London Mining Makes the Difference
March 11, 2010 was the crowning point for the people of Sierra Leone, its Government, and a company committed to development and growth in a communally conscientious manner, with the highest standards of ethics; a mining company aimed at making a difference.
London Mining Company (LMC) is a legally registered company subsidiary of London Mining PLC business entity in UK with global interests in the iron ore industry.
On this memorable day in question, an equally memorable event happened, an event that most people see as a new dawn for Sierra Leone, a new season of growth, development and positive change. After much effort and hard work by this commendable company, Sierra Leone and its people saw the launch of the reopening of the Marampa Mines which was graced by Executives of London Mining PLC and London Mining Company, the President H.E. Dr. Ernest Bai Koroma, Cabinet Ministers, local authorities, members of the diplomatic corps and the general populace.
It could be recalled that the Marampa Mines were effectively operated by DELCO Mines from the colonial era till the mid 1970’s when the mines were laid dormant for a long while. The closing of the mines did signify a recession in the Sierra Leone economy and a catastrophic impact on not only the socio-economic well-being of the people of Port Loko district but also in varying degrees on the people of Sierra Leone as well.
It must also be recalled that successive governments over the past 30 years tried to reactivate these mines without much success until now when a company called London Mining surfaced. The assets of the mines included buildings, plants and equipments which were completely destroyed during the civil war years requiring a huge infusion of capital if the mines were ever to be re-opened. Further challenges faced by LMC included trying to settle disputes over mining areas, which proved to be very tough as there were a lot of controversies to straighten out. Also, LMC faced a hard time trying to obtain a legally defensible and economically viable mining lease, trying to negotiate a set of incentives to make the investment of over $80 million of London Mining (PLC) funds; yielding reasonable returns to the company while generating significant new sources of revenue for the Government and people of Sierra Leone.
Nevertheless a company determined to be committed, fit and willing to help Sierra Leone grow, LMC through their hard work dedication and accountability, finally saw a light at the end of the tunnel as these objectives and more were achieved within legally established administrative procedures albeit at various stages since May 2009, concluding with Cabinet approval in December 2009 and the unanimous ratification by Parliament in February 2010 of the London mining Company Mining Lease Agreement.
This has paved the way for London Mining Company with the support of its parent company, to accelerate its construction activities including the commencement of export of iron ore from Sierra Leone in the first quarter of 2011, well before the 18 months stipulated in the MLA (Mining Lease Agreement) This will enable the company to carry out the production of 1.5 tonnes of iron ore per annum from existing tailings within 12-18 months. The production level will triple in succeeding years and by 2011 it is the intention of LMC to produce 10 million tonnes of ore which will lead to primary ore production. As a result of these achievements, the country’s former breadbasket (Delco Mines) has regained its footstool in enhancing both national and economic development, providing significant employment, developing local business, generating revenues to government through tax contributions and foreign exchange earnings.Â
The reopening of the Marampa Mines demonstrates that Sierra Leone is a lush destination for international investments providing opportunity for credible foreign companies to contribute to and prosper from. Notwithstanding all this progress, the company has also renovated the Pepel Court Barray, the Lunsar Health Center, undertaking crop compensations based on crop assessment processes involving the impacted community. They have also repaired deteriorated roads in the Lunsar Township, provided mobile machinery for community sanitary needs, assisted schools, hospitals, individuals and a whole lot more than what most others fluctuate from doing. London Mining Company is on the verge of completing an 18.5KM haul road from Mammy Nancy to Tawfayim where construction works are already in progress for its barge loading facility on the Port Loko Creek. A considerable achievement and development it is indeed, as indigenes of this community have never plied a route from this region due to its inaccessibility, but with the intervention of LMC, they can now easily transport goods either by road or through the river which was then the only means of access. In addition, the rehabilitation of the Delco quarters is on-going and within the next three months, the Administrative Block will be ready for use. Indeed looking at these difficulties, (L.M.C) must indeed be commended for a job well done, a step taken in reality which others only dreamt of in fantasy.
The MLA thus endorsed is now the subject of a set of blistering, hurtful and factually inaccurate assertions, assertions aimed at undermining the credibility of London Mining Company by a group known as National Coalition on the Extractives (NACE) but now it appears that the battle of denouncement has been taken over by pseudo-civil society organizations such as the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD), the Campaign for Just Mining(CJM), and the Association of Journalists on Mining and Extractives (AJME) These organizations see view the agreement with LMC as flawed and as one which “undermines President Koroma’s Agenda for Changeâ€. It comes to one as a surprise that people could think so pessimistically. Where is the faith we put in our President H.E President Ernest Bai Koroma? In other words these organizations are questioning the President’s credibility and honesty. I for one like most people in Sierra Leone believe in the Agenda for Change It can be said that this project is the President’s baby. After such hard work of transparency and honesty would the President put aside all considerations of a country that he seems to love so much for his own personal gains? This does not bode well for the country’s development and growth. Rome wasn’t built in a day. Why not put our heads together for the sake of development? If people are so concerned with the Agenda for Change then they must change the way they think, talk and act not for self -interest but for the benefit of Sierra Leone. One little step will be to have faith in our President. Surely we didn’t elect a fool or a thief.
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