By Amin Kef Sesay
Wongor Investment and Mining Corporation, or simply called Wongor Mining, has launched its state-of-the-art gold processing plant in Nimikoro, Kono District, the first in the history of Sierra Leone that produces gold bullions.
Wongor mining was one of the first large scale mining companies to get a license to mine under the new Government of President Bio.
It started mine development activities towards the end of 2019 and despite the odds of a global pandemic, the very resilient company had its processing plant launched by the Hon. Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Tim Kabbah, together with his Deputy Minister, Ann Marie Harding, and other dignitaries that included the DG of the NMA, Mr. Mattai, the Executive Chairman of the EPA, Dr. Gevao, the host MP of the area, Hon. Fofanah, traditional leaders and chiefs.
Tim Kabbah expressed great delight at the tremendous progress made by the company and the history the company has made under the leadership of President Bio as the first large scale company to actually process its gold in Sierra Leone and adding value to it as opposed to others who ship concentrates to other countries. “These are the kinds of investors President Bio has often reminded us to have in the industry,” he added.
In his remarks, the head of the National Minerals Agency, Mattai, opined that Wongor Mining has proven its resilience by refusing to pack and leave the country because of the global pandemic.
“Some companies would leave by officials catching just fresh cold, but despite all the challenges Wongor has proven itself as serious investors.
“Based on feedback from what all the chiefs have said about their satisfaction with the company, and also based on what we in EPA have observed since the start of the company’s operations, we cannot help but add words of admiration in the way the company has been managed,” says the Executive Chairman of the EPA.
Murtada Tunis, the Manager for the company, buttressed some opening remarks of his CEO, by saying that the Government has been extremely helpful in making sure that the company succeed.
The regulators have all been very professional and resourceful and have also demonstrated lots of understanding during the pandemic, he added. Mr. Tunis added that Wongor is not the typical Chinese company that people are used to. “We have used best international management practices to get to where we are today despite all the enormous challenges,” he added.
The chiefs, including Paramount Chief Fomasa Denton Bonah of Nimikoro Chiefdom, were full of superlatives in the manner the company has been managed. “We will continue to support and stand by this type of company which has done so much for our people even before they started production of gold,” the chief said. And by the time they construct the proposed Community Health Clinic in the very near future, our people would further validate that they made no mistake in welcoming the company to the chiefdom for operation, ends P.C. Bonah.
