By Saio Marrah
The Acting Speaker of Parliament, Solomon Sengepoh Thomas, has summoned the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Chairman of National Mineral Agency (NMA) and the Chief Executive Officer of Kingho mining company to appear before the leadership of parliament on Tuesday the 16th March 2021.
The Acting Speaker made this statement in the well of parliament on Thursday 11th March 2021 after the leader of the main opposition party in parliament, Chernor Maju Bah of Constituency 126, Western Area, expressed concern over the company’s operation in the country without a mining lease agreement.
He said section 40 of the constitution of Sierra Leone makes it clear that a mining company should not start operation without a mining lease. He said mining activities of a company is acceptable only when such mining company adhere to the laws of the land of Sierra Leone and he said doing contrary is an affront to the house of parliament and the people of Sierra Leone at large.
“The Kingho issue is going out of control and as a parliament, we cannot seat and allow things that are not supposed to happen to be happening. I don’t need to go over section 40 of the constitution... there is no way a company could mine our mineral without a mining lease. Not a license, but a mining lease. They have enjoyed duty-free wavers before now so we take it as an affront to this house and the people of Sierra Leone for Kingho to tell us again that they are proceeding with mining operations,” He said.
He added: “I think is now time for the minister and his team when I say his team, the NMA specifically to appear to before this house.”
To this, the Acting Speaking said even though he agreed with the opposition leader, but he would rather for them to appear before the leadership of parliament before coming to the well for parliament.
“Honourable leader of the opposition, I totally agree with you but before they appear before this house, I would order that they appear before the leadership so that we choose to have the rough edging before we come to this house,” he said.
Parliament had earlier summoned the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Timothy Kabba on issues concerning the agreement between the Kingho mining company and the government of Sierra Leone but the Minister in an engagement with Civil Society Organisations and the Media said the issue was laid to rest.
Kingho had on Saturday 6th March 2021 started mines in Tonkolili and the railway and port of its co-subsidiary in Pepel Town.
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