In the bid to scale up productivity in the fisheries sector and stimulate economic growth in the country, H.E. the President of the Republic of Sierra Leone have on the 24th of November, 2020 at the Joint Maritime Committee(JMC) compound (Murray Town), Freetown unveiled advance fisheries management equipment and 6 inshore patrol boats to aid surveillance, communication and safety sea
As promised in his statement during the Sierra Leone 5th Republic parliamentary opening speech, H.E. Rtd. Dr. Juius Maada Bio pledge his government commitment to promote sustainable fisheries management for the benefit of all citizens, in fulfillment of his commitment, the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources(MFMR) under the New Direction Leadership, with Hon. Emma Kowa Jalloh as the Minister and Mr. Ibrahim Turay as the Deputy have accelerated President Bio’s promise to an evidential reality.
Over the years, the fisheries sector has been challenged by diverse problems affecting revenue generation, food security and un-employment due lack of sustainable management policies and tools to robustly effect management policies influencing poachers to take advantage of the fishery sector weakness rendering it an unpleasant situation.
The President in his key note statement said the fisheries sector contributes approximately 10-12% of Sierra Leone’s GDP, provides job opportunity for over 800,000 Sierra Leoneans and serves as a major contributor to food security and Nutrition.
In view of this, the sector therefore requires utmost premium in order to actualize it full potential to which he said his government will remain committed to by providing the necessary leadership and financial support required by the MFMR for the procurement of fisheries required tools. Unveiling the items procured by the MFMR with support from the Government Sierra Leone through the Ministry of Finance. H.E President Bio said the equipment’s will aid the sustainable management of the country’s fisheries resources, and that 6 Inshore patrol boats, 80 Samsung iPads,25 Android mobile phones, 2500 customized safety jackets and VHF & HF communication radio sets will be distributed among coastal communities
Giving brief description on some of the items, H.E President Bio said the 6 inshore patrol boats will enhance monitoring in the river line areas as they are designed for such operations and that they will be distributed to the major coastal fishing communities in the country, he also said the 80 iPads and 25 mobile phone devices will enhance data collection and that they will be used to record data at sea and landing site by both fisheries observers and enumerators as effective data management is essential in development, and that data recorded can be transmitted remotely by into the Ministry’s server using mobile phones network.
Hon. Emma Kowa Jalloh as the minister of MFMR in a brief statement assured Sierra Leonean’s of the government and the ministry’s commitment in resorting the lost glory of the fisheries sector by providing good governance to simulate positive gains for all citizens, unveiling the ministry’s future plans to enhance value addition in the sector she said ministry the will collaborate with all stakeholders and line institution to advance local content prior to fish and fishery products as charity begins at home, she therefor encouraged local investors to join the process in face lifting Sierra Leone fishery products for local consumption.
In attendance where Cabinet Ministers, Directors of various MDAs, , the Inspector General of Police, Army Chief of Staff, Parliamentary oversite committee on fisheries, Industrial Fishing Company Assoc. Reps, Cross Section of the Sierra Leone Artisanal Fishermen Consortium, Women in Fisheries, Sierra Leone Navy and the Media.
