anderson visits Sierra Leone’s booth at the West Africa Agrofood Conference

During her visit to the fair particularly Sierra Leone’s booth, High Commissioner Anderson met with the country’s representatives of institutions such as the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency, Standards Bureau, Agro processing and Competitiveness Project of the World Bank.

She applauded and congratulated all representatives of Sierra Leone and urged them to always do more in ensuring their products meet the required standards as by so doing Sierra Leone’s Flag will fly high.

She encouraged them to be doing all they could in improving what they do and making sure even their packaging meets international expectation.

As a nation she said, Sierra Leone will continue to do that which is needed in showcasing its quality.

Sierra Leone’s Products displayed at the West Africa Agrofood Conference in Ghana

A total number of 18 Agro processing Local Entrepreneurs also formed part of Sierra Leone’s team. They informed the High Commissioner about the purpose of the fair and how it has been.

According to them, the event brought together 98 exhibitors of 21 countries from Africa, Asia and Europe with a goal of displaying value chain of Agroindustry products and facilities.

Representative of the Agro processing and competitiveness project at the Small Medium Enterprises, Haja Meyers briefed the High Commissioner on how exceptional the entrepreneurs have been, and that they continue to receive support from the Agro prosessing and competitiveness project of the world bank.

She pleaded with the High Commissioner to support them in any way by ensuring they also enter the regional market through the desired networking.

Sierra Leone Local Content Agency Director General, Fodeba Daboh appreciated the High Commissioner for the visit while promising that his Agency and all others working together in the same interest will continue to project Sierra Leone’s local content to Africa and the world at large.

Sierra Leone Agro-processing Project

The Director General of the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency Attends West Africa Agrofood Conference in Ghana

The astute Director-General of the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency, Fodeba Daboh is currently attending the West Africa Agrofood Conference in Accra Ghana.
The West Africa Agrofood Conference, which was organized by the German Trade Centre, brought together participants which include DGs, Chief executives and SMEs from 21 countries including Europe, Southeast Asia, South, East and west African countries promoting trade and indigenous investment in their respective countries.

The Director General of the Sierra Leone Local Content Agency Fodeba Daboh attends West Africa Agrofood Conference in Ghana

The trade fair aims to showcase agricultural value chains and agribusiness products and services from the field to processing in order to promote local manufacturing.
“It is a laudable venture to see products from Sierra Leone being displayed at such an international trade fair. The government of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio took over with a clear mandate to empower our SMEs and create business linkages for our entrepreneurs. It is a beautiful thing to bring together hundreds of SMEs from various countries to display their products and cultures under one roof. What we have witnessed here so far at the West Africa Agrofood conference, is in line with our annual trade fair exhibition in Freetown,” Director Daboh told News 24.

Sierra Leone Boot showcase their products at the West Africa Agrofood conference in Ghana

The occasion was also witnessed by Sierra Leone’s High Commission in Ghana, Virginia Anderson who commended DG Daboh and the New Direction government for showcasing the trade potentials of the country which has paved way for international representations.
Director Daboh and team were privileged to grace Ghana’s Farmer’s day celebration outside the city on Friday where they learnt lots of experiences. Some big manufacturing companies were also visited where SMEs from Sierra Leone shared their experiences with their counterparts.
SMEs from Sierra Leone lauded the venture and promised to adopt best practices back home.

CONSULTANT CAPACITY ASSESSMENT STUDY FOR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST (EOI)

Date: 8th November 2022

CONSULTANT CAPACITY ASSESSMENT STUDY FOR LOCAL ENTREPRENEURS

Procurement Number SLLCA/OPTS/EOI/DSTI/MITGOVLAB/2022/001

The Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA) has received funds from the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone for Capacity Assessment and now invites sealed proposals from eligible Bidders for the EXPRESSION OF INTEREST for the Consultancy Services: to conduct capacity assessment study for all local suppliers registered with Agency. The study intends to gather data on all local suppliers registered with the agency. The assessment will cover four capacity dimensions, namely Business Profile, Financial Capacity, Material/Production Capacity and Human Capacity.

Scope of Work and Deliverables

The Consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks:

  1. Design survey questionnaire and propose suitable methodology for conducting the assessment.
  2. Recruit and train enumerators for data collection.
  3. Conduct assessment.
  4. Analyze the survey data collected.
  5. Write a sound assessment report in English.
  6. Do a power point presentation of key findings and recommendations to stakeholders in a validation workshop.
  7. Perform other duties and responsibilities as directed by the Management of SLLCA for the development and completion of the deliverables highlighted above.

Required Education, Skills and Experience

Minimum Education

  • At least Master’s Degre in Statistics, Economics, Business Administration, Social Science, Research, or related fields.

Experience & Skills

  • At least 5 years’ experience in research, surveys, with strong background in capacity assessment of small businesses.
  • Strong background in Business Development Services (BDSs).
  • Ability to conduct and transcribe interviews.
  • Ability to analyze qualitative and quantitative data.
  • Ability to produce quality reports in a timely manner.
  • Fluency in English with good verbal and written skills

Duration of Assignment

The entire assignment is expected to last for 25 working days within two months.

Reporting Obligations

The consultant will report to the Director General (DG) of the Local Content Agency through the Director of Operations (DoP).

Applicants must be willing to submit their price and communicate changes in price or professional fees from time (where applicable).

Expressions of Interest will be reviewed and only those who meet the minimum requirement will be contacted for further pre-qualification.

All applications must be addressed and submitted to the address below not later than 14th December 2022.

The Procurement Unit,

Sierra Leone Local Content Agency,

3rd & 4th Floors, 21 Stewards Street, Off Sanders Street,

Freetown.

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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