To adopt Attitudinal & Behavioural Change African Minerals Limited Dream Big
The leading iron ore miner in Sierra Leone, African Minerals Limited have consented that without change in the negative attitudes and behaviours of its employees and community members of Bumbuna in the Tonkolili District it will not be capable to usher the economic change it desires for the country.
This was made known during a meeting the company’s management team held with the Attitudinal and Behavioural Change (ABC) Secretariat at their mining site on Wednesday June 7th, 2012.
Making this statement the African Minerals Limited General Manager, Jan Jansen complained of how the manifestation of bad attitudes and behaviours are limiting the performance of the company. He rebuked the odd perception of certain employees and residents of Bumbuna which he said have created and still possess the potential instabilities at the peril of the company’s operational plan.
It could be recalled that early this year some aggrieved employees and community members went on rampage and halted the company’s operations for allegations of segregation and poor working conditions.
Cross section of AML management
The General Manager of African Minerals Limited disclosed that the past demonstration did not only damage millions of US Dollar worth of plants but also caused a fall in their share price. He mentioned the lethargy to work, undue demand for astronomical wages, disregard for code of conduct, aggression to foreign staff and inflating the prices of basic goods and services as a result of their presence in the region as negative attitudes and behaviours that are demeaning the company’s intention to do ethical business in the country. These behaviours he said are unpatriotic as they militate against the government’s effort to bring about economic, political and social prosperity.
Giving an overview of African Minerals Limited Jan Jansen said he is the fourth appointed General Manger of the company which started as a mini diamond exploring outfit in 2008 and now a giant in the iron ore industry is promising as according to him in spite of inevitable operational challenges will in 10 years time make Sierra Leone the largest exporter of the product in Africa. He attributed this possible achievement to company’s unique blend of workforce which comprise of almost all nationalities.
He contested the myth that the company distastes the enrollment of Sierra Leoneans whom he said makes up nearly 80% of the general workforce and furthered that they are committed to their corporate social responsibilities especially in the areas of education, sport , environmental protection, health and provision of decent jobs.
- General Manager Jan Jansen talking to management of AML and staff of ABC Secretariat
Jan Jansen debunked claims of poor working conditions and described the workers that stage-managed the last industrial strike as inflexible workers who he said are bad examples for any business concern. He called on Sierra Leonean to realize that due to its robust advancement of African Minerals Limited the country is under the direct supervision of the international community, more especially other countries where iron ore is mined. He therefore called on workers and community members to present the best forms of attitudes and manners. As a company he said the value their obligations to produce high quality product safely, meet their customers’ demand reasonably and timely. He revealed that they are eyeing to increase their capacity by 2013 to 20,000,000 tons which he said requires the deployment of better mining technology and additional financing. The technology he disclosed has already been attained through the fixing up of a new processing plant that will commence operations this August. On the issue of additional financing he said they will soon be meeting with international investors whose readiness to pump more money depends on the stability of the country; something he complained certain awkward employees and community members are undermining.
He ended by commending President Koroma for his vision of establishing the ABC Secretariat to recreate Sierra Leone and added that the management of Africa Mineral’s readiness to partner with the Secretariat to bring about positive transformation to Sierra Leone.
PC Alimamy Koroma III talking to staff of ABC and AML
Making a point the traditional head of the region, Paramount Chief Alimamy B. Y. Koroma 111 expressed his bitterness over the negative attitudes and behaviours of his subjects, more especially those directly undermining the achievements of Africa Mineral Limited, which he agreed is a mining outfit that is injecting a lot of development into Sierra Leone and the country at large. He condemned the plundering of the company’s fuel allegedly with the assistance of certain malcontent members of the Sierra Leone Police attached to the area. He condemned the past revolt by workers which he said are orchestrated by some ex-employees and half-baked community members. P.C. Koroma 111 pleaded with the ABC Secretariat to partner with the company in sensitizing those he described as trouble shooters.
Executive Director Dr Ivan Thomas talking to members of management of AML
Addressing the management of African Minerals Limited the Executive Director of ABC Secretariat, Dr. Ivan Ajibola Thomas maintained that for the betterment of all parties a mutual relationship should exist between management and its employees. He underscored that the xenophobia certain employees and community members are directing at their workmates is unproductive and liable to spur unrest and continued that the company can only hit its intended goals in a peaceful environment. Dr. Thomas commended the company for their relentless contribution to the development of Sierra Leone and encouraged them to continue their good works more especially in the areas of honoring corporate taxes, infrastructural development and employment of trained and qualified citizens. According to him Sierra Leone’s drive to the International Monetary Fund adduced over 35% economic leap of the postwar sovereignty could be partly attributed to the company’s commendable intervention.
The ABC Secretariat’s Executive Director called on the management to be cognizant that the iron ore exploration is somehow a newer venture in the country and as such lacks appreciable number of qualified indigenes in the field. However the mad rush for jobs he said makes most citizens, especially the gullible youths, not oblivious of their lack of this special entailed expertise as compared to preferred foreigners that easily gain employment in the company. He assured of his Secretariat’s readiness to assist African Minerals Limited in sensitizing the youths in that area who according to him are potential perpetrators of political motivated violence in the crucial 2012 pools.
National Coordinator and Second in Command ABC Secretariat talking to Management of AML
In her statement the National Coordinator and Second-in-Command of ABC Secretariat, Madam Nanette Thomas thanked the foreign expatriates who despite what she described as grave culture shock are still resilient to perform their specialized duties to make Africa Minerals Limited a true success story. She praised the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Frank Timis for what she termed as a marvelous insight to gain the hearts of notable investor to initiate what has now become a household name in Sierra Leone during its economic trail times. She emphasized the input the company is making to rebrand the country, but however called on the company’s management to understand that they are operating in a postwar country where most of the community members have not yet been traumatized. This she said is the major reason why President Ernest Bai Koroma added weight to the transformation of his compatriots’ bad manners in his bid to run the country as a viable business.
Madam Thomas said the ABC Secretariat which is charged with this transformation is indifferent to work with serious institution and communities in aiding them to change the negative attitudes and modify the poor behaviors of those living within. And African Mineral Limited she said is one institution they have earmarked to partner with since it is under the plague of external threat of bad attitudes and behaviours.
Thanking the executives of ABC Secretariat the company’s Community Liaison Officer, Tim Fofana reiterated how bad manners of their community members has and is seriously affecting operations and thanked the visiting team for agreeing to assist them to address this plague.
The high point of the occasion was a vivid tour Alex Marrik of Operations Department made with the ABC Secretariat team round the company’s mining site.
By Momoja Lappia
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