By: Saidu Jalloh
In a bid to cut down unemployment and boost the flour industry, The Minister of Trade and Industry, Ibrahim Alpha Sesay, in the government weekly press conference has revealed that they have held a successful meeting with a Turkish Investor who has jet in Sierra Leone to invest Twenty Million Dollars in Flour Mill early next year.
In his opening remarks, the Minister of Trade and Industry, Ibrahim Alpha Sesay updated the public about the tremendous success the government had put in place to bring in investors in the country. In this, he said that they had successfully brought in a Turkish investor who had shown interest in investing in the flour mill sector. ‘’At the international level, following all the travels, we have fully participated in the Turkish Africa trade fare where His Excellence the President was present and we successfully brought one investor to invest in the flour mill. When flour begins full production, it will help reduce the cost of flour and have enough to export,’’ Mr. Sesay explained.
He also explained the challenges of the ministry in which he said is the chamber of commerce not functioning effectively which has affected their work or collaboration with other countries. He also continued that one thing that would help the bread butter issue is not what we are buying as a but what we are producing and selling out of our country.
Mr. Sesay expressed that government is fighting very to diversify the economy. In that sense, we should not put all our hope in importing things; we should also start to look for a way to be exporting our own goods. Mr. Sesay stressed that Sierra Leone is relying or importing rice than any other country in Africa, so he said rice is a security commodity and that government has launched the Feed Salone project and they had find a way to generate funds for that by impose 5% tax on imported rice, so that money can be used to support local farmers.
The Minister of Trade and Industry assured Sierra Leoneans that in the next two years the price of rice will definitely reduce with the Feed Salon Project. He further explained that it is pain now to pay the price but in two years they will produce enough rice to feed the nation and also to be exported.
He narrated that they have engaged with the importers and other private sectors to help understand the market situation and find measures to the problem. He lamented that they asked some importers or private sectors to start farming or help with some farming equipment.
Mr. Sesay promised that the price of cent and iron rod will reduce as 4 cement factories are about to be opened next year. He also assured that the price of plywood will reduce as there is Chinese investor investing heavily in the plywood.
He said that they have secured three hundred thousand dollars to upgrade standard bureau so that other people would guarantee their product and would be easy to be exported. He also mentioned that they done a pre-feasibility study to commence agro pack in the country.