Sierra Leone Opposition Leader Joins ECOWAS Trade Assessment in Liberia
Alex Fefegula Harding Sierra Leonean opposition lawmaker Hon. Abdul Kargbo has affirmed the importance of parliamentary oversight in strengthening the implementation of regional trade programmes under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Kargbo made the remarks during a four-day ECOWAS Parliament oversight mission to Liberia to assess the implementation of the Interconnected System for the Management of Goods in Transit (SIGMAT), a digital platform designed to improve information-sharing among customs authorities and facilitate the movement of goods across borders.
According to a report by Knews Liberia, Kargbo, a member of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Sixth Legislature and Committee on Infrastructure, highlighted the role of parliamentary monitoring in assessing the effectiveness of regional programmes, identifying implementation challenges and recommending improvements.
His intervention comes as Sierra Leone and other ECOWAS member states work towards strengthening regional trade through digital customs systems.
During the assessment, the delegation identified inadequate road infrastructure, unreliable internet connectivity and insufficient technical training as major challenges affecting the effective operation of SIGMAT.
The lawmakers visited the Liberia Revenue Authority and the Freeport of Monrovia, where they engaged customs officials and port operators. They also inspected a destination inspection facility under construction at the port.
The delegation was led by Hon. Amdiatta Diaby of Senegal, Chairperson of the ECOWAS Parliament’s Committee on Trade, Customs and Free Movement. She said digital customs procedures offered significant advantages over traditional manual processes but stressed that countries must address existing operational challenges to ensure the system works effectively across the region.
Assistant Commissioner for Customs Policy at the Liberia Revenue Authority, William L. Buku, also highlighted the potential of electronic information-sharing to reduce unnecessary human intervention, improve transparency and strengthen revenue protection.
Sierra Leone was among the countries identified as having implemented SIGMAT, making the assessment relevant to its participation in ECOWAS regional trade initiatives.
The oversight mission follows the official launch in October 2025 of the SIGMAT corridor connecting Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Liberia, as ECOWAS continues efforts to link national customs systems and improve cross-border trade.
The findings have highlighted the need for member states, including Sierra Leone, to strengthen the infrastructure, technical capacity and institutional cooperation required to support digital customs operations.
Kargbo’s participation in the mission underscores the role of Sierra Leonean representatives in ECOWAS parliamentary oversight and efforts to improve the implementation of regional integration programmes.