By Josephine Lagowo
FREETOWN, June 27 (SALONE TIMES) – Members of Parliament last Wednesday 22nd June have ratified Mining Lease Agreement between the Government of Sierra Leone and Kingho Mining Company.
Presenting the bill to members of parliament, the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources Timothy Musa Kabbah said that the government of Sierra Leone entered into agreement with Kingho Mining Company Limited on January 8th 2020 to mine the iron ore at Tonkolili, noting that, in 2017, Shandong steel cannot go in to operation due to the Ebola outbreak, so Kingho took over and they produced 20,000 tons of iron ore.
Kabbah said in January this year they composed a committee that looked into the activities of Kingho and that the negotiation went on for three months before it goes to cabinet for scrutiny to look into this agreement before been brought to parliament.
He explained that this agreement will served the interest of the people of Tonkolili as 60% will go the people where they mine the iron ore and 30% will go to government and that whenever there is shipment another 1% will go as development fund to the people Tonkolili noting that the company has paid Le 5.3 bn as surface rent and they will paying Le 15 billion annually.
The Chairman for the Committee on Mines and Mineral Resources Hon Saa Emerson Lamina said that the agreement that is in the house is good.
Hon Edward George said the Ministry of Labour should look into the issue of expatriates.
Hon Hassan A Sesay said a lot of work has been done for the soul of the economy, noting that there is never a perfect bill and that they would not object to it for the betterment of the country.
Hon Bashiru Silikie said the agreement is a good one.
The Minister responded that where the mining is taking place the people would benefit from it and that they are working with the Minister of Labour and Social Security on Monitoring.
