The Kono Regional team of the Environment Protection Agency Sierra Leone has on Friday 17th November, 2023, participated in a consultative forum that was organized by the management of Gold Lion and Chiefdom authorities in Pumpeh, Nimikoro Chiefdom Kono District. What was described as stakeholder engagement created room for the company, some Chiefdom authorities including the Paramount Chief, Aiah Denton Bona and other relevant institutions mainly EPA and NMA to discuss the Mine Closure Plan (MCP) of Gold Lion Mining Company formerly Wongor Investment and Mining Cooperation.
During the discussion, several inputs were outlined by stakeholders which included but not limited to, identification of species (type of tree to be planted whether economic or non), progressive rehabilitation, safety of the community and formation of steering committee. In what was much of an interactive forum, Chiefdom elders did not only make their various
inputs to the document but also criticized the company over what they described as weak implementation of the Community Development Action Plan (CDAP) and other project that they expect to benefit from as land owners. On the government front, they equally expressed cynicism over the policy of the company’s bond being under the custody of government. Ibrahim Mansaray Environment Officer responded to some of these critical concerns expressed by the stakeholders regarding the bond that companies put aside for reclamation. He explained the roles and responsibilities of EPA SL in the reclamation process as embedded in the mine closure plan.
Representing the company was Mucdarda Tunis, Country Director Gold Lion. He acknowledged the various submissions and promised to further the engagement in ensuring a productive and progressive reclamation process.
On the whole, every submission was collated by the company consultant from INTEGEMS for reporting.
It could be recalled that since 2021to 2022, the Environmental Protection Agency of Sierra Leone organized several consultative meetings with all pertinent sectors, including large scale mining license companies inorder to develop cost mine rehabilitation and closure plans regardless of the number of
years left of Company’s operations. The overarching objective was to ensure that the environment is returned
to its original state after the operator ceases to exist, for one reason or the other, be it progressively or at the end of Mine life.
It is worth knowing that the Social Mobilisation drive of EPA-SL requires that the development of the MCP be initiated through stakeholders engagement in the Primary Host Communities in order to give members of the community the opportunity
to be aware about the plan and also evaluate issues of mine closure.