By Theresa Kef Sesay
The President and Chief Executive Officer of Seawright Mining Company, Dr. Alfred Seawright as part of it goodwill gesture to Sierra Leone has made his commitment to transform Njala University Aquaculture System to a modern one. “We will support you 100% and will make sure that all the items you need, reach you,” he assured.
He made this commitment during the inauguration of the Sierra Leone Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture Society and launching of the Sierra Leone Aquaculture and Fisheries Journal at the Ministry of Local Government conference room, Youyi Building, Freetown.
Njala University will be the first institution to benefit from the modern system from Seawright Mining Company and it will be the first modern Aquaculture system the company will introduce in the country he stated.
Dr. Seawright emphasized that after capacitating Njala University there are other communities where the company is operating that will benefit noting that at that time Njala University will take the lead as technical expert to those communities.
“The system we are putting together is 100% guaranteed as it will be able to generate 40 tons of fish every six (6) months, and we will do that full time,” he confirmed.
He pointed out that they want to make sure that the university makes money out of Hatcheries and also standardized what they are doing.
He stated that people need to showcase what they are doing and promised of the Company’s willingness to do anything that will make the project work.
“My position is that, I want to make sure that we have everything we need, all what we are buying is not for us, we are not making anything out of it, it is going to be for the communities and for the people,” he reaffirmed.
He maintained that part of their vision is creating employment for young people and that at the same time they want to see transparency in everything they do for them by putting proper system in place which will indicate that they are ready.
He mentioned that solar facility will be installed for the system to have constant electricity that will keep it going.
He encouraged others to go solar if they want to support any project in the country for sustainable and clean energy and also advised the Government to depend on the technical people as he can’t succeed without them.
Sometimes back Seawright Mining Company took the Head of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management Department at Njala University, his deputy and students to Ghana, Nigeria and China to under study those countries Aquaculture system in order to get the best type of system for Sierra Leone.
Dr. Olapade O. Julius, Head of Aquaculture and Fisheries Management Department, Njala University described the intervention of Seawright Mining Company through Dr. Seawright as timely.
He stated that the Sierra Leone Fisheries sector continues to play a significant role in the national economy and food security as it contributes about 12 percent of GDP noting that it is the most important economic activity along the coastline of Sierra Leone.
Fish is the largest source of animal protein for the majority of Sierra Leoneans, supplying about 80 percent of total animal protein consumption. Over 500,000 people are directly or indirectly employed in the fisheries sector, he explained.
Seawright Mining Company is now a household name in Kono and Kenema districts due to their outstanding work in those communities. The Company has constructed two schools, waters wells, two cold rooms, introduction of school feeding program and baray among others as part of its corporate social responsibility, he stated.
