President Bio

***It will not only save the country $300 Million in annual importation costs but will also ease explosive pressure on forex demands

***No fewer than 30 Manufacturing Factories since Bio took office 6 years ago, creating about 250,000 jobs nationwide

Abubakar Hashim

President Julius Maada Bio launched the country’s first Iron Rod Manufacturing Company, on 23 November 2024, at Songo, in the Port Loko District, in North West of Sierra Leone.

The company, a private sector-led initiative, is operated by Odhav Multi Industries SL Limited.

It is significant to the country as it will produce not only iron rods but allied products like nails, wire mesh, binding wires and industrial gasses.

President Bio inspecting the projects

It will save the country about 300 million dollars annually and tremendously reduce pressure on forex demand.

This marks 30 manufacturing factories since Bio took over 6 years ago in 2018.

At the launch yesterday, President Bio remarked that “It is a step in industrial take off, that will lead to sustainable industrial growth and transformation”.

President Bio being conducted around the factory

Steel manufacturing is the bedrock for industrialisation. The amount of steel a country uses and exports, determines the level of industrialisation of that country.

The US tops in the use of steel, followed by China. In Africa, South Africa tops, followed by Nigeria. Neighbouring Liberia had set up iron rod manufacturing, operated by Indians.  Ivory Coast and Guinea had also set up steel manufacturing companies.

The company officials explaining matters of interest to President Bio

The launch, yesterday, has put Sierra Leone on the global stage for imminent industrial growth.

With Bio’s prime focus on widening the manufacturing sector, thereby providing gainful employment opportunities to the youths, the drug menace will be minimised.

The factory

Sierra Leone’s youths, like those in neighbouring countries, constitute an albatross and a bane to the country. Many youths are perpetually on drugs, predominantly “Kush”, a local hard drug, that send many youths to early graves.

*Abubakar Hashim is the News West Africa Bureau Chief based in Sierra Leone. He is currently writing from Lagos, Nigeria