By Septimus Senessie in Kono
Civil societies and environmentalists in the Kono District, east of Sierra Leone, have raised alarm over a proliferation of town mining which has left part of Tankoro Chiefdom defaced.
Vegetable crops, private homes and other landmarks in the affected areas have either been destroyed or are under threat of annihilation by a mining practice that involved some highly placed community stakeholders, environmental officials in the diamond rich district have alleged.
Paramount Chiefs, police officers, soldiers, representatives of theNational Minerals Agency (NMA), the Office of National Security(ONS) and politicians, have all been named in the scheme that has affected the Kensay and Briomotor communities along Old Yengema Road in the Chiefdom.
Also named in what has been described asa syndicate were senior members of the local business community, including the chairman of the Diamond and Gold Dealers Association, as well as the district chairman of the governing All Peoples Congress (APC).
At least five dwelling houses and vegetable crops worth millions of leones have already been destroyed, said Ibrahim Ahmed Sahr Bockarie, head of the civil society Campaign for Just Mining, a branch of the Freetown-based Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD) in Kono.
Section 36 of the Mines and Minerals Act of 2009 forbids town mining activities, and allows mining only within the radius of 200 metres from the town.
“Over five dwelling houses have had their surroundings dug and vegetable crops worth millions of leones totally destroyed,” said Mr Bockarie, while expressing concerns over the dangers posed by the abandoned pits resulting from the mined-out areas. The activist said he was particularly taken aback by the alleged involvement of a staff of the mining regulatory body.
Kamorba Keifalla Dabo, Regional Manager of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) in Kono District, refrained from calling names but remarked that it was a “well organized syndicate among top high-ranking personalities in district.” He told Politico that their assessment had revealed that a number of houses in the affected areas were at risk of flooding if stringent measures were not taken immediately to reclaim the mined-out lands.
“This is very dangerous for the lives of children, domestic animals and other people in the communities,” he said.
Another source of concern for the residents is the alleged involvement of soldiers and police in the syndicate. Soldiers of the 9 Infantry Battalion in Sembakoro Village and the Police at the Tankoro Police Division were singled out, although they denied it.
This is in fact the second time both sister forces have been accused of engaging in illegal town mining in the Koidu Township. They were first accused in 2014 around the Congo Cross Bridge on the main high way leading into Koidu Town.
The District Chairman of the APC, Francis Gbonda Penneh Pani, admitted to the existence of illegal mining activities but said, in a telephone interview, that it was the decision of the chiefdom authorities.
He told Politico that he was also in support of the decision because it had created job opportunities for the growing number of “jobless and frustrated” youths in the district.
“And also, considering the impact mining has on the improvement of the economy of the district, I am in total support of it,” he added.
Prince Kai Saquee, Chairman of the Diamond and Gold Dealers Association in the district, said as the head of miners he was obliged to support the move. He even confirmed having people at the mining site in question working for him.
Mr Saquee, however, promised that he would ensure that they reclaim the entire mined-out pits.
But his assurance was dismissed by Agnes Gborie, a resident in the area, who recalled that last year a similar illegal mining site was established about a 100metres from her house. Up to now the mined-out pits have not be reclaimed, she told Politico. She said as parents, they were inconstant fear for the safety of their children in the midst of these pits.
Mammy Sirah Koroma, a vegetable gardener, had all her croups destroyed. She knows the man who sponsored the miners that worked in the swamp near her garden. She said he told her that their Paramount Chief, PC Saquee of Tankoro Chiefdom, had given them the clearance to
mine the area.
Isata Mansaray, another victim, said the land within a distance of 4metres from her house, had been mined out and the gravel extracted from the pit was packed almost in her veranda. She told Politico that when she reported the matter to the chiefdom authorities of Tankoro, she was told that the ownership was for the Paramount Chief who had the right to use it as and when and for whatever purpose without consulting with the community.
Mansaray, the mother of five children, further explained that since the start of the mining some two months ago, armed OSD officers in uniform had been seen moving about in the area but expressed disappointment that no arrests had ever been made.
“This has killed our spirits in the community,” she said, adding that they had placed their hopes in divine intervention.
Sorie Ibrahim Koroma, the Coordinator of ONS in the district, declined to comment on the allegation after several attempts to reach him.
The Local Unit Commander of the Tankoro Police Division, Chief Superintendent David Sahib Koroma, the Commander of the 9th Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Richard Conteh, the NMA regional Manager, Arnold Warren Nottige, as well as the Paramount Chief of Tankoro Chiefdom, PC Paul Gabba Saquee, all denied the allegations against them when contacted by Politico.
Commander Koroma said mining was not part of their operations as police officers.
“Mining of any kind is a dismissible offence in the military and therefore none of my officers and men is involved in mining of any kind,” said Lieutenant Colonel Conte.
Nottige denied any knowledge of such mining activities in the affected communities.
Responding through text message, Paramount Chief Saquee (V) wrote:“Chiefs do not give out mining license to anyone to mine and [I] did not give permission to anyone to mine in Kensay or anywhere in the district.”
(C) Politico 23/02/16
