A Canadian registered mining company Supreme Minerals Corporation has recently paid surface rent of Six Hundred Million Leones to two Chiefdoms- Magbema and Gbinleh in Kambia district, Northwestern Sierra Leone.
The Company is willing to start Bauxite Mining with an estimated investment of USD 26 million dollars in the next two years for phase one. The ceremony which was held at the Kambia district Mini Stadium brought together Members of Parliament, chiefdom authorities, National Mineral Agency (NMA), and other stakeholders in Kambia district.
The Surface rent will be distributed according to the Mines and Minerals Act 2009, that is, 50% to land owners, 15% to Kambia District Council, 15% to Paramount Chief, 10% to Chiefdom administration and 10% for Constituency development fund.
The Company is also doing Gold mining in Valunia Chiefdom, Bo district.
Giving his address, the Paramount Chief and Member of Parliament for Kambia district who chaired the ceremony Hon. P. C. Bai Farama Tass Bubu Ngbak IV, said that government wants good mining companies to come to the country and they are very lucky to have had a legitimate company like Supreme Minerals Corporation to mine in their district.
The Paramount Chief encouraged the Supreme Mineral Corporation to fulfill their promise and admonished his subjects to cooperate with them in the long-term for their mutual benefit .
Hon. Bai Sama Kamara of constituency 060 in Kambia district pleaded with the company to employ residents of Kambia district while advising landowners to encourage investors with open heart. Hon. Bai Kamara noted that they will support the Company to ensure that they bring development in his district and he encouraged the company to do more community development activities for his people.
Making his statement on behalf of NMA, the Director for Community Affairs Mr. Ibrahim Satti Kamara, said that Supreme Minerals Corporation followed all the due procedure to acquire the land from the communities.
She added that Supreme Minerals is paying money to land owners for their land and they at National Minerals Agency will ensure that the company followed government policies. She called on the land owners to respect the agreement, adding thus: “NMA is monitoring, guiding and advising mining companies from time to time to ensure they do the right work always as per the law.”
In his address, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Supreme Minerals Corporation, Mallik Chennam, the CEO of the Corporation called on the community to continue in their good relationship with the Company, and pledged that they will go by what they had agreed to do for the people of Kambia district especially Magbema and Gbinleh Chiefdoms where they will be stationed.
He disclosed that they will invest more in Kambia district than in Valunia Chiefdom because they will be embarking on large scale mining. He promised that they will provide better education facilities, safe drinking water in communities, local employment, sustainable mechanized farming and construction of sophisticated Gynecology hospital for the communities.
“In the next two to three years this company will change the face of Kambia district as we will bring more development to the district,” he assured. “My company will employ 200 people from January, 2021 onwards.”
He encouraged indigenes of Kambia to support his company fully so that company can do more work for communities.
A beneficiary, Mohamed Koroma said that they are happy for having a mining Company in their district, adding that they will allow the Company because they want development in their communities.
He called on other land owners to support the Company and asked the company to also think about employing land owners who will want to work for the company.
24/11/2020. ISSUE NO: 7956