By Mustapha Dumbuya
Aninaka Kargbo, a resident of Fulla Town in Koidu, Kono District, stated that Koidu Mining Limited has made it challenging for residents to make ends meet. “The company has taken over all our land where we used to grow crops, which we sold to earn a living,” she said.
She recounted how, years ago, her husband refused to relocate from their community to a new settlement after the company relocated four different communities in Koidu. “Previously, when the company wanted to do blasting, they would temporarily relocate us a few meters away from our house, which is very close to their site. That’s when we began hearing loud, heavy sounds from underground that always caused our walls to crack,” she explained.
Kargbo claimed the company has not fulfilled its promises, and the community has not seen any benefits, while local authorities seem to favor the company. “The paramount chief is working with the mining companies, and whatever the company says is final. I don’t want to speak much about him because we voted for him, and he should address our concerns with the company, but that has never happened,” she added.
She also described the impact of mining activities on the environment, noting that all nearby water sources have been polluted, making it difficult to access clean water. “My husband never agreed with the decision by the paramount chief and other community authorities to sign the Community Development Agreement filled with promises, as he knew the company wouldn’t fulfill it,” she shared. “All this stress contributed to his death. Now, I’m left with the children, and I have no land for farming. I survive by selling herbal medicine to feed the children,” she expressed.
According to Kargbo, residents have been told that houses near the mining area are now precariously close to collapsing due to nearly 15 years of underground mining activities.
Sahr Jusu Sumanah, another resident of the new settlement in Koidu Town, confirmed that the company relocated residents from four towns: Sogogbeh, Swarray, Fullah, and Saquie. “I’m from Saquie Town. Our whole family was relocated, and we only received a small amount of money as compensation for our farms, which was far less than we expected from the company,” he said. Sumanah explained that he survives on small-scale farming but noted that many promises made in the Community Development Agreement remain unfulfilled. “There are no water facilities, no good roads, and accessing electricity is very difficult. You can see it for yourself; I don’t need to explain too much,” he told journalists. He also called on the government to help create jobs for the local youth, many of whom are unemployed.
In response, Ibrahim Turay, Corporate Affairs Manager for Koidu Mining Limited, stated that the company conducted an Environmental International Standard assessment. He claimed that the company not only relocated residents but also relocated a police station and schools. He added that all affected communities, including small farm owners, were compensated. Turay denied allegations of underground mining, stating that the company only conducts open-pit mining.
Turay pointed out that the company had replaced over 90% of mud houses in the area with cement brick structures that would last longer. He also mentioned that the company supports the local police with fuel, provides fuel for government school buses, and grades roads in the town. “We have been fulfilling our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), but as you all know, it is not compulsory. We do it as the need arises,” he said.
Kono is a district rich in diamonds and other minerals, yet it remains underdeveloped, and residents continue to face poverty. Mining companies often exploit and smuggle minerals to European countries, leaving local communities impoverished.
More to follow on our subsequent editions
