By Ragan M. Conteh
The Member of Parliament from Kambia District, representing Constituency 059, Hon. Abdul Karim Kamara, has stated that, since 2018 when they came to the House of Parliament, some of them have been preview to many Committees and, based on what they have found, the House of Parliament should know that “Sierra Leoneans are living on a time bomb.”
According to Hon. AKK, diseases that are food and water generated are easy to contact in Sierra Leone, adding that what Sierra Leoneans are consuming is far below standards. And this is largely due to the Standard Bureau’s lack of supervision of all goods and commodities traded in the country.
Hon. AKK pointed out that Standards Bureau does not have mobility to check for expired goods; they only move using public transportation.
He continued that the laboratory of the Standards Bureau is nothing to write home about, adding that, from Kurubola to Kailahun down to Kambia, only 90 personnel and cleaners are available to Standards Bureau.
Hon. AKK wondered when last the food Sierra Leoneans eat, and which passes through the Water Quay, has been tested. “What we have done, as a country, is to give out the testing of food and bread oil to private companies at the Quay; thus risking the lives of Sierra Leoneans,” he said.
The MP furthered that Sierra Leone is the only country where Standards Bureau would go for sampling but don’t have mobility. “They depend on the factory to bring in samples to the Standards Bureau,” he pointed out.
Hon. AKK disclosed that, “for a company to bring in sample for testing is a shame. And this is a time bomb for the lives of Sierra Leoneans who cannot test the quality of what they eat or drink anymore.”