By: Tommy Koroma
The Sierra Leone Standards Bureau (SLSB) has requested over NLE 25 million to enhance its inspection processes at border posts and the airport, aiming to prevent the dumping of substandard products into the country.
During the Bilateral Budget discussion at the Ministry of Finance on August 26, 2024, Deputy Director Amadu Jogor Bah explained that the funds will increase market surveillance inspection and promote value addition through good manufacturing practices based on standards.
The Bureau’s deliverables for FY 2025 include expanding testing and calibration scopes, achieving accreditation for export products, and ensuring fairness in trade and value for money.
In FY 2024, the Bureau upgraded its mass laboratory, launched the metric system of measurements, and established a management systems certification body, with a recurrent budget of NLE 8.3 million and a capital budget of NLE 21.5 million.
However, challenges persist, including extending services to provinces and major entry points, procuring rapid test kits, and expanding product certification.
The SLSB seeks to promote standardization, metrology, and conformity assessment to drive economic development.
