The Sierra Leone Government has launched the National Consumer Protection Commission at Bank Complex in Kingtom, Freetown.

The event which took place on November 22, invited distinguished guests including the Chief Minister, David Sengeh and Trade Minister Ibrahim Sesay.

Chief Minister Sengeh, in his keynote address, encouraged Sierra Leoneans to support the new Commission by reporting fake and goods that have expired.

“Citizens must take full responsibility for fixing the country and uphold ethical business practices,” he said. “Unethical behaviours, such as reducing measurements to exploit consumers, must stop.”

He added that the formation of this commission is their commitment as a government to promote the use of standard products. He also noted that the government plans to expand their GDP with the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to aid in boosting trade in the region, especially with neighbouring Liberia.

On his part, the Trade Minister Ibrahim Sesay said the Commission will enable a fair and equitable trade system with the help of the metric system used by the Sierra Leone Standards Bureau. He urged the new Commission to actively regulate product safety, especially those locally manufactured.

“It is imperative to ensure that goods produced locally meet export standards to protect the country’s image and promote consumer confidence,” he said.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Commission, Lawrence Bassie assured the gathering of their commitment to work within their stipulated mandate. He added that the Commission will deploy 30 regional staff to meet their goals.

Bassie affirmed the importance of collaboration through their partnership with other government agencies including the Sierra Leone Standards Bureau, the National Telecommunications Authority and the Electricity and Water Regulatory Commission.