The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Fisheries and Marine Resources in the Parliament of Sierra Leone, chaired by Hon. Neneh Lebbie has concluded their annual Oversight activities for 2023 on overseeing the activities of fisheries industries. During their oversight, Committee work, they inspected the operational activities of finishing companies operating in the country.
Speaking in light of the oversight, the Chairperson of the Committee Hon. Neneh Lebbie said the annual oversight is a constitutional mandate adding that the committee is responsible to oversee the operational work of all registered fishing companies operating in the country.
The purpose of this year’s oversight according to Hon. Neneh Lebbie was to check for compliance, relative to; labor laws, payment of taxes to NRA, NASSIT payment for staff, updated fishing licenses, the use of proper fishing gear, and sanitation of the fishing environment.
During the overall conducted tour of fishing companies, the Chairperson and MPs appreciated the work of the fishing companies for supplying fish to the local and international markets. She said over the years, the Committee had been doing its Parliamentary mandate and had inspected several fishing companies and fishing communities around the country in light of compliance and other related fishing laws.
Hon. Neneh Lebbie emphasized the enhancement of healthy environment and safety measures for staff in the workplace and advised that proper control be made in staffing records management. She also informed me that gear needed to be available to all staff in the cooling room system. Overall, she said she is very impressed with the performance of the fishing industry and spoke on the need for the employment of women in the fishery sectors
At SABCO Fishing Company, at the Jui landing site, the Committee was impressed with the new building set up, in light of the new construction facilities of a sardine factory and an ultra-modern fisheries complex
The Committee also visited other companies in the Western Area Rural and the Western Area Urban. The committee commended and inspected companies’ management books and acknowledge their contributions to the socioeconomic development of the fisheries industry
Fishing companies requested the committee to help in dialogue with the Ministry of Fisheries in the areas of high penalties and high licenses.