By Mohamed Fofanah [email protected].
ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP) began an intensive operation on September 1, 2023, to erect boundary walls for the construction of 15 factories, providing 34,000 direct and indirect jobs in 24 months at the Sierra Leone Industrial Zones (SIZ) in Koya.
Speaking at the maiden media tour on the facility Friday, ARISE announced that it had a 24-month plan as the first phase of the project had been estimated to cost a whopping US$410 million in 150 hectares of land out of 1,800 hectares allotted to the project.
The first phase of the SIZ-Koya would include pharmaceutical units, rice meal and agro-processing factories for crops grown in Sierra Leone, tile production, paint manufacturing, and import substitution factories – all as part of efforts to reduce the countryโs heavy dependency on imports from overseas.
Also, the company said it would incorporate a solar power system of 200 megawatts of sustainable energy into the project in addition to investment in the extended port and rail network.
Some community stakeholders, including the Paramount Chief of Koya Chiefdom, Bompa Bomboli III expressed enthusiasm for the prospect of employment opportunities and the positive impact the investment would have on the country’s development plans.
The Paramount Chief also expressed gratitude to President Julius Maada Bio for his role in facilitating this transformative project in his chiefdom and also commended the efforts of ARISE IIP.
The Environmental Social Governance Manager at ARISE IIP Sierra Leone, Shruthi James reiterated the company’s dedication to meet international and the Environmental Protection Agencyโs environmental and social standards.
Meanwhile, the Construction Manager of the company, Santosh Goham hinted at the potential of ARISE IIP’s investments in creating a robust and sustainable economy for Sierra Leone and the companyโs local communities.
Following the launch of project in April, President Bio said he was delighted with the actualisation of the vision he presented in his 2018 manifesto โ an outcome of visits to the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in Gabon, Rwanda, and other countries, and partnerships and business relationships negotiated in the best interests of Sierra Leone over the last five years.
He also thanked ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms for sharing their vision and believing in the great opportunities Sierra Leone and ARISE IIP are expected to gain from this partnership
In that speech, the President reiterated his governmentโs determination to build a diverse economy by significantly increasing the contribution of a competitive manufacturing sector to GDP while also increasing foreign direct investments, stimulating a two-way trade, increasing demand for locally-produced goods, creating more jobs, and broadening the countryโs tax base amid regional and international trade opportunities and markets.
The President said he wanted to position the country to start producing and selling to local, regional, and international markets – products that the country currently imports at great expense.
On 20 April 2023, the Parliament of Sierra Leone debated and ratified the Framework Agreement between the Republic of Sierra Leone and Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms for the implementation of a special economic zone in Sierra Leone.
