Marampa Chiefdom in Port Loko District is blessed with huge deposit of iron Ore, the mineral which was discovered in the 1930s.Many thought it was going to benefit its people. Yet, since the commencement of mining in 1933,the Chiefdom has very little to show for it.
According to land owning families, they benefitted nothing from the payment of surface rent and community development fund.This has becomea cause for concern for most of land owners who have given their lands to mining companyhave little to show for it.
The Director of Community Relations and Development of Marampa mines,Professor Sheikh UmarrKamarah is poised to change the narrative.
He told this medium in an interview recently that he was appointed in that position to, among other things, serve as a liaison between the company and the community and increase community awareness on the operation of the mining company.
Professor Sheikh Umarrkamarah revealed that since he assumed office as Director, his first priority has been to engage stakeholders, land owning families and youth as a way to map out strategies and plans to transform communities and to create a resilient community.
Professor Sheikh Umarrkamarah maintained that the community development funds paid by the past mining companies went to the wrong hands and did not translate into improved lives for the people. He further stated that Marampa chiefdom is blessed with huge tons of iron ore which should be used to transform both the general community and affected land owning families.
He has tackled corruption and fraud, and replaced them with transparency and accountability. He has made it clear that this time the community development funds will be used for the benefit of the town and the chiefdom.
Professor Kamarahspoke about plans designed to utilize development funds for the provision of portable water and reliable electricity to the inhabitants of Lunsar. He also spoke about providing skills training to build middle level manpower for the youth to be self-reliant.
Agriculture and education will be among the top priorities. Professor Kamarah noted that since he assumed office a lot has been done including the construction of fourteen water wells in fourteen communities.
He however, called on the people to reaffirm their continuous support and collaboration with the mining company for effective service delivery.
Mohamed Kargbo, Resident of Tainrathanin Ward 262, Constituency 070 , Lunsar town, expressed gratitude to Professor Umarrkamarah for the excellent performance. He however, drew the attention of land owning families and stakeholders of Marampa chiefdom to the fact that the people of Marampa have started seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. He stated that the with the developmental strides of professor, after five years Marampa chiefdom and Lunsar town in particular will be described as one of the .most developed towns in Sierra Leone. He urged the land owning families to have confidence in him.
Rugiatu Koroma from Gbom Limba community, one of the concession areas of the mining site of Marampa,said that before now sahe knew nothing about mining activities and the community development funds.
“It was Professor who went to all the villages to inform us about the community development fund,” she said.
Koroma called on the stakeholders and the people of Marampa chiefdom to repose confidence in Professor Umarr Kamarah who has the community at heart.