It is an open secret that the illicit mining along the rivers in Sierra Leone, is causing lots of havoc on the people living along the river areas. Against this backdrop, the regional Commander North East Region, AIG M. T. Tommy, together with his personnel, have been conducting robust raids on illegal mining activities, more so on the rivers. Those predominantly engaged on such illegal activities are the Ghanaians. Arrest made, charge to court and prosecuted. This attracted the Ghanaian commissioner to Sierra Leone, to look into the issue and map out a way of solving the issue.
As a way of getting a first-hand information and to possibly find a solution to such an illegal activity, the Ghanaian High Commissioner consular to Sierra Leone, on today’s date 11th February 2022,together with the Ghanaian community in Sierra Leone, and those engage in such mining activities, met with the regional commander and his team at Mena Hills Regional Headquarters in Makeni.
The engagement which attracted the high commissioner consular Tsatu Selonney, Ghanaian Community Chairman North Augustine Aanea, the Ghanian community engage in illicit mining, lucs’ of Makeni, Panlap and Magburaka, accompanied by operations officers and crime officers formed up the meet.
The engagement commences at 1000hrs, wherein the regional Commander, briefed on the purpose of meeting, which is purely based on illegal mining on the rivers that has caused serious embarrassment for the people living along the rivers, security implications and threat to economic activities. This he said, is a national concern and must be brought to a logical conclusion by all means necessary. The “Ghanaians are not chased because of nationality, but due to the illegal activities of mining in the rivers” said the regional commander. It is good to obtain a license, but government is not permitting mining in the river, unless upland.
On the part of the Ghanaian Consular, who needs education and how to engage his compatriots, thanked the regional commander for such an engagement of which his people need to abide to the laws in Sierra Leone. He however, pledged to engage them further for a complete abstinence of such illegal activities. To further strengthen the raids on them, the regional commander, gave an ultimatum of a week, to remove all their machinery and mining equipment from the rivers. Atakusi,one of the Ghanaian contingent, pleaded for two weeks that will last to the 25th February 2022,this was accepted by AIG,with further warning that it’s not for mining.
The Ghanaian Consular, promised to cascade this outcome to those not present and also to warn them to completely stop mining on the rivers.
The AIG in conclusion, told the Consular that he will not stop at anything but to see to it that, mining stops on the river as it is a national responsibility. The engagement was chaired by CSP l. M. Koroma of regional headquarters.