May 20, 2021
By Ilyasa Baa
Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry has educated traders in Devil Hole village, Constituency 111, about the MUNAFA Fund and the factors responsible for the delay in the arrival of goods into the country.
He said the government does not have total control over shipment but has created the enabling environment in terms of policy formulation so that the people of Sierra Leone will continue to have access to goods coming from overseas.
Rev. Abraham James Sesay Jones made this disclosure as the key-note speaker during the turning of the sod for the construction of the Devil Hole market in the Western Rural District.
He told the traders that as a Reverend he has learnt to speak the “truth nothing but the truth.”
He told the audience that the delay of goods reaching the country is as a result of the shortage of containers reportedly in China where most of the goods are coming from. He explained that importers are faced with such scarcity making them unable to ship their goods to Sierra Leone. He said the issue of emissions released by ships has been another factor responsible for the delay of goods as some ships are not allowed to ply the route.
“We don’t have ships, we don’t make containers here, either so it is difficult to handle but the Ministry is doing its best”, the Deputy Minister narrated.
He called on the traders not to use this situation to increase prices on the people. He said the Ministry has been in constant engagement with importers in order to control price but expressed his dismay over retailers whom he castigated for increasing prices of commodities due to over profiteering. He cited water sellers as example of retailers beating the system after buying cheap from the factories. He assured that Trade Monitors have scattered across the country to ensure that price control takes effect.
On the MUNAFA Fund, the Deputy Minister called on residents of Devil Hole to apply for the fund to boost their businesses. He said the money is provided for small scale businesses, noting that the people of Devil Hole should go for it so that they will form part of the beneficiaries.
Rev. Abraham James Sesay Jones urged them to pay back as planned when they receive the money so that the opportunity would be extended to other Sierra Leoneans.
He further urged them to repay their Member of Parliament by voting for him in the next election so he will continue to deliver for the good of the constituency.
Turning the sod for the construction of the market, the Member of Parliament representing the constituency, Rev. Horace Vincent assured that ‘’poapa” the market will be built as long the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) is in power. He said like the Deep Eye Water market, the construction of the Devil Hole market is going to come from his pocket to prove to the people of Devil Hole village that he would deliver on his promises.
Councilor representing the ward, Mohamed Koroma commended the MP for paying attention to his ward which has been crying for modern markets for decades.