By Mohamed M. Sesay
Santigay Bangura, the Ceremonial Chief of Bakeloko Chiefdom, welcomed all dignitaries and granted permission for the competition to go ahead. He confessed that the event was very important and geared towards providing economic opportunities for his subjects in Port Loko.
In his statement, the Director General of Local Content Agency Fodebah Daboh, intimated that the Local Content Agency is an agency established by the government to promote local business and to also ensure that the local products or trade is competed among other international nations. He added that the work of the agency is to work as a watchdog to promote local businesses across the country as long as the business people do not compromise standards. He added that the business competition was supported by the International Labour Organization, and the European Union among others to promote local businesses across the country.
He assured that the wok of Local Content work is about patriotism and nationalism. He said the event would be cascaded in other parts of the District. ‘’I want to call on all to take this competition very seriously and I wish you the very best in the competition’’, he said.
The Presidential Adviser on Youth Desmond Pessima, chiefly expressed thanks and appreciation to the EU and other partners for supporting the Local Content Agency for such a laudable initiative. He said President Bio made a pronouncement in his manifesto that by the end of 2028, he wants to ensure that 500, 000 youths are employed across the country. He added that the event stage by the Local Content agency is among the very means for President Bio to actualize his 500,000 jobs creations at the end of 2028.
He lauded the creativity of the Business People in using locally produced products so that they would compete with other international commodities. He said Sieraa Leone would now use palm oil to make soap cassava to make gari and cassava bread. He encouraged all and sundry that if anyone did not fortunate enough to proceed to the finals, let them be rest assured that their efforts had been recognized and recommendations would be made accordingly for partners and the government would tap into their creativity.
A representative from the Traders Union Idrissa Content, confessed that indeed the contestants really proved that they were ready and prepared for the competition. He said that before now, even catering centers were not visible in Port Loko. He added that with the help of the Local Content Agency, Port Loko now has a good number of caterers. He, therefore, lauded the creativity of the contestants.
In her statement, Hon. Racheal Mariatu Sesay Pessima representing locals of Port Loko District, recognized the support of the International Partners for supporting the Local Content Agency for such competition which is geared towards promoting local Businesses. She commended the Local Content Agency for staging such support in her District which was geared towards promoting the businesses of her people in the district.
Hon. Pessima called on the women and the youth to take the competition very seriously in order to help actualize the 500,000 job creation. She added that in any competition, there is a winner and therefore, encouraged all participants not to be discouraged in the circumstances they did not make it in the final. She intimated that President Bio had launched the Industrial Zone in Koya Chiefdom, Port Loko District which was geared towards providing more jobs for locals of Port Loko and the country at large. She concluded her statement by declaring the competition open.
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