By Amin Kef Sesay
One of the legacies of colonialism, which was maintained by neo-colonialism, is the reduction of most African States, Sierra Leone inclusive, into producers of raw materials which were in turn taken to Europe for the production of manufactured goods, most of which are demanded for and bought by Africans.
This economic imbalance deepened Africa’s dependency on European countries for the majority of goods that the population consumes and has been identified as one of the potent forces militating against the economic development of the continent.
That narrative seems to be changing in contemporary times as certain African countries have put premium on the processing of raw materials into finished products.
In Sierra Leone, President Dr Julius Maada Bio recently commissioned a cocoa processing factory established by Capitol Foods in Tissor Village, making it the first in the country and creating employment for the local people of that community.
Capitol Foods is a fruit and food processing company, currently developing the first natural fruit processing and bottling company in the country with a mission, according to its leadership, to become the leading firm in the agri-industrial sector in the country.
Co-founder and CEO at Capitol Foods Limited, Hamza Hashim, said his company is one of the earliest post-war cocoa traders and exporters that is still playing a crucial role in reviving the flagging cocoa and coffee sector in the country.
He added that with support from the Ministry of Agriculture and through the Sierra Leone Agribusiness Development Fund (SLADF) Project, they had conducted training for 2,831 farmers on several topics like best agricultural practices, integrated pest control and disease management technics.
“In 2018, Capitol secured a $600,000 grant from SLADF towards financing and improving yields and quality standards. The project aims at working with rural farmers to improve their yields, in addition to establishing a Cocoa Mass Processing Line which will improve the value of products and improve prices for the farmers,” he noted.
Executive Chairman of the country’s Producing Marketing Board, SLPMB, Dr James Vibbi, said he was happy to witness progress at the first cocoa processing factory in the country, adding that the factory would add more value to cocoa production for the international market. He further noted that the Government had planned to have one factory in each of the districts of the country.
“Your Excellency, this factory can produce an annual capacity of 4,000 metric tons that can serve both the local and export market. It will provide employment opportunities and bring further development to the local community,” he stated.
In a brief statement, His Excellency President Dr Julius Maada Bio said the construction of the factory is a part of the Human Capital Development drive of the nation where cocoa is now being processed. He, therefore, called on other private sector actors to begin to think of processing local products in the country.
President Bio further stated that he is happy to see that such development is happening during his tenure as leader, and expressed hope that those efforts would lead to the transfer of skills, develop the locality, and above all, generate more revenue for the country.
“This factory will add value to the cocoa business. It is good for our country and economy. I thank you for taking this giant step. God bless you,” he concluded.
