On 15th January, 2015 an ugly incident took place in the operational area of Socfin Agricultural Company in the Pujehun district. Two of the company’s expatriate staff members were physically attacked and one of them sustained gunshot wounds. This incident is unfortunate and must not be allowed to happen again.
Socfin is one of the major agri-business investors still fully operating in Sierra Leone. Other foreign investors have either scaled down their operations or have decided to close down their operations entirely.
It is, therefore, chillingly shocking to learn that some people in the Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun district decided to attack a company that has invested well over US$ 300M in their district and has employed well over four thousand people from across the country. The Government should not sit by and allow a foreign company to be treated this way.
Everything has to be done by the Government to protect foreign investors operating in the country. Afterall, it was this same Government that spent Billions of Leones of tax payers’ on a road show in Europe, Asia and America begging serious investors to come and invest their hard-earned money in this country. How can the same Government now turn around and pay blind eyes to the lawlessness that is taking place in the Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun district.
Some bandits in Pujehun district are having a field day, because, the Government is not serious about tackling lawlessness in the country. Do we have to wait until foreign investors leave the country in protest over the way they are being treated before we provide adequate security for their employees and their investments?
We call on President Ernest Bai Koroma to provide adequate security for foreign investors and their investments in Sierra Leone. If a company like Socfin pulls out of the country as a result of lawlessness it will send a negative message to other big foreign investors planning to come and invest in our country. They will easily conclude that Sierra Leone is still not open for business.
We have repeatedly called on the Government to provide adequate security for foreign investors in this country. Afterall, Sierra Leone is not the only country where investors can invest their hard – earned money. Other Presidents in West Africa are seriously begging foreign companies to come and invest in their countries. That is all the more reason why, we have to protect foreign investors and their investments in Sierra Leone.
We return to the main issue of today: Government should provide adequate security for foreign investors and their investments in Sierra Leone.
Let us now allow a major European company like Socfin to leave the country as a result of insecurity and lawlessness!
A stitch in time saves nine. Thank you!
Read the original article here: www.globaltimes-sl.com