By Nasratu Kargbo
Agricultural machinery operators have expressed a willingness to pay the nineteen billion Leones they owe the Government, but have requested that monies due to them through the government also be made available.
As a result, the Chairman of the Agriculture Committee in Parliament, Ibrahim Tawa Conteh said they will make sure they map out a payment plan to have both parties pay the money.
Speaking to Journalists after the committee’s meeting on the 30th January 2024, the MP explained that the operators raised concerns that their payment was halved in 2022 even after they had done full work, on the basis that the Minister of Agriculture had said they did not pay due to serious fiscal constraints.
“They cannot pay all the nineteen billion now; it is spread across fourteen operators. I have drawn my resolutions but I will share them with the Minister” he said. He added that they will have a payment plan.
He said their responsibility is to provide oversight, adding that they would like to do so outside the office by going out to the field to check out things to ensure Feed Salone is a success.
Speaking on other issues, the MP explained that over the years the country’s production level could have been enough to feed the masses, but the consumption volume that comes to the market is low. “Most of the farming districts are very close to the border places like Kambia, Bonthe, Pujehun, and Kailahun. But because we do not have a storage facility to preserve the produce where can be processed before distribution to Sierra Leoneans, so they prefer going to neighbouring countries” he said.
Conteh said if the Feed Salone project works, it will reduce the cost of food for all Sierra Leoneans across the country, therefore calling on all to help and support the process work.
One of the Machinery Operators Mohamed Bob Jalloh said “We are ready and willing to pay that money, but they too have to pay us”.
He said that they have been working hard and in unison with the government, but that things changed after they were not paid in full.
Copyright (c) 2024 (Politico 02/02/24)
