By Stephen V. Lansana
Freetown, Sierra Leone – September 30, 2025: The Sierra Leone Local Content Agency (SLLCA) convened its third Quarterly Consultative Forum meeting on Tuesday, September 30, 2025, at the Agency’s Conference Hall in Freetown. The forum marked a key milestone with the formal approval of the Terms of Reference (ToR) for three strategic subcommittees established during the previous meeting.
Chaired by the Agency’s Director General, Mr. Fodeba Daboh, the meeting brought together representatives from key government ministries and institutions, including the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education (MTHE), Sierra Leone Immigration Department (SLID), Sierra Leone Union of Technicians (SLUTech), Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency (SMEDA), Ministry of Employment and Labour, Ministry of Economic Planning and Development, and the National Investment Board (NIB), among others.
The approved subcommittees—Project Pipeline, Local Capabilities Mapping, and Policy and Regulation—are tasked with advancing the Agency’s mandate to promote Sierra Leonean participation in economic development through local content integration.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Daboh welcomed both returning and first-time forum participants. He emphasized that Section 66(1) of the Local Content Act mandates the establishment of the Consultative Forum to foster collaboration and information sharing on upcoming projects, local capabilities, and policy proposals. He reiterated the Agency’s commitment to ensuring Sierra Leoneans benefit not only through employment but also through wealth creation, particularly in the mineral sector.
Saa Lawrence Karminty, Local Content Monitoring Manager at the National Mineral Agency (NMA) and Chairman of the Sierra Leone Local Content Consultative Forum (SLLCCF), presented the ToRs for the subcommittees. He explained that the Agency’s broad mandate across sectors necessitated the formation of specialized committees to streamline operations.
The Project Pipeline Subcommittee will identify major incoming projects and ensure local content clauses are embedded in contracts to create jobs for Sierra Leoneans.
The Local Capabilities Mapping Subcommittee will assess and document the country’s technical skillsets to match local talent with industry needs.
The Policy and Regulation Subcommittee will review the Agency’s Act, identify inconsistencies with other laws, and ensure institutional compliance.
Karminty noted that once operational, these subcommittees will simplify the Agency’s role to data collection and analysis. He also disclosed that the subcommittees will meet monthly to maintain momentum.
He commended Mr. Daboh for activating the Consultative Forum, highlighting that although the Local Content Act was enacted in 2016, its implementation only began in 2018 following the election of President Julius Maada Bio.