LAND FOR LIFE ORGANIZES A NATIONAL CSO-PRIVATE SECTOR DIALOGUE SESSION IN FREETOWN
Land for Life, in partnership with the National Investment Board—a Board chaired by the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone and tasked with promoting investment opportunities in the Sierra Leone—organized a day-long dialogue session between Civil Society Actors and the Private Sector in an effort to strengthen cooperation between the two entities in Sierra Leone.
The dialogue session which was chaired by Dr. Emmanuel Giama, the Governance Adviser to the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone was attended by Hon. Members of Parliament, Paramount Chiefs, Civil Society Actors, Government Ministries, Department and Agencies, the media, Private Investors and community representatives.
Speaking to the group about the goal of the discussion, Berns Komba Lebbie, National Coordinator of the Land for Life Initiative Sierra Leone, emphasized that many foreign investment organisations operate in Sierra Leone, particularly in the mining, agriculture, and other commercial sectors. Lebbie noted that although it is anticipated that these investments would strengthen the economy, lessen poverty, and generate wealth, the areas in which they are located frequently experience negative consequences as a result of insufficient law and policy enforcement. He also mentioned that over the years there have been trust issues between Civil Society Actors and the Private Sector Investors in the Country. Berns said that whilst the communities believe in the advocacy work of the CSOs, the Private Investors consider the work of the CSO as anti to their investment.
The National Investment Board’s Executive Director, Dr. Edward Hinga Sandi, underlined the Board’s responsibility for making sure investments in Sierra Leone are appropriately coordinated and sanitised. He emphasized that encouraging private capital investments is crucial for promoting the nation’s development objectives and that depending just on open funding is insufficient to propel national growth. He said that the goal of the partnership with Land for Life is to include communities and bring civil society together to talk about the difficulties that communities and investors confront. This conversation is essential, particularly in light of the nation’s experience with disputes arising between communities and investors in the different areas where businesses are located. This, according to him is seriously impacting the economic gains of the country.
The Head Chairman of the Council of Paramount Chiefs, PC Fasuluku Sonsiama III, has expressed his appreciation to Land for Life and the National Investment Board for the initiative. He said that he came from Kono District, one of the diamonds mining communities in the country, but said that there is no mining agreement that has the signature of a Paramount Chief not evening in the capacity of a witness. The Paramount Chief also expressed the belief that Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) are similarly excluded from those agreements.
