Sierra Leone, West Africa: The OSAKRA Mining Company, is accused of inducing the Free, prior, and informed consents of Landowners and Land Users in the acquisitions of land for the proposed Bauxite Mining in Magbafth Section, Yoni Mabanta Chiefdom, Tonkolili District, Sierra Leone, West Africa.
The action was noticed in a meeting held on 30, November 2024, where village headmen in the ten villages, including the Section Chiefs in the Magbafth and Makeni Section were invited by the Chiefdom Council for a proposed Bauxite mining in Magabfth Section, Yoni Mabanta Chiefdom, Tonkolili district. Even though the laws of Sierra Leone , compel such action to be done in consultation , seeking Land owners consent, the Chiefdom Council, only invited the village headmen ,and the Section Chiefs of Magbafth and Makeni Section, who are subject to the directives of the Chiefdom Council, headed by the Paramount Chief. Despite the laws of Sierra Leone, being clear, prioritising the consent and representations of land owners in such meeting, to the greatest surprised ,no land owners representation in the meeting.
The meeting was convened by representatives of the Chiefdom Council, headed by the Chiefdom speaker Daniel Turay, Alhassan Fullah, the brother of the Paramount Chief, Yoni Mabanta Chiefdom Tonkolili District, Abdul Keddy Kanu, indigence of Rorocks village and the Coordinator of OSARA Mining Company, Sierra Leone, Pa Issa Sesay, the Chairman of the Bauxite Mining and indigence of Roneta town, Yoni Mabanta Chiefdom Tonkolili District, and cross section of representatives from the Ministry of Mines, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Ministry of Agriculture Sierra Leone.
In the meeting held on the 30,Novenbr 2024, Alhassan Fullah, the brother of the Paramount Chief, integrated that, the consent of Landowners is not necessary, as the company will start mining operations in January 2025 without landowners’ consent.
The Chiefdom speaker Daniel Turay and Alhassan Fullah, the brother of the Paramount Chief, Yoni Mabanta Chiefdom, said, they will use Security forces to manhandle landowners who may oppose the company’s operations devoid the landowner’s consent.
What astonished community members was that the company had already developed its management operational structure without seeking the consent of landowners. They are presently seeking legal authority from government institutions to legalize the company’s status clandestinely, presenting falsified documents purporting to be landowner’s consent. Community members in the Magbafth section, described such action as a mining coup plotted by the agent of the OSARA MINING COMPANY Sierra Leone, against the citizens of the Magbaft section, aiming at undersigning the livelihoods security of rural citizens especially women, subject them to abject poverty ,hence destroying ecologically sensitive areas and ecosystem biodiversity which community members in the aforementioned section have protected for decades. Such natural resources are of immense importance to their lives as communities’ members, Community members affirmed.
Community members are expressing serious concerns about the approach the company is using, describing the process as rogue, and an infringement of landowners’ rights, hence contravening key legal provisions in the Mines and Minerals Development Act 2022, the Customary Land Rights Act 2022, National Land Commission Act 2022, the 1991 constitution Act No 6, and other legal frameworks of the laws of Sierra Leone. Community members in the aforementioned Communities , said they will used the rule of law to resist any attempt by the OSARA Mining company to subvert the rights of land owners in the aforementioned communities in Magbafth Section, Yoni Mabanta Chiefdom, Tonkolili District.
Community members are calling on relevant government institutions, especially the Ministry of Mines, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Mineral Agency (NMA), Ministry of Agriculture, Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promotion Agency(SLIEPA),and other institutions, not to issue licenses to the OSARA Mining Company Ltd, as the meeting held on the 30,Novernber 2024 in Magabfth town, is not representing land owners interest, rather a clandestine meeting orchestrated to under siege the sovereign rights of rural citizens , contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
The affected Landowners in the ten villages in Magbafth Section and Beyond, whose rights have been infringed are calling on the government, rights-based organizations, and media institutions to come to their aid, as the aforementioned company has plotted a mining coup to put their lives in a precarious situation. Landowners in the Magabfth Section say, “NO TO OSARAR MINING COMPANY, BUT YES TO SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE DEVELOPMENT OR INITIATIVE “.
Adamsay Kamara, the Chairlady,Magbafth town, a youthful age women said,” Land is every they to them as women, and such natural resource need to protected at all levels”. As a single parent, the family land she is using, helps to arguments some of the social and economic inadequacies’ she faced as women. she called on government, development organisations to supports them invest in small scale agricultural activities to uplift their social and economic wellbeing in Magabfth section. She said, 96% of women in the section rely on small scale agriculture activities for their livelihoods sustenance, supporting the sector will change women narrative in the Magbafth section, she concluded.
It be recalled, Upon receiving the information relating to the clandestine meeting organised by the Chiefdom Council on the 30,Novenber, 2024,on 28 Decenber,2024, a sectional meeting held in Magabftah town Tonkolili district. The meeting was organised by stakeholders in the Magbafth Section, indigene and descendants of Magbfath town and cross section of Civil Society organisations on land governance Sierra Leone. Based on testimonies and presentations made by different speakers, it was asserted that, the Organisers and agents of the OSARA Mining company failed to followed national and international best practices ,contrary to the laws of Sierra Leone.
As a result of the above bases, indigenes of Magabfth section, substantiated land owners position and SAY “NO TO OSARA MINING COMPANY”.
For more information, please Contact 077913869/ 078545586/078 378236/ 078392873/077812463
