By Hassan Bruz – Northern Bureau Chief
In a latest development, residents of Lunsar in the Northern District of Port Loko have called on the Government to review a decision by the Government of Sierra Leone to terminate the operations of SL Mining. This move on the review of the decision is anchored on a couple of concerns ranging from the dare need for gainful employment to the desire for a standard condition of living for the inhabitants of Marampa Chiefdom and the District of Port Loko as a whole.
It would be recalled that the Attorney General and Minister of Justice together with the Director General of the National Minerals Agency were in Lunsar recently to deliver what they claimed to be a message from the Sierra Leone Government. It was such a marathon message that dived into the academic background, professional qualifications and work experience of the Messengers. They however zeroed with the disclosure that SL Mining will never again be allowed to carry on with the Mining of Iron Ore at the Marampa.
Those who were privileged to attend the meeting, got bewildered when the Attorney General and Minister of Justice went further to outline the levels of untrustworthiness of the Management of SL –Mining. As buttressed by the Director General of the National Mineral Agency, SL –Mining is recalcitrant in adhering to the rules and regulations of the Agency and even lacks the financial capability to continue with the operations. A particular reference was made to the inability to honor its Corporate Social Responsibility.
This does not only baffled the audience, but also left many people in total disbelief. Mr. Shaka Muntha Kamara is the Secretary General to the Land Owners Association in Lunsar. He said on behalf of his Association, SL – Mining is undoubtedly the best Mining Company that has ever operated in the Marampa Mines. He cited the situation in which this Company has had cause to offset all arrears left behind by previous Mining Companies. He said the Company also doubled the Surface Rent in addition to a lot of other benefits accorded to communities situated along the Concession Areas.
This appeared to be the general belief of the people of Lunsar in particular and Marampa Chiefdom as a whole. Many of those who were closely following the impasse between SL Mining and the Government of Sierra Leone do longed for a situation through which the issue would have been resolved amicably. In fact that was the speculation people had when the announcement for the meeting was done. Most of them went on the rumor that the opposing parties had resolved their differences and that the company was going to be okayed to resume mining operations at the Marampa Mines. They therefore became dumbfounded when the Attorney General and the Director General announced the termination of the company.
Apart from the thousands of people that were gainfully employed by the SL Mining Company and who will now be relieved from work, there is also the concern of several others ,who despite the fact that they were not employed by the company yet they were able to ‘make ends meet’ because SL Mining was operational.
Mrs. Hawa Villa Kabia of the Marampa Women’s Union, Madam Salamatu Mansaray – the Chairlady of the Lunsar Women Traders and Ibrahim Sulaiman Kabia are amongst the scores of those highly perturbed by the decision of Government. They said in an interview that they are so much shattered that they would want His Excellency – President Bio to review the decision.
This view was equally entertained by the Youth Leader – Mr. Frank G. Conteh and quite a lot of other able bodied persons.
According to the Land Owners, the situation is becoming very much unbearable. The Elders of the Land Owners Association disclosed how they have written a letter to the President for him to review the decision and allow SL Mining to continue its operations. Many almost burst into tears while explaining their disappointment. They spoke of their ‘Surface Rent’ which used to be paid in March each year. They explained how their hopes were now hanging on a thin thread as they were now on the tail end of the Month of March.
The Elders said they are worried because there is yet no clear information as to whether they will be at all paid this time around. They have therefore joined all the other categories of affected persons to plead with President Bio and Government for a review of the termination slammed on SL Mining Company. They maintained that SL Mining is their choice and would like the company to be allowed to continue with its mining operations.
