Parliament has on the 15th March 2022 approved with unanimity, a Twenty-Five Million United States Dollar trade agreement for the development and economic growth of Sierra Leone.

According to the Calabash Newspaper, The Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Sierra Leone and Grafton Investment (SL) limited was ratified by Parliament.

Presenting the new agreement for ratification, the Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Haja Isata Abdulai Kamara highlighted the benefits of the agreement, in light of expansion of the company, employment sustainability, quality water and other beverage production, creating a market for farmers amongst others.
The Deputy Minister went on to state that the new company has intended to invest Twenty-Five Million United States Dollars into the business, in light of improvement on quality production of water and other development. She informed that the State is also expected to benefit hugely.

The Deputy Chairman for the Committee on Trade and Industry, Hon. Osman Charles Abdulai said the agreement was not controversial. He informed that, it was sad to hear that Grafton has gone into liquidation and was a welcome news that a new company is taking over. He spoke about the protection of the Local Content Policy, relative to job creation for compatriots. He stressed on the prevention of risk and mitigating factors, relative to what the previous company went through that caused the liquidation. He used the opportunity to advise the new company to Embark on savings of profit accruing from sales and called for the collaboration of line Ministries to look into important issues or articles labeled in the agreement to ensure implementation.

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Chairman of the Water Resources Committee, Hon. Lahai Marah outlined the various minerals that would be produced by the new company and stated that he was interested in water. The chairman used his debate as an opportunity to disclose to Parliament that 85% of water produce by the water industry is not reliable. The water producing companies, he said, were not controlled and people in the sector are not meeting the requirements. This unwarranted action, the Chairman said is very frustrating, and they as committee were very challenged to bring proper regulations. “The matter is very serious,” he stated and went on to ask for collective action, relative to regulations in the water business.

Further, the Chairman informed that, Grafton Water Company previously maintained standards, but the latter Management was not up to the task and therefore, it was necessary for a takeover. “People are not selling water, but poison,” he reiterated and went on to say, some of current water producing companies are not regularized.

While wounding up the debate, the Leader of Opposition, Hon. Chernor R.M. Bah called on the Chairman of Water Resources Committee to meet the leadership of Parliament, in light of taking robust action against water producing companies.

The Speaker of Parliament quickly buttressed the Leader of Opposition and asked the Water Resources Committee to hold a meeting expeditiously with the Leadership of Parliament to summon all the water producing companies to Parliament to enhance standard and regularization to save lives.
The Leader of Opposition endorsed the ratification of the agreement.

The Acting Leader of Government Business, Hon. Bashiru Silikie thanked all Members of Parliament for their various contributions to the debate and went on to say that, it was no secret that water related diseases including typhoid were commonly diagnosed at healthcare centers in the country, owing to the proliferation of water companies without standards. He also buttressed the positions of other debaters and assured that stringent action would be taken collectively against bad producers of water.

In another development, Parliament has today 15/03/2022 recommitted the bill entitled “The National Protected Area Authority and Conservation Trust Fund Act, 2021” and also the bill entitled, “The Environment Protection Agency Act 2021” to the Legislative Committee for further scrutiny. This development came up when the Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Hon Solomon Segepoh Thomas stood on Standing Order 57 and moved a motion that both related bills be returned to the Legislative Committee, because some Members of Parliament were dissatisfied with the documents. The motion was seconded by the Opposition Whip, Hon Hassan Sesay, and was carried.