ADDAX pays Le 205 M to land owners
ADDAX Bioenergy Company on 23rd April, 2012 paid Le 205 million to twenty-two villages at Yainkasa, Makari Gbanti Chiefdom, Bombali District as lease to land owners. (Photo: ADDAX Health, Social Security and Environment Manager, Derek Higgo making a statement)
Senior District Officer, A. B. Carew, who chaired the ceremony, stated that the payment is an indication that the company regularly adheres to the terms of the agreement signed with land owners.
He added that the lease agreement is for fifty years, three of which has been paid for, after which the land would revert to the owners.
Carew further admonished residents of Golisuku who were planning a protest for their lands to stay calm as government frowns at violence assuring that government would ensure that their monies are paid on time.
Paramount Chief Masa Yele Tham II of Makari Gbanti Chiefdom commended the people for leasing their lands to the company pointing out that he was overwhelmed with the mammoth gathering, an indication that the chiefdom is on the development path and acclaimed government for reintroducing District Officers who are au fait with local government administration.
Councilor Brima Koroma, aka Brimco lauded ADDAX for constructing feeder roads, schools and health centers in the various communities.
He also cautioned beneficiaries to judiciously utilize the money especially for the education of their children.
One of the land owners, Pa Alimamy Tarawalie of Masongbo Section disclosed that they were astonished when plot 2 and 4 were returned by ADDAX to the people with compensation as the company would not utilize it for the project.
Pa Amadu Sesay of Madrissa Section and Pa Abu Sankoh of Yainkasa Section made similar statements.
The Health, Social Security and Environment Manager of ADDAX, Derek Higgo appealed to land owners to inform the company about their grievances assuring that the company would engage them for an amicable resolution of issues affecting them.
Derek Higgo further highlighted the numerous development projects ADDAX has undertaken at its new operational site in Malal-Mara in the Tonkolili District, the construction of over 220 km feeder road, construction of power house for the electrification of its operational areas and the cultivation of 2, 500 hectares of sugarcane with plans to extend it to 10,000.
He further disclosed that ADDAX has ploughed and arrowed 4,500 acres of farmland owned by local formers and admonished residents to be careful with fire so as not to destroy the sugarcane plantations of the company stressing that they must inform the company to take precautionary measures whenever they want to set fire on their farms.
On behalf of ADDAX, Aminata Kamara, who deliberated on the progress of land lease, enlightened that ADDAX Bioenergy has introduced a major innovation to enhance landowners’ rights by charting their lands and producing maps which are used to register their property deeds with the Registrar-General’s Office.
She reiterated that the company would ensure that landowners receive their annual lease payments on time disclosing that as at March, 2012, a total of $ 1,246,225 has been paid to the District Council, 50% of which is for landowners plus $ 412,355 paid directly to landowners as lease payments totaling $ 734,696 that is equivalent to Le3.2 billion paid directly to landowners as asset value on land developed by the company.
Similar payments were made in Bombali Shebora Chiefdom yesterday and today payments will be made in Malal-Mara Chiefdom, Bombali and Tonkolili Districts respectively.
By A. R. Bedor
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