By Ragan M. Conteh

During a heated debate at the Well of Sierra Leone’s Parliament in Tower Hill, Freetown, Hon. Veronica K. Sesay, Parliamentary Whip, expressed serious concerns over the ratification and potential extension of the agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone and Kissy Industry and Trading Company (KITC) Sierra Leone Limited.

Hon. Sesay questioned the credibility of the company’s claims that it currently employs 300 workers and plans to expand. She highlighted a troubling pattern where companies submit proposals with grand promises—on paper—but fail to deliver in reality. She cited past agreements such as DuraCast, which pledged to employ thousands, yet oversight visits revealed underwhelming outcomes.

She stressed that Members of Parliament have a duty to protect citizens by ensuring that what is promised is actually implemented. Hon. Sesay insisted that before Parliament considers any extension, there must be a thorough verification process, including site visits and headcounts to confirm employment numbers and production capacity.

Calling for stronger accountability, she criticized the practice of granting incentives like tax waivers or extensions without performance audits. She urged her colleagues not to be swayed by figures in documents but to demand visible evidence of local employment, production activities, and corporate social responsibility.

She emphasized the importance of promoting local industries and protecting domestic markets by encouraging companies that add value within Sierra Leone. Hon. Sesay said investment must not only benefit companies but uplift local farmers, create jobs for youth, and stimulate the economy.

In closing, she called for Parliament to ratify the KITC agreement only if firm conditions are attached—conditions that ensure delivery, transparency, and public benefit. Without those assurances, she warned, extensions could become empty gestures that fail the people they are meant to serve.