PRESIDENT KOROMA COMMISSIONS SOCFIN PRODUCTION MILL

President Dr Ernest Bai Koroma on Saturday 9 April commissioned the largest palm oil production mill by SOCFIN Agricultural Company in Sahn Malen Chiefdom, Pujehun district.

In his opening remarks, President Koroma said he was doing the commissioning with two hearts – one that has to do with happiness in commissioning SOCFIN and the other which has to do with the resentment initially shown by the people of Sahn Malen against SOCFIN.

He said SOCFIN was never a government to government arrangement but rather private sector arrangement with due consultations with the locals. He however expressed delight over the apparent joyful mood of the people of Malen chiefdom this time round which, he said, has sent a clear message to the world that “we have not only defeated Ebola, but we are now ready for business.”

President Koroma assured the people of Sahn Malen that government will never back SOCFIN in any attempt to exploit them. “My government is always open for round table talks if the need arises,” he said, adding that government will never take it kindly this time with NGOs and civil society organizations to present the country in bad light for their selfish interests.

The president admonished management of SOCFIN to continue engaging the community to establish a common understanding and at the same time thanked the people of the entire Pujehun district for doing almost everything on their own with the help of the company to successfully defeat Ebola.

Welcoming the president, the General Manager of SOCFIN Philip Tonks referred President Koroma’s tour of their farm site and the commissioning of their production mill as historical. He informed the audience that the SOCFIN palm oil farm is not just the largest in the country, but also in West Africa, and that the company has invested over $ 130 Million United States Dollars, planting 12, 319Ha of hybrid oil palm trees and building a mill currently with a 30t/hr of Fresh Fruit Bunch capacity and with capacity to increased to 60t/hr.

Mr. Tonks pointed out that the plantation area which is situated in the Malen Chiefdom comprised 12, 319Ha of palm oil trees in varying stages of maturity including areas of infrastructure and undeveloped wetland and natural areas. He said the total concession area is 18, 481Ha (45, 647 acres) for which an annual lease payment amounting to Le1, 323, 800, 000 is paid every year and the company has currently utilized 12, 319Ha.

The General Manager disclosed that a total of over 31 Billion Leones was paid to land owners in land compensation for palm oil plantation and also revealed that his company has employed over 2, 460 seasonal workers to support plantation operations plus 1, 091 permanent workers all totaling 3, 551 workers, and most of these workers he said are from the surrounding communities within the company’s operational areas.

Read the original article here: http://www.statehouse.gov.sl/index.php/component/content/article/34-news-articles/1507-president-koroma-commissions-socfin-production-mill

Sierra Leoneans across the country have questioned the operation of Green Scenery in the country towards multi-national companies.

The displeased Sierra Leoneans recounted that Green Scenery organization are clandestinely working with foreign individuals to discredit well-meaning companies that are helping to boosts the country’s economy.

According to our information the disingenuousness of the so-called Non-Governmental Organization should be watchfully monitor by the government and other Civil Society’s Organizations across the country.

The current calumny Green Scenery is playing in the international scene to discredits trustworthy companies will have a negative impact to thousands of employees working for the agricultural company.

The government should be attentive and watchful of some of these phoney international experts coming into the country in the guise of community work.

‘Some of Green Scenery Partners do not loved the government and are doing all sorts of pathological stories to discredit multi-national companies internationally that have confidence in the government and the respective areas they are operating,’ our source said.

The campaign of calumny, hate and destruction to present an ugly image of the various heads for his ‘unscrupulous activities’ will surely boomerang because SAC and other multi-national companies has performed exemplarily well since their inception into the sovereign nation.

No criminal-minded Sierra Leoneans will therefore succeed in destroying the spotless reputation multi-national companies has made over the years.

It is my humble opinion, that Multi-national Company like Socfin Agricultural Company has made a niche in the development strides of Sierra Leone as compared to those so-called Civil Society’s Organizations that are causing all sorts of conundrum for the government in discouraging credible investors.

The government and its people will forever cherished multi-national company in high esteem in helping boosting the economy of the country.

Green Scenery according to our information has returned to their old habit of self-sabotage, by publicly discrediting and posting all sorts of trash against patriot companies that have benefitted Sierra Leoneans.

Joseph Rahall and his Green Scenery owe multi-national companies, especially Socfin Agricultural Company an apology for misinforming the general public and the world as a whole with all sorts of pathological and fabricated stories.

The government of President Koroma should be aware of such an organization that is bent dispiriting multi-national companies in investing in the country.

It could be recalled that President Koroma has being calling genuine investors to help the economy of the country, but with the attitude of the likes of Joseph Rahall, potential investors will be scaring to come and invests in the country.

The public knows that Non-Governmental Organization likes Green Scenery are spewing all sorts of negative propaganda against potential investors in the country in favour of their pay masters in the diaspora.

The government in the other hand should stand and protects these multi-national companies against ‘dead woods’ Civil Society Organizations.

It is about time Green Scenery and Joseph Rahall kept quiet because they are not only jealous of the multi-national companies, but they have also betrayed the confidence of Sierra Leoneans who had thought they would put their integrity and the interest of the country above material things.

I believe the government and people of Sierra Leoneans should start resisting such unpatriotic CSOs who are only interested in themselves because of selfishness and greed.

But whether they believe it or not, the stone that Green Scenery and Joseph Rahall are rejecting shall be the head corner stone for the people of Sierra Leone in making the various chiefdoms a works yard.

The evidences are there, the chiefdom people and the government are living testimony towards the transformation of Sahn-Malen and the district as a whole by the agricultural mogul company.

Most often some of these Civil Society Organizations are established to fulfil donor conditionality’s, with no intention of providing job for the people.

Other African countries are in ecstasy jubilant for multi-national companies because they know the kind of development they are bringing in their respective countries.

Sierra Leoneans should follow trend to encouraged multi-national to have an interrupted environment to invest peacefully.

The radical position of Green Scenery and his like should be stopped and help these companies to build our country to the height of fame.

I hope some of these Civil Society Organizations will not continue to provoke some of these multi-national companies like Socfin Agricultural Company to leave the country with their continuous bickering.

The Sierra Leone Imports and Exports Agency should be seen in protecting multi-national companies from the hands of self-seeking Civil Society Organizations in the country.

They should provide the enable environment for international companies who have invested so much in the country, but with few individuals like Joseph Rahall and his cohorts multi-national companies in Sierra Leone are having a sleepless night.

The various investment conferences organized by the government to lure investors into the country is not gaining any dividend to some of these multi-national companies as the continuous torments and unnecessary harassment by Green Scenery and other narrow-minded Sierra Leoneans are problematic to these companies.

The government should protect multi-national companies from the hands of ‘Evil Society Organizations’ like Green Scenery.

A recent interview by the Paramount Chief of Sahn-Malen Chiefdom who doubles as singular representation in the well of Parliament for Pujehun District was highly delighted for the company into his chiefdom and the district as a whole.

‘We know the kind of development our chiefdom have benefitted from multi-national company,’ he said.
‘We will continue to give them the enable environment to operates in the chiefdom unhindered,’

He pleaded to Civil Society Organizations to desist in troubling multi-national companies in the country, but help to disseminate positive messages about the country to the international media.

The pulling Down syndrome should be stooped.

Read the original article here: http://www.salonetoday.com/headlines/why-villifying-multi-national-companies-spectator-newspaper/

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

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

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) License has been granted to SAC on the 19 January 2012, renewed on the 19 is a very costly but necessary license. This licence is issued according to the compliance of the Company within the “Terms and Conditions on the issuance of an EIA Licence” which describes the requirements needed to achieve compliance with the EIA Licence. Any failure to comply to the certification would attract the necessary penalties and lead to the suspension, cancellation or revocation of Environmental Permit. The conditions of assessments differ in two areas, the theoretical and the implementation. Environmental Management and monitoring reports are sent quarterly and yearly to the EPA describing every activity the company undertakes and the mitigation measures put in place (with timelines and costing) to avoid or reduce the impacts. The reports should include the program and plan on the following topics:

• General and Hazardous Waste Management
• Occupational Health and Safety Management
• Community Benefits and Development Action Plan
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Legal and International Regulatory Requirements
• Water, Soil, Air and Noise Monitoring Report
• Soil Erosion Management
• Water Resource Management
• Oil and Hydrocarbon Management
• Energy Management
• Environmental Incident Management

According to the residents, a town which was considered as an eerie chiefdom has metamorphosed into a works yard due to the timely intervention of the company and that of their diligent and hard working Paramount Chief. Chiefdom Speaker of Sahn-Malen Chiefdom explained to this medium that the people of Malen chiefdom are wholeheartedly please with the presence of the company and the developmental projects the company is doing in the chiefdom. “We are actually thrilled by the developmental projects we are seeing in Sahn-Malen chiefdom”, he said.
“We are appealing to all detractors to stop carrying negative stories about the company, we the stakeholders and people of Malen Chiefdom are elated with the company operations.

Chief Moiguah was also cheerful to make known to the public that the so-called Malen Affected Land Owners Association (MALOA) does not have any recognition in the chiefdom, and the public should give them deaf ears. “80% of this individuals posing to be land owners are not, they are doing monkey business in the chiefdom”. He said. The Chiefdom Speaker ended up by appealing to the storytellers to think Sierra Leone and not their individual beliefs.

General Manager of Socfin Agricultural Company Philip Tonks, continues to reiterates the company corporate social responsibility in Pujehun District as massive to the people of Sahn-Malen Chiefdom and the district as a whole. He also assured the chiefdom authority of their continued supports to the chiefdom whenever the need arises. Philip also appreciate the local authorities in Malen for their unreserved support towards the company and also make known that SAC is operating in a open forum for Sierra Leoneans to see the transparency of the company. The construction of water-wells, community roads, public toilets, extension of the clinics, and central mosque for the chiefdom are all evident of the facts that the company is yielding to its corporate social responsibility.

ING. Sven Van Den Broucke, head of projects Socfin Agricultural Company stated that the Mill has been designed for a total processing of 60tons fruits per hour, of which the first phase is 30ton/hr which will be extended. The extraction rate of oil he said will be around 22%, the mill will provide its own electricity, a steam boiler (20ton/hr steam) that runs on the fibers of the fruits, which will be used for keeping the whole process sterile and to also generate a turbine. The capacity of the turbine is 1,8MW, which will produce in the first phase 1.2MW of electricity. An oil storage of 4200 ton on site, a kernel storage of 600M on site also. The Mill which is nearly in completion is one of the biggest in West Africa.
by Cecil Cole Showers Jnr

Read full article here: www.thespectatornewspaper.sl

After meetings with several of the so-called aggrieved land owners, it came out that, all along, Green Scenery had based their reports and accusations about the operations of SAC on a cocktail of lies supplied by some discredited individuals claiming to be members of the group MALOA (Malen Land Owners Association) led by Hon. Shiaka Sama.

Green Scenery has been publicly accused by one of the local authorities of trying to create unrest in their Chiefdom by allegedly supporting rebellious groups like MALOA. Various other Parliamentarians and many others made contributions in total condemnation of the behaviour and the handiwork of Green Scenery Director (Joseph Rahal).

The Parliamentary Committees expressed congratulation for Socfin for living up to its Corporate Social Responsibility, particularly for the rice cultivation project started since 2011 which aims to provide food sufficiency in Malen and beyond.

This visit has exposed the activities of some of these so-called NGOs. Green Scenery has lost credibility in Sierra Leone and MALOA is no longer considered as a credible advocacy group because of its biased approaches against Socfin.

Rear more articles about the subject here:

1. www.thespectatornewspaper.sl
2. www.globaltimes-sl.com
3. www.globaltimes-sl.com

SOCFIN is not shying away from taking the lead its tree-felling and earth-moving machine – BANDIT – is one of only seven in the world and the only in Africa. That is the level of boldness of SOCFIN that great things can be done in Sierra Leone. So far, the company has planted over one million oil palm trees on over 7,000 hectares of land after starting investment in March 2001. Its first trial small harvest is expected in January 22015 with the full harvest happening in 2016 when a total of 4,000 people will be employed mostly locals in Malen Chiefdom.
At present, the agribusiness giant has a labour force of 3,890 workers, mainly locals, with around 800 of them being permanent staff.
“We like to use local people” says, Gerben, emphasizing that recruitment of locals has always been at the core of their policy. “When SOCFIN first visited this Chiefdom for an assessment in 2009, there were hardly any roads or jobs for us here” many people in the Malen chiefdom headquarter town of Sahn said. Less than three years since the company actually started operations, it has spent a total of US$1 million on Corporate Social Responsibility in the areas of roads, bridges, water wells, religious houses, medical care, school, among others. In fact it has built over 1,000 kilometers of roads in the chiefdom which now helps with the movement of goods and services in Malen Chiefdom.

The company has a good relationship with its workers and strives to improve that. It carries out an annual review of workers’ pay. With only about 25% of people in the chiefdom owning land or farm who received crop compensation as set by the government, and for whose land lease was paid, SOCFIN established a Social Fund into which it paid one and a half times the lease money to be distributed to the landless. It has also provided tractors to work on community-owned farms in the chiefdom which are yielding huge harvest. Over 1,000 farmers have benefitted from this initiative. This is true to one of its core values. “The SOCFIN group is convinced that one of the most effective ways to help support sustainable development is by doing business in a socially aware and responsible manner, helping to create and share wealth, invest in local economics, develop people’s skills and spread expertise across borders. SOCFIN firmly believes in an environmentally responsible management and cares about its social responsibilities”.

Also to this end, the company has respected and abided by prescriptions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EFA). SOCFIN Agricultural Company must be supported by all for more reasons than one. It is a win-win investment – Good for Pujehun and Sierra Leone and Good for the Company.

Read the original article here: http://www.thespectatornewspaper.sl/articles/socfin-changing-lives-pujehun

SOCFIN is not shying away from taking the lead. Its tree-felling and earth-moving machine – BANDIT – is one of only seven in the world and the only in Africa. That is the level of boldness of SOCFIN that great things can be done in Sierra Leone.

So far, the company has planted over one million oil palm trees on over 7,000 hectares of land after starting investment in March 2011. Its first trial small harvest is expected in January 2015 with the full harvest happening in 2016 when a total of 4,000 people will be employed mostly locals in Malen Chiefdom.

At present, the agribusiness giant has a labour force of 3,890 workers, mainly locals, with around 800 of them being permanent staff. “We like to use local people” says, Gerben, emphasising that recruitment of locals has always been at the core of their policy. “When SOCFIN first visited this chiefdom for an assessment in 2009, there were hardly any roads or jobs for us here” many people in the Malen chiefdom headquarter town of Sahn said. Less than three years since the company actually started operations, it has spent a total of US$ 1 million on Corporate Social Responsibility in the areas of roads, bridges, water wells, religious houses, medical care, school, among others. In fact it has built over 1,000 kilometres of roads in the chiefdom which now helps with the movement of goods and services in Malen chiefdom.

The company has a good relationship with its workers and strives to improve that. It carries out an annual review of workers’ pay. With only about 25% of people in the chiefdom owning land or farm who received crop compensation as set by the government, and for whose land lease was paid, SOCFIN established a Social Fund into which it paid one and a half times the lease money to be distributed to the landless.

It has also provided tractors to work on community-owned farms in the chiefdom which are yielding huge harvests. Over 1,000 farmers have benefitted from this initiative.

This is true to one of its core values: “The SOCFIN group is convinced that one of the most effective ways to help support sustainable development is by doing business in a socially aware and responsible manner, helping to create and share wealth, invest in local economies, develop people’s skills and spread expertise across borders. SOCFIN firmly believes in an environmentally responsible management and cares about its social responsibilities.”

Also to this end, the company has respected and abided by prescriptions of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). SOCFIN Agricultural Company must be supported by all for more reasons than one. It is a win-win investment – Good for Pujehun and Sierra Leone and Good for the Company.

Original article: http://politicosl.com/2014/02/supplement-socfin-changing-lives-in-pujehun/