HON. ARUNA A. KOROMA RAISES CONCERNS OVER NATIONAL SINGLE WINDOW AGREEMENT

The Deputy Leader II of the Opposition in Parliament, Hon. Aruna Aaron Koroma, on Thursday, 11 June 2026, raised several concerns during the debate on the proposed agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone and Blueribbon Solutions SL Limited for the financing, development, management, and operation of the Sierra Leone National Single Window (SLNSW).

Hon. Koroma welcomed the initiative, noting that a centralized electronic system would help address long-standing challenges faced by importers and exporters, reduce bureaucratic delays, and improve efficiency at the country's ports. He highlighted that the proposed system is designed to process most transactions within five seconds, accommodate up to 1,000 users simultaneously, and handle up to 500,000 transactions. Despite supporting the concept, the opposition lawmaker questioned key aspects of the agreement. He expressed concern over the lack of clarity regarding the duration of the Build-Operate-Transfer arrangement and when the facility would eventually be handed over to the Government of Sierra Leone. He noted that while the agreement mentions an initial 15-year period, it does not clearly specify the full project lifespan.

Hon. Koroma also raised concerns about the absence of a clearly stated investment figure from the private investor, arguing that the amount invested should form the basis for revenue-sharing arrangements. He further questioned whether the government could have invested directly in the technology instead of outsourcing the system to a private operator. Additionally, he warned against the possibility of duplication of charges on importers and exporters, particularly where existing cargo tracking services may overlap with services provided under the Single Window system. He urged the government to ensure that the new arrangement reduces, rather than increases, the cost of doing business. The opposition leader concluded by calling on the Minister to provide clarity on the investor's financial commitment, the transfer timeline, and measures to prevent double charging of businesses using the system.