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The Sierra Leone Chamber for Agribusiness Development (SLeCAD) gives Environmental Protection Agency(EPA) 21days ultimatum

SLECAD
The Chamber dumb founded and astonished at the EPA Leadership press release in the 23rd September 2019 publication of the Concord Times Newspaper purporting to welcome and be friendly to investors when all his effort and activities are bent to harassing, extorting and closing down business operations with the power which is not in conformity with any modern day EPA operations in any part of the world or sub-region. The Chamber as a non-state actor for the private sector is of the strongest opinion that its 21 day’s Ultimatum given to EPA is not only timely, but valid and still stand as a timely line instituted in good faith to engage the EPA leadership to chart the way forward on improving on the one size fit all matrix used to calculate private sector operators fees, understand their methodology of fee calculations, and put a transparent and accountable EPA systems in place that is not only tax and power oriented to shutdown business, but a system that gives value for money and aid the encouragement of both local and international investment in Sierra Leone. The Chamber is also calling on Parliament and the New Direction Government under the Leadership of His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio to jointly work with the Chamber look into issues and review of the EPA 2010 amended Act and the Super Structure of the EPA Executive Chairman Position though consciously or sub-consciously inherited from the past administration. The Amended 2010 Act makes EPA not transparent and investment friendly and sensed to be a calculated attempt to empower someone somewhere to suck-up and dry-up economy (private sector or investor) for his/her own personal gains and benefit with no checks and balances. The nomenclature Executive Chairman cannot be good for an important institution like EPA since the post holder has the excess powers to oversee and control the operational sector and strategic board level of the institution, which make him/her not accountable any The Chamber also wants to make it crystal clear that its investment advocacy stance to engage EPA is not based on any personality issues as maliciously stated by EPA Leadership, but one that has to do with the love of country spirit that will enhance the institution of a transparent and account EPA systems to promote the economic growth of Sierra Leone in support of the New Direction Government. The Chamber acknowledges and appreciates the hard effort of the Leadership of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ministry of Trade, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Energy, Ministry of Economic Development and the Office of the President in attracting investment to Sierra Leone and wouldn’t want those sacrifices made to win in investors to be thwarted by EPA all in the interest of monetizing (anther Tax Collector in town!) environmental issues rather than working on corrective measures that will improve on environmental issues. If EPA was truly genuine and serious about environment issues they should not be chasing and closing down business operations like Benninix food company Ltd. a local company that has serviced this nation for over 40years creating jobs, putting money in over 36,00 farmers pockets and improving on the malnutrition of Sierra Leonean babies, but rather working on improving on environment challenges facing our people living in “Bomeh” and other slum areas.

We were taken aback and there want to inform the public that EPA engagement with Bennimx has never been transparent and accountable (the charge EPA matrix sheet with us is proof) which left the company with no option but close it operations due to the high and unfair changes imposed by EPA. That resulted to the call of the Chamber by Bennimix as member to immediately intervene in engaging EPA to see reason reduce the charges that will make Bennimix Company to continue its operation. It’s sad to note that after several contacts and commutations with EPA were made, we got no positive response from them to meet and resolve not only Bennimix Company issues but the concerns of other private sector operators with respect to the Corrupt EPA systems (no to tools, no lab, no measuring instrument, no industrial training etc. so how can EPA charges be quantified). We want the public to know that by the time the Chamber complete the process of admonish Bennimix to pay the said fees; EPA had already closed the operations of the company. So for EPA Leadership to say while the Chamber was playing media gimmick Bennimix was busy making payment arrangement with EPA is not only false but deceitful and a mere ploy to bring down the reputation of the Chamber which we take great exception to.
That said, the Chamber ardently, believes that the country need both local and international investment to grow the country’s economy and be independent once an for all, and the Chamber remains unwaivered to support and protect that drive to create the much more needed jobs for our youths, women, ensure wealth creation and enhance the socio-economic growth of “Mam Salone”.
The Chamber wants the EPA Leadership to know that we are not in the business of scare-tactic nor media gimmicks, but a strong committed and focused institution recognized by AU, ECOWAS, Donors and the International Community to serves as a non-state actor to advocate for the agribusiness and agro-industrial private sector operators, for this purpose the Chamber has signed series of international treaties with the Government of Sierra Leone to always work together through mutual consultation and dialogues to improve on the economy and the wellbeing of all Sierra Leone by encouraging and protection of both local and international investment. This we assure all and sundry that we will do and committed to do with no fear or favor to any entity or party.
At this juncture, while we are anxious to work with our Parliament to look into the super structure of EPA to make it more transparent and investment friendly, we want the public to know that we are committed to serve all Sierra Leoneans and in particular the business community of “Salone” and using that platform to once more call on EPA Leadership to adhere to the Chamber’s 21days Ultimatum to engage with its membership and resolve the concerns of the private sector operators as the engine of economic growth of this government and our country Sierra Leone that we all vouch to serve faithfully and at all time. We are looking forward to this engagement! We want all to note that this is not about us but about Sierra Leone!!