December 3, 2021
By: Albert Baron Ansu
The People of Port Loko have spoken to their president in a letter stating the preference for bauxite mining in that part of the country. They are saying in precise terms we want a company that is partly indigenous as opposed to one that is entirely foreign owned.
The people of Port Loko have gone beyond that to highlight the comparative advantage of the company of their choice. They are saying it is company that has gone through the phases of reconnaissance to development. And the company of Port Loko choice is now ready to mine.
Who is playing tricks with the right of the people in the Ministry of Mines? They could only be playing with fire when dissension is bound to arise to spill over to major insecurity issue that the government can least entertain.
Luckily, President Bio is a listening man and cannot afford to shrug off the local concerns. Those who have the hidden agenda, owing to apparent bribe taking to subvert state interest must come out from the cocoons and speak to the issue: why are they are attempting to thwart a Sierra Leonean leadership bauxite mining investment that holds promise of cashing in over four hundred million dollars in this investment?
And we can be clear about the sincerity and competence of the company as stated by the people of Port Loko that it has invested USD 35 million in exploration; have in employ over 500 workers, 95% being Sierra Leoneans.
And that is not all to it; hear what the people of Port Loko are saying. The company has fulfilled environmental protection benchmark; and considerably delivered in the corporate social obligation including providing medical access to natives by availing transportation to medical facilities.
The company has a win-win agenda to get the buy in of credible investors. The people of Port Loko are all for Sierramin. And the President must not be blackmailed by those bad eggs at the Ministry of Mineral Agency seeking to bring in another company.
There is a risk of bullying Sierramin beside the conflict prone prospection for which this early warning signal must be treated with seriousness. There is the option of litigation that is opened to Sierramin if they are denied mining rights by cancelling their license. It is a déjà vu that this government cannot afford to waste state resources because of self-serving, corrupt decision of few people at the National Mineral Agency. President Bio is bigger than that!