March 15, 2019
By Ishmael Sallieu Koroma
A plaque showing the writing of the police post
As part of their Corporate Social Responsibility, one of the oldest industries in the country, SHANKERDAS, has yesterday handed over a newly constructed police post to the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) at Wellington, east of Freetown.
The Wellington Police post was officially opened by the Inspector General of Police, Dr. Richard Moigbe, with other senior police officers, community elders, chiefs, religious and traditional leaders, among a host of other dignitaries.
In her welcome address, Local Unit Commander (LUC) of the Kissy Division , Chief Superintendent of Police, Hillary Sao Kanu, expressed her joy and appreciation to SHANKERDAS for the construction of the police post, adding that part of the strategic plan of the SLP was to construct more police stations.
“I’m really happy for this remarkable occasion and I want to thank G. SHANKERDAS for this,’’ she said.
Representing the Mayor of the Freetown Municipality, Deputy Mayor, Osman Koroma, heaped praises on the private sector, especially G. SHANKERDAS and Sons Limited for their tremendous support to the Wellington and Calaba town communities.
He underscored that without police, there will be trouble in every society, stating that he wanted to see more police stations is his community, especially in the hillside areas.
He said the construction of police posts in the hilly parts of Freetown was a remarkable venture.
“We appreciate this particular facility, but my advice again is we the community people should realise that the police are here to serve us and they are not our enemies,’’ the deputy mayor said, adding that the police are there to protect the lives and properties of citizens.
He called on the community people to render their support to the SLP and pledged council’s commitment to improving the municipality.
Member of Parliament in Constituency 115, Alpha Amadu Bah, stressed the importance of security, which he said, was very important to everybody.
He stated that the SLP plays a key role in realising the stability of the internal security, adding that the government and the police force are instrument of the state.
‘’In that regard, we Wellingtonians should be ready to promote peace and security in our community,” he said.
He expressed his appreciation to SHANKERDAS, which he said was one of the companies in the country that complies with the Corporate Social Responsibility.
The lawmaker further said his community has a good working relationship with the force, stating that the area was blessed. He pledged support to the Wellington police Post with the provision of stationery that would be used to run the post for the first one month.
Hon. Bah ended that he was looking forward to seeing similar projects from SHANKERDAS in other communities.
On his part, Director of Infrastructure in SLP, AIG Ibrahim Koroma, said his responsibility in the force was to protect all police properties and to rehabilitate, and reconstruct posts across the country.
“I’m happy today. This wellington Police Post has become one of the SLP’s properties and immediately after the unveiling I will ask for the documentation so that I will add it to my archive,’’ he said.
He thanked the company for providing the building for the force, stating that they were on top gear with so many projects to construct police posts across the country, with massive rehabilitation of existing ones.
“I will want to advise you to be reporting any breakage to me. My own portfolio is to repair any police infrastructure. Anything that needs repair, report it to the necessary authorities,” AIG Koroma said.
Director of SHANKERDAS and Sons, Dr. Ram Shankerdas, in his statement thanked the community and other dignitaries, including shareholders for their presence at the occasion.
“In our company, we consider ourselves as a local Sierra Leonean company. The company didn’t start yesterday. It was our great grandfather who moved to Sierra Leone in 1920 and opened his first shop at King Jimmy. This company would celebrate its 80th birthday this year,’’ he said.
He added that what they considered as success of the company was also the success and development of the country.
He added that as a company, they have been embarking on different projects including the awarding of scholarships, building police post, among others, as they pride themselves in developing the communities they operate.
“Aside from that, our business as well, we are trying to run it in a very professional way. You that have tasted our products know that they are sellable. Our products are exported and we have people coming from Senegal and Ivory Coast to buy Sierra Leonean soft drinks and that makes me proud,” he said.
Dr. SHANKERDAS praised the force for their great work and called on the community to give them their support.
Inspector General of Police, Dr. Richard Moigbe,thanked the company for the wonderful move in brining police service to the people of Wellington community, thus pledging that they will never forget the goodies and that they will continue to working with the company,
“I want to say thank you to the people of Wellington for a warm welcome which you accorded me and my officers. I would like to thank the people that donated the land on which SHANKERDAS has built the police post. We all know that the issue of land is a difficult and it is a costly commodity in the city,’’ he said.
He added that SHANKERDAS has provided a very good facility and urged them to take care of it.
He urged all police officers to be neutral and professional in the execution of their duties and further called on the people to report any police that act against the law.