Illicit Mining at Marampa Lawyers Write Sierramin Bauxite SL Ltd
The indigenes of Marampa and Maforkie Chiefdoms in Port Loko District have consulted a well renowned firm of solicitors in Sierra Leone, Bets and Berewa to intervene and resolve the impasse between the land owners and Sierramin Bauxite Sierra Leone Limited to see how far will settle the conflict together with stakeholders including the Paramount Chiefs and Section Chiefs in the localities where the disputed lands situated.
The said galaxy of lawyers have filed an invitation to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) for Sierramin Bauxite Sierra Leone Limited and several stakeholders in the chiefdoms to report latest on Thursday 1st November 2018 in respect of the method of payment and the amount allocated to them in respect of the lease agreement with the company.
According to reports from the interior, Sierramin Bauxite Sierra Leone Limited went in to a Community Development Agreement (CDA) with stakeholders in the chiefdoms including Bai Koblo Queen (ii) of Marampa Chiefdom, Paramount Chief of Maforkie Chiefdom Member of Parliament for Constituency 069, without the presence of the landowners.
During that crooked agreement, the company agreed to pay seven dollars per acre and they have already paid for eighteen acre in the tune of one hundred and five thousand dollars ($105,000.00) which is equivalent to eight hundred and forty four million Leones (Le844M).
Some families received one hundred thousand Leones and below while Bai Koblo Queen ii allegedly went away with Le120m
The indigenes in those village communities have came out clearly that they were not part of the agreement and would not stand and watch a mining company destroying their fertile land in which they depend for their livelihoods and to send their children to school although many surrounding villages in the chiefdoms are still going without school structure except they have to walk mile to attend school in other towns which are fortunate to have school in this 21st century. They therefore reported the burning issues to lawyers in Freetown that resulted to the invitation of decision makers in the chiefdoms and the Port Loko District as a whole.
The Public Relations Officer for Sierramin Bauxite, Alie Potho accepted the fact that the company pays seven dollar per acre adding that the Community Development Agreement (CDA) was signed in presence of stakeholders including the two Paramount Chief of the two chiefdoms (Koblo Queen ii and one other) and representatives of the landowner from both Marampa and Maforkie Chiefdoms.
He pointed out that the National Minerals Agency (NMA) were also part of the signing of the agreement but denied the allegation that stakeholders deducted Le36,000 from the money paid per acre.
Henry Kargbo
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