By Zainab Sunkary Koroma

In June 2024, workers at Koidu Holdings raised urgent concerns about long-standing injustices; from unfair salary exchange rates and excessive working hours to the lack of proper toilet facilities and access to safe drinking water.

Despite multiple interventions by the Koidu United Mines Workers Union and the Government of Sierra Leone to resolve those issues peacefully, no improvements were made. Instead, nearly 1,000 Sierra Leonean workers, many of whom had served for over a decade or more, were laid off without prior notice.

The layoffs devastated communities across Kono District, where entire families depended on income from mining jobs. For many, this resulted in the collapse of dreams and the dismantling of livelihoods built over years of sacrifice and dedication.

Koidu Holdings Limited, long considered a cornerstone of Sierra Leone’s diamond industry since the post-war era, has come to symbolize both opportunity and exploitation. Beneath the glitter of diamonds lies a stark, painful reality; a legacy of unsafe, unjust and often dehumanizing conditions.

Many of the laid-off employees carry physical and emotional scars from their years of service, with several suffering permanent injuries due to hazardous work environments. These workers have still not received medical care nor have they got the legally required benefits owed to them.

According to Section 80 of the Employment Act, 2023, “A worker who has served the same employer continuously for a period of one year or more and whose services are terminated for reasons other than gross misconduct shall be entitled to severance pay or end-of-service benefit.”

So far, that law has not been upheld for the dismissed workers of Koidu Holdings.

One of them is Osman Bucklin Shaw, an Assistant Project Manager who dedicated 21 years of his life to the company. In 2010, a workplace accident cost him several toes. He received no insurance or compensation. Forced by financial need to return to work, he described the experience as ‘punishment’.

“Working for Koidu Holdings was suffering. We had to protest just to be treated like humans,” Osman Bucklin Shaw recalled.

Despite contracts outlining 8-hour shifts and salaries pegged to dollar exchange rates, these terms were consistently ignored.

Today, Osman Bucklin Shaw is unemployed, struggling to pay school fees for his children. His injuries prevent him from wearing safety boots for extended periods; effectively barring him from most forms of physical labour.

“I am at home now with no hope, no job and no benefit paid to start a business.”

Sahr Opel Sumana, a former Drifting Assistant with 14 years of service, is now permanently disabled after a severe accident. A life-saving surgery in Ghana was funded by Koidu Holdings with help from his union and family. But on his return, the company gave him just 12,000 new Leones; an amount he said barely scratched the surface of his pain and debts.

“If I had known that was my compensation, I wouldn’t have accepted it,” he lamented.

Reassigned as an Underground Entry Officer, he was again subjected to poor working conditions with no safety protocols. Since his layoff, life has become unbearable.

“Even feeding my wife and kids is a problem. Sometimes, I ask my wife to take the kids away because I don’t want them to see me cry in pain.”

Grace Finda Vincent, Public Relations Officer of the Aggrieved Wives Association, voiced her frustration with the company’s actions. Through tears, she recalled the death of a paralyzed Scanner Operator who was laid off without support.

“Some of us have become widows; others are leaving their husbands due to hardship,” she said.

All they ever asked for, she insisted, was fair treatment and humane working conditions.

The women are now demanding full compensation for injured and deceased husbands, along with payment of all outstanding benefits.

Charles Kenesie, President of the Koidu Workers Union, said many of the issues stem from a flawed agreement signed by the previous union leadership in 2016; a deal that was never disclosed to workers at the time.

Even with interventions from the Minister of Labour, the police and Sierra Leone’s First Lady, Dr. Fatima Bio, the company has remained defiant. Charles Kenesie described Koidu Holdings as behaving like a ‘Republic within the Republic’.

“They told us that since they pay their taxes and above the minimum wage, the Government can’t tell them what to do,” he revealed.

Following peaceful protests, the company suspended operations under the guise of ‘care and maintenance’, removed heavy machinery and laid off staff without pay or compensation.

Minister of Labour and Social Security, Mohamed Rahman Swaray, confirmed that under Section 25 of the Employment Act, 2023, all employers are required to maintain an end-of-service or gratuity benefits account.

“Had Koidu Holdings complied, funds would have been available to pay the workers.”

The Minister also condemned the company’s failure to report workplace accidents and injuries, which is required by law. He stressed ongoing efforts to update outdated safety legislation and educate workers about their rights.

Civil Society Activist, Brima Kanu, echoed the growing despair across the Kono region: “This wasn’t what we expected. The mine’s closure has affected livelihoods and local businesses. We are now seeing the ripple effects.”

Legal expert, Emmanuel Michael Tommy Gbondo Esq. added that many mining contracts in Sierra Leone suffer from a lack of transparency and public consultation. He called for national ownership and better governance of the country’s mineral wealth.

“Foreign investors are here for profit, not to solve our social problems. Until we manage our own resources, we remain dependent on companies like Koidu Holdings.”

Meanwhile, Koidu Holdings has defended its mass layoffs, claiming they were triggered by an ‘unlawful act’ by workers that allegedly cost the company millions.

The layoffs at Koidu Holdings have left behind a deep scar with 12 worker deaths reported by the Union. Broken families, permanent disabilities and rising unemployment are just the visible symptoms. The company’s refusal to pay severance and benefits is a humanitarian crisis.

This investigation was supported by BBC Media Action and funded by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), and co-funded by the European Union (EU