Sheriff Barrie, the Deputy Secretary General of the Sierra Leone Importers Association, has called on the government to abolish exclusive import rights in order to foster a more competitive market environment.

Speaking in a recent interview, Barrie emphasized that the issue of rising prices in the country is not solely the responsibility of the government, but is greatly influenced by the market dynamics, which are largely shaped by the importers themselves.

Barrie argued that the government’s policy of granting exclusive rights to certain importers, which gives them sole authority to import specific goods, is hampering market competition.

According to him, when only one importer is given exclusive rights to bring in a particular product, other importers are effectively barred from importing the same goods. This, he said, creates a monopoly-like situation where the sole importer has no competition and can dictate prices without any checks or balances.

“The market will not be competitive if only a single importer has the right to import a particular good,” Barrie explained. “Without competition, the importer is free to increase prices because they have no rivals, which ultimately harms consumers who are forced to pay higher prices for essential goods.”

Barrie stressed that abolishing these exclusive rights would introduce healthy competition among importers, leading to lower prices and benefiting consumers across the country.

He called on the government to consider revising its policies to encourage more competition in the market, which he believes will contribute to price stability and economic growth in Sierra Leone.