By Ragan Conteh

The Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Hon. Ibrahim Tawa Conteh has during their probing on the activities of Socfin extolled the company for its foreign direct investment in the country.

According to Hon. Conteh, Socfin, being one of the biggest foreign direct investment companies in Sierra Leone, since its inception has not only provided thousands of jobs for Sierra Leoneans, but continues to contribute to the growth of the country’s economy.

Socfin, going beyond corporate social responsibility, has continued to invest colossal amount of US Dollars in the following sectors:

The agricultural sector has been seen by many investors as untapped area in the country that needs huge investment.

Socfin started on a very fruitful relationship with the people of Sahn Malen from land lease negotiation through the Government, to massive employment of youths and the spending of millions of Dollars to establish one of the biggest palm oil plantations in Africa.

In order to support the people of Sahn Malen in agriculture, Socfin has been directly involved in the yearly cultivation of several hundreds of acres of boli-land with floating rice varieties for people within the company’s operation, yearly distribution of hundreds of bushels of seed rice for inland valley swamp cultivation, distribution of hundreds bushels of groundnut seeds to 16 groups of women in Malen Chiefdom.

The company has also constructed four fish ponds, one in Kpangba, one in Gboyama, one in Jumbu and one in Senehun, the supply of 135 bundles of fishing nets with their accessories to four fishing communities; Gangama, Hongai, Massao and Kortumahun in Malen Chiefdom.

Socfin has however invested lots of money in the rehabilitation and supply of furniture to Niahun Clinic.

The company has single handedly reconstructed and electrified Sengema Health Quarters, Electrification of Sengema, Taninahun and Bendu Clinics.

It’s also supplied Hospital beds to Niahun, Sengema, Taninahun and Bendu Clinics and supply of furniture to Sengema Clinic

Accordingly, the company has made available ambulance services for Malen Community with all expenses paid for.

The construction of one facility at Sahn Bemoc Centre and the provision of 24 hours electricity and water supply to the Sahn Bemoc

With regard supporting Government Free Quality Education, Socfin has invested enough money in education in the Chiefdom, through the construction of the new Bendu and Mallay primary schools, Kortumahun primary school, Sinjo primary school, the rehabilitation of Malen Junior secondary school and Kassay primary school.

Asides the construction of these schools, the company also provided them with teaching and learning materials to facilitate teaching. It’s also provided sanitation facilities by rehabilitating water supply and the development of modern toilet facilities for these schools.

The company also supports payment of stipends to 9 teachers who were not on Government payroll and 2 security personnel in Malen Junior Secondary School, one teacher in RC School in Sahn and one teacher in Bendu Primary School.

Payment of scholarship to 220 students; amounting to Le83, 000,000 (Eighty- three Million Leones) for BECE Students with aggregate 25.

Support of transport and feeding to BECE and NPSE Students taking examination in Pujehun.

Micro Finance: In order to support the growth of small scale/ medium enterprise in the chiefdom, Socfin has been providing micro finance to over one hundred petty traders in 27 communities in Malen Chiefdom with over 200 Million Leones as seed money.

Water and Sanitation: Socfin has provided water-wells with hand pumps and latrines in all its operational areas which have helped reduce the outbreak of cholera in the chiefdom.

In the area of infrastructural development, Socfin has also been felt in its operation by constructing community halls in every village.

The construction of football fields, rehabilitation of praying fields, construction and equipping of Malen Community Radio Station, worth more than Fifty Thousand United States Dollars, construction of roads, bridges and culverts in all communities in Socfin’s operational areas. The construction of the Central Mosque in Sahn and the rehabilitation of Mosques in villages.