For the people of Constituency 104, we’ve seen a different ball game wherein their Member of Parliament (Hon. Sheka Sama) is urging them to steal the fruits from a multi-million dollar foreign investor company (Socfin Agricultural Company) that has transformed Malen Chiefdom into a works yard with huge admiration from the government, which was translated by the Vice President who visited the chiefdom recently on a conducted tour across the plantation and the Mill correspondingly.

What’s a message coming from a Member of Parliament at a time when the government is appealing to genuine investors to help the country? Did Hon. Sheka Sama know the implication of his misguided statement? Can someone please tell the legislator that such a statement can land him in Police custody? Why should a Member of Parliament endorse illegality? Why should Sheka Sama order the people of Malen Chiefdom that they are free to steal the fruits of Socfin Agricultural Company because the company stole their land?

It could be noted that the Government of Sierra Leone made contract with the people of Malen Chiefdom in the form of land lease agreement, the Agricultural Company has a sub lease agreement with the government which they are cooperating with religiously.

Where is the land-grabbing coming from? The Member of Parliament made the injudicious statement in the presence of the Deputy Chairman and the Chief Administrator of Pujehun District Council.

The government of the New Direction under President Julius Maada Bio should take action against such a statement by a whole legislator who should complement the efforts of the government but not undermine the government.

The misguided statement made by Sheka Sama at that consultative meeting in Malen Chiefdom in the presence of stakeholders in Pujehun should be retracted by the very man himself.

The thieving process going on in the company plantation is making the Agricultural outfit to lose Billions of Leones just because of the proclamation made by the former People’s Movement for Democratic Change politician.

This medium is of the view that Hon. Sheka Sama should help complement the efforts of the government in preaching peace to the people of Malen Chiefdom.

Inciting hapless villagers to steal from the plantation of the company is totally unacceptable; Sierra Leone is governed by laws, we’re not in a jungle state wherein only the strong survive.

The New Direction of President Julius Maada Bio should try their best to bring sanity in Sahn Malen Chiefdom to give the Agricultural Company good working across the operational area of the company.

The unending intimidation and threats from miscreants calling themselves MALOA is also putting the company aback in their day to day operations and the incessant threat of the Member of Parliament is causing unease for management of Socfin Agricultural Company.

Hope someone will be bold and brave enough to tell the Member of Parliament to apologize for such a senseless, inciteful and distasteful statement made in the presence of Pujehun District Council elders.

Further information conducted by this medium reveals that just after the misguided statement of Hon. Sheka Sama some villagers started to rampantly steal the fruits of the company at ease.

The Civil Society Organizations and their international partners like FIAN are giving a lip service on the wild statement made by Sheka Sama to his people to steal from the company plantation. How can they promote such lawlessness in a civilized society like Sierra Leone?

Read the original article : http://globaltimes-sl.com/president-bio-should-know-this/

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Award of Merit

2016 02 14 LettreChief to media

SOCFIN et de nombreuses autres entreprises d’investissement étrangères sont constamment critiqués pour leurs mauvaises relations avec les communautés dans le pays.

Cette entreprise opère dans le district de Pujehun (sud du pays), où elle met en valeur de vastes terres de plantations d’huile de palme. Mais les communautés locales de la chefferie de Malen où elle est implantée l’ont accusé d’empiéter sur leurs terres et de ne pas respecter les nombreuses promesses faites aux communautés.

Dans un communiqué publié lundi, SOCFIN a déclaré que des membres du Comité de surveillance agricole au parlement l’ont ‘exonérée’ et fait des éloges sur elle pour avoir pleinement rempli ses responsabilités sociales.

La compagnie estime qu’elle a réussi cette œuvre en investissant dans les secteurs de la santé et de l’éducation ainsi que dans l’amélioration de la durabilité de la nourriture et du réseau routier dans les villages qui relevaient de sa concession, ce que les législateurs ont pu vérifier lors des visites de la semaine dernière.

Le président de la commission parlementaire Alimamy Kargbo, a mis au défi les sceptiques de venir sur place et de voir par eux-mêmes, et ensuite de faire leur propre jugement en toute connaissance de cause sur la situation sur le terrain.

Read the original article here:www.starafrica.com

Rapport

A high profile delegation comprising members of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and Forestry and other high ranking officials drawn from the same Ministry led by the Deputy minister, Madam Marie Jalloh has on Saturday 1st August 2015 made a conducted tour of the facilities of Socfin Agricultural Company SL .LTD in what has been popularly described as memorable with Socfin not only adding value to land in the Malen Chiefdom but busy rebuilding the lives of thousands in Pujehun District and further revamping the economy of Sierra Leone as a whole.

Speaking at Sahn Malen marking the visit, the Deputy Minister says herself and Government remains very proud and impressed of the activities of Socfin Agricultural Company, Sierra Leone Limited.

The Deputy Minister further reassured both the local Chefs and the rest of the Management of Socfin of Govt.’s fullest support with the view of encouraging Socfin to continue to do what the minister in her repeated statements referred to as positive initiatives used in carrying out the Corporate Social Responsibility.

Speaking further the minister referred to Socfin as a good example which deserves to be emulated by many other investors, adding that Govt. made no mistake in accepting Socfin to operate and to compliment the efforts of Government as a whole.

She in turn encouraged Socfin to continue to do what Government cannot readily do for now in Malen Chiefdom.

Socfin, the Deputy Minister went on is now a house hold name in Sierra Leone and must be given the enabling environment to help carry out its good work in line with the aspirations of the land owning families.

Also speaking was Hon Dr. Thomas Mark Turay who equally lavished high profile commendations on Socfin as an Agricultural company. He in turn pleaded with the local residents together with the Chiefs to continue to work with Socfin for the development and betterment of their children.

For his part Hon Dauda Fawundu who represents constituency 88 comprising Malen, YKK and Mano Sakrim Chiefdoms in Pujehun District,was quick to inform his colleagues that he is equally very proud of the work of Socfin particularly when one considers the developments done in the space of three years all of which could have posed serious concern had Socfin not taken care.

Particularly Hon Dauda Fawundu raised the alarm that the frequent visits made by other committees and many others which has no official engagement with the work of Socfin needs to be curtailed if not reduced with the view of allowing Socfin to work and above all spend elsewhere and on various developmental activities.

Earlier in his welcome statement the General Manager Mr. Philip Tonks gave a brief background of the work of Socfin before explaining some of the recent Corporate Social Responsibilities done.

Also the General Manager gave a picture of the planting since embarked upon, noting that Socfin has in its operations deliberately given out leased concession land which are vast portion of land handed over back to each and every community for the use of social functions including burial spaces, and for constructions of community structures and related functions.

In his follow up statement the PRO Easmon Moiguah informed the delegation that Socfin takes special keen interest in the education of the youths and has since constructed a community school building for Sinjo and has continue to refurbish other schools.

Also the PRO explained that besides refurbishing the only Junior Secondary school in Sahn town, Socfin has undertaking the payment of various teachers whose names are not on the pay roll otherwise referred to as community teachers.

It must be stated that Socfin has since established a scholarship scheme for successful BECE candidates leaving Sahn for Senior Secondary outside Malen Chiefdom.

Making the conducted tour, the delegation were taken to see the boliland rice cultivation sites, a special project designed to help bring about food security to Malen Chiefdom and beyond.

Details of the rice cultivation process including both the boli land and IVS were explained by Mr. Dauda Jaiah who represented Mr. James Pessima who is still on sick leave.

Furthermore the team was taken to see the planting of trees with the view of protecting the environment and portion of land which were used for the establishment of the nursery outside Kotumahun housing the multimillion dollar oil mill now in operations.

Other member of the delegation includes the Director General MAFFS, Francis A Sankoh, Director of Forestry, Mr. William Bangura amongst many others.

Read the original article here: www.thespectatornewspaper.sl

Read the original article here:www.awoko.org