By Francis H. Murray
The Parliamentary Oversight Committee on Mines and Mineral Resources has concluded that with effect from 15th March 2021, the iron ore miner Kingho should the operationalization of the committee referred to as the “un-ratified mining lease agreement” which exempts the company from paying tax.
The committee also ruled that with immediate effect from Monday 15th March 2021, the mining lease agreement with Kingho Mining Limited should be submitted to the Clerk of Parliament.
The decisions follow a question raised in Parliament by the Leader of the main opposition APC party Chernor M. Bah about a report by Reuters news agency that Kingho Mining Company had shipped iron ore out of the country without recourse to Parliament.
The inquiry was handed over to the committee chaired by the parliamentary leader of Coalition for Change, Saa Emerson Lamina for investigations and solutions.
At a committee hearing in Parliament, the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources Timothy Kabba described the export as legal and in the interest of the country.
The Minister said he had received concurrence from the Ministry of Mines, Justice, Finance and NRA by determining a pricing formula; before seeking Cabinet approval in respect of the said shipment, adding that it was done legally. He added that the ore belongs to the people of the country and that Sierra Leone stands to gain $5 million from the sale.
Expressing his willingness to come to Parliament for ratification of any issues relating to the agreement whenever the need arose, Kabba maintained that the sale was done in good faith and within the remit of existing laws. The committee however told the minister to execute the orders of parliament strictly.
Prior to the rulings, the Chairman of the Committee referred to the Jenkins Johnston Commission of Inquiry in 2007 relating to the mining lease agreement of a particular mining company that was only brought to Parliament for ratification in 2010.
He said he was proud to learn that the rail and port at Peppel now belongs to the people of Sierra Leone and that its haulage service could be used for agricultural purposes with the country standing to gain more revenue by the advance sale of the iron ore that has lost its original commercial value.
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