By Richmond B Tholley
Sierra Leone’s lawmaking body, the House of Parliament is under fire after residents of Masumbirie, a town in Tonkolili District predominantly known for Gold mining on October 30th, 2023, accused the institution of being unserious in its oversight functions.
“We’re disappointed with the outcome of an engagement meeting we had with the Parliamentary Committee on Mining a month ago. During the meeting, we explained to the Committee the ongoing reckless mining in our community and they promised to call us all in the Well of Parliament. The Committee promised us that it would bring to book all those found wanting,” Abdul Kargbo, a resident said.
The criticisms and accusations came after the mining community in Parliament could not do anything a month after massive illegal and reckless mining was unearthed in the town of Masumbirie.
Residents said they have reported and made all revelations about the ongoing illegal mining that is only benefitting some high-profile people but Parliament has done anything to stop it.
On 28th September, 2023, it could be recalled that the Parliamentary Committee on Mines and Mineral Resources engaged residents especially community stakeholders of Masumbirie because the institution said it had received information about the ongoing illegal mining in that community.
During that meeting, Kemmoh Marrah, the Committee’s Clerk explained the purpose of the meeting which he said was to strengthen stakeholders’ collaboration, assess local community mining challenges, and the way forward for sustainable peace and development.
In his address during the meeting, the clerk of the Committee and the invitation letter the Committee sent to the stakeholders clearly show Parliament was aware of the illegal mining which prompted the institution to move to the community to hear more from the residents.
“The attention of the Parliamentary Committee on Mines and Mineral Resources has been drawn to the community Gold mining operations within Tonkolili District and specifically Masumbirie town and its environs,” the Mining Committee letter addressed to the various stakeholders reads in part.
In the meeting speaker after speaker narrated the ordeals facing the community because of the ongoing illegal mining.
But what has become a turn of events now is that residents have become impatient after they said they haven’t heard from Parliament for a month after the meeting, and the Committee promised to get back to them.
Many residents of Masumbirie are becoming suspicious that this could also be another of the previous institutions and individuals who once disguised as fighting for the community but later ended up being beneficiaries of the ongoing illegal mining.
“Others have come and gone just like Parliament but at the end of the day, nothing has changed. The worst that happens is that the people or institutions coming to help us stop this menace will end up benefiting from the process at the expense of the community,” Fatu Larkoh, another Masumbirie resident noted.
Abdul Fullah, a youth in the town said it’s disheartening Parliament has not got back to them and they have begun hearing some negative rumors.
The clerk of the Committee, Kemoh Marrah said he has completed the draft report.
This was what he wrote on WhatsApp when asked by our reporter in the Northern province :
Good morning my brother. I advise you to come to Parliament tomorrow or Thursday for the necessary clarification. The chairpersons of the two communities will abreast you accordingly. Meanwhile, I have just completed my draft report.
Hardit, a mining site in Masumbirie town has been fluxed with miners from other parts of the country after gold was discovered in a rock. But surprisingly after years of mining in the community, Masumbirie is still one of the poorest communities with nothing good to write home about. Illegal mining cannot be unconnected to the factors responsible for the community’s backwardness.
