By Ibrahim Joenal Sesay
FREETOWN, July 14 (232News) – Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) worth to the tune of a million dollars donated by Seawright Mining Company as part of their support in the Covid-19 fight to the National COVID-19 Coordinating body (NaCOVERC).
The donated items were presented to NaCOVERC by the Minister of Mines on behalf of Seawright Mining Company last Wednesday 14th July at the Military Joint Logistic Unit Murray Town in Freetown.
The items include: disposable mask, plastic face shields, isolation gowns, disposal stethoscope, shoe cover and bouffant cap.
Before presenting the items, the Minister of Mines, Timothy Kabbah congratulated NaCOVERC for fighting a very good fight that has brought them to where they are today as Sierra Leone maintains a very low number of COVID-19 related death and affected persons in Africa and the world.
He said at a very difficult time, his ministry and the mining sector are vastly affected, noting that several logistical problems have affected the mining operation in the country but however they were able to reach out to their partners to see how the sector can help in the Covid-19 fight.
He described Seawright Mining as a very distinguished company in Sierra Leone as over the period when they got their exploration license in Nimiyama Chiefdom Kono District, they have not even started production, but they have done tremendous work in that community and the country as a whole.
He spoke about the construction of schools, re-habitation of roads, electrification and the Njala University aquaculture project in which the company has spent over $3 Million in building fish pond which he said are in a drive towards poverty alleviation for the people and the community where they operating.
Quite recently Seawright Mining got a large-scale mining license for kimbalite mining in Gbense chiefdom.
“The response by Seawright to this is not a surprise, I must say because they have footprints of development in Kono and the entire country.”
The Mines minister went on to explain that they approached Seawright Mining for the medical supplies to boost the fight which is closed to a million dollars.
“I was really amazed but not surprised because they (Seawright) has footprints of cooperate philanthropy in the country. It is pleasing to join the Seawright team to give this supply to the authority and the citizens of this country in general.”
He concluded by saying this will not be the end as they will engage more mining companies for support.
“We are here to work with you to make sure the sector contributes immensely towards this fight.” he said.
Deputy Minister of Finance 2, Sheku Bangura who happens to be the head of NaCOVERC described the donation as a very timely support to the response.
He said what they have in the country is the third wave and that the third wave reached them with a little bit of stress.
“I will say giving the scale at which we experience rising cases that are putting demand on our health care service and on supply which we needed so badly, the medical items will go a long way to help the health sector.”
He went on to say the hospitals are receiving more cases while some are keeping patients at home but what they pride the most is the protection of the health care workers for which the supply by Seawright Mining will go a long.
He spoke about the struggling they went through to get medical supply in the country because of the supply chain even from government and partners they have been experiencing delay in getting critical supply in the country.
“So, this is very timely and we are very much appreciative of the support. Certainly, the third wave as we have been experiencing is very violent. We are trying very hard to ensure our hospitals services in the country are activated and with that call, there is the need for critical supplies like this.”
He extends appreciation to the work the mining company is doing.
“I am very much appreciative and I want to assure you that they will be deployed appropriately where they mostly needed. We are very happy and thankful as NaCOVERC and ensure that the gains we had during the first and second waves is maintained even in the third wave.”
This is the second intervention of Seawright Mining Company in the Covid-19 fight.
In April 2020, the Company donated One Billion Leones to the fight which was presented by the Company’s Human Resource Manager Josephine Sia konomanyi to the then Interim Chairman Retired Brigadier Hassan Kellie Conteh at EOC.
