By: Aminata Turay
Dr Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh has officially opened the Sierra Leone Mining Week and Exhibition alongside the 11th ADPA Meeting of the Council of Ministers at the Bintumani Conference Centre, where he called for the country’s mineral wealth to directly improve the lives of ordinary citizens.
The event also featured the launch of Sierra Leone’s National Strategy for Critical Minerals by President Julius Maada Bio.
Addressing delegates and mining stakeholders, the Vice President raised what he described as the most pressing question among Sierra Leoneans: “Where does the mining money go?” He described the question as “patriotic” rather than cynical, stressing that the mining sector must create jobs, infrastructure, skills, and opportunities for communities across the country.
“Mineral wealth that does not serve these objectives is not serving Sierra Leone,” he stated.
Vice President Juldeh Jalloh further called for transparency, value addition, and stronger local participation in the mining sector, emphasizing that Sierra Leone must move “from extraction to transformation.”
He also urged African nations to collaborate in managing their mineral resources and declared that the continent’s mineral wealth must benefit both present and future generations.
The Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Julius Daniel Mattai, described the gathering as a defining moment for the future of mining in Sierra Leone and across Africa.
Welcoming delegates from across the continent, the minister stated that mining must go beyond the exportation of raw minerals to creating jobs, infrastructure, and economic opportunities for citizens. “Responsible mining without shared prosperity is unjust,” the minister declared, adding that Sierra Leone is “open for business, but not open for capture.”
He further emphasized that the country’s newly launched National Strategy for Critical Minerals would position Sierra Leone as a responsible leader in critical mineral production and processing.
Minister Mattai praised the leadership of Vice President Juldeh Jalloh and President Julius Maada Bio for championing reforms aimed at ensuring that mining benefits ordinary citizens, particularly young people, women, and mining communities.
He also called on stakeholders to build partnerships capable of transforming Sierra Leone’s mineral wealth into sustainable national development.
Meanwhile, Saa Emerson Lamina, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Mines and Mineral Resources, commended the government’s mining reforms and described the sector as a key driver of Sierra Leone’s economy.
He praised President Julius Maada Bio for strengthening transparency and accountability through the Mines and Minerals Act 2023.
The opening ceremony concluded with renewed calls for responsible mining, stronger partnerships, and greater benefits for communities across Sierra Leone.