By Prince J Musa in Kenema
Member of Parliament Veronica Kadie Sesay of Constituency 094 has expressed dissatisfaction over the pay received by women working for the Ngolaibu Cocoa Farmers Association in Dama chiefdom Kenema district. She therefore urged them to immediately increase their salaries.
Sesay who is also the chairperson Parliamentary Committee on Trade called on the company to restructure their payment scheme for the women as soon as possible. She made the observations while on their oversight visit role as a committee.
She expressed delight to the Punjab Company for being the company with the highest number of female employees and also with a friendly relationship with MPs and for also doing its corporate social responsibility to the community.
The Manager of Punjab Company, Victoria Vande Barnard explained that women empowerment is of utmost importance to them, and it is for that reason that they have employed many women to work for them. Speaking on social responsibility, Barnard said their company has been supporting education, and constructing culverts to link communities. He said they have also supported health and agriculture programmes targeting especially women.
The Manager on behalf of the company vowed to build a community center for the people if a land is provided to them.
The chief executive officer of Taha Amin Skykay (TAS) store, Taha Amin Skykay disclosed that the company has planted about four hundred acres of cocoa. He also explained that all of their staff are permanent staff and further explained that some are paid above the minimum wage “We have 42 staff. We pay them, pay their NASSIT and pay our taxes as well’’.
The Chief Executive Officer of Capitol Trading Company Mohamed Nassa promised the committee that the company would make sure to provide safety gears for the workers at Tissor just as recommended by the committee after a tour around the factory.
The parliamentary committee team engaged institutions such as Sierra Leone Produce Monitoring Board, Capitol Trading Company, TAS store trading company, SLPMC, F T Saad, Ngolaibu cocoa farmers and Punjab Distillery Company in the Kenema District. The oversight function with companies and factories ended on the 1st November, 2021.
Copyright © Politico Online 10/11/21
