By Foday Moriba Conteh
Sierra Leone’s biggest and most reliable rice importer, the Commodities Trading Company (CTC) has on Monday 18th May, 2020 during the launch of one hundred and fifty six million United States dollars ($156M) for the Quick Action Economic Response Programme an event which took place at the Conference Room of the Ministry of Finance on George Street in Freetown during which Management of the company assured the nation that there is sufficient stock of rice in the country that will last for several months.
The Quick Action Economic Response Programme is geared towards maintaining the macro-economic and financial stability and to mitigate the impact of the COVID-19 shocks on businesses and households.
Speaking during the event the Spokesman for the company, Khalil Halloway, disclosed that there is enough rice and people should have no need to hoard rice now and that those hoarding it are doing so at their own risks.
He reiterated how CTC is assuring the nation that there is sufficient rice in the country and that there is no need for panic buying and storage of rice.
He established that they have increased their buffer stock from the usual 15,000 metric tons of rice to 40,000 metric tons and that they are doing so to be on the safer side and to avoid any shortage of rice in the market during this critical time when the country is been hit by the coronavirus that has affected all sectors in the country.
Commodities Trading Company (CTC) has been in the commodity business for several years now. They have consistently maintained an impeccable record in the country, are the biggest and most reliable rice importers in Sierra Leone.
The Minister of Information and Communications, Mohamed R. Swarray, who chaired the meeting expressed appreciation to the Management of CTC for their prompt action in bringing in excess supply of rice in to the country at a very difficult moment like this, adding that this effort by the company is an indication that they are true friends of Sierra Leone.
