2013
ENVIRONMENT
PROTECTION AGENCY –
SIERRA LEONE
EPASL
[MONITORING REPORT: 22 JULY 2013]
On the 19th -22nd July 2013, EPA-SL sent a team of eight (8) comprising of the Executive Chairperson,
EPA-SL, Member of the Board of Directors, Deputy Director, Policy Planning and Research and
officials of the Agency and National Minerals Agency (NMA) to monitor all mining/ exploration
activities in the Northern part of Sierra Leone; specifically in the Laminaya Village, Sanda Loko Section,
Kathantha Village, Sella Limba Section, Pampana River, Makelfa Village, Masabong Chiefdom, Brimaia
Chiefdom, Tonko Limba Chiefdom and Magbema and Gbile-Dixon Chiefdoms.
INTRODUCTION
The Environment Protection Agency- Sierra Leone (EPA-SL) being the national regulatory body charged
with the responsibility of coordinating, monitoring and implementation of national policies by an Act of
Parliament in 2008 as amended in 2010. Also make sure for the effective protection and management of
the environment and other related matters.
On the 19th -22nd July 2013, EPA-SL sent a team of eight (8) comprising of the Executive Chairperson,
EPA-SL, Member of the Board of Directors, Deputy Director, Policy Planning and Research and officials
of the Agency and National Minerals Agency (NMA) to monitor all mining/ exploration activities in the
Northern part of Sierra Leone; specifically in the Laminaya Village, Sanda Loko Section, Kathantha
Village, Sella Limba Section, Pampana River, Makelfa Village, Masabong Chiefdom, Brimaia Chiefdom,
Tonko Limba Chiefdom and Magbema and Gbile-Dixon Chiefdoms.
TEAM MEMBERS
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Haddijatou Jallow (Executive Chairperson Team Leader, EPA-SL)
Mrs. Marilyn Johnson (Board Member)
Victor H.O Sawyerr (Deputy Director, Policy Planning and Research, EPA-SL)
Abdul Rashid (Head of Information Education and Information, EPA-SL)
Umaro U Bah (National Minerals Agency)
Joseph S Turay (Regional Environment Officer, EPA-SL)
Abraham Gassali ( Driver EPA-SL)
Daniel Tamu (Driver EPA-SL)
METHODOLOGY: The team employed the method of site visitation, administration of the EPA-SL
monitoring checklist and interviewing community stakeholders on Corporate Social Responsibilities
(CSR) and employees on Personal Protective Equipments (PPE), Health and social issues.
OBJECTIVES: The team had the following objectives
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Notify all exploring companies to prepare an Environmental Management Statement
Cease operations of companies operating illegally
Educate stakeholders about the mandate of EPA-SL
Ensure compliance to the terms and conditions issued with the EIA Licence
FINDINGS
Day 1 (20th July 2013)
This company initiated the acquisition of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Licence but yet to
complete the process. The team visited the AMR Camp in Kathantha village eleven (11) miles from
Kamakwie. Upon arrival the team met with the site manager Mr……………, he explained to the team that
they are an exploration company with exclusive exploration licences in Sanda Loko and Sella Limba
Chiefdoms. The activities of other mining companies in AMRG concession especially in supporting local
artisanal miners to mine coltan commonly called black stone have been rampant even though the Mines
and Minerals Act clearly states that no form of mining should be done in an exploration concession
without the consent of an exploration licence holder. AMR Gold therefore decided to ask all those
companies out of it concession. According to him, that has brought a lot of hate campaigns and
incitements by TM Investment of the local people to stop AMR Gold exploration.
AMRG Camp
Section Chief
AMRG Office
The team further had a meeting with community stakeholders where the Section Chief, Chief Alhaji
Dumbuya (078894801) stated that the company has being exploring for the past 2 years and as a
community they have benefited from the company in the form of rehabilitation of bridges for the
village, microfinance to the women, furniture for the primary school and also provided Agricultural
seedlings to the women. He opined that the current rumor of AMR Gold exploiting the community
stems from a company called T.M Investment. TM Investment is inciting the community youth against
AMR Gold, bought mining tools and supplied to indigenes in the Sameya Section and engages in
unsustainable coltan mining which they buy at Le 17,000 per kg from the artisanal miners. The section
chief went further to brief the team that AMR Gold is the only company that has an exploration licence
and has proved a responsible company advising artisanal miners to mine sustainably and cover up dugout pits. In order to ensure the sustainability of their proposal they buy directly from the miner at Le.
20,000 and pay additional Le 20,000 which is distributed to stakeholders as follows:
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25% to landowners
15% to the section
15% to Kamakwie Town
25% to Chiefdom
25% Land Rehabilitation
The team went to the AMR Headquarter office in Kamakwie located at Kadidigie Village, the team met
with Mr. John Moriba, who doubles as Community Liaison Supervisor (078718351) and environmental
issues focal point.
He stated that the current stage of their operations in Kathantha village is the pitting stage and gave the
list of projects they have implemented in the Sanda Loko and Sella Limba chiefdoms that include:
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Provision of 2.5 KVA generator machine to Kamakwie Police Station
Rehabilitation of the Kamakwie court barry
Rehabilitation of the Kamakwie Police Station
Provision of school furniture to two secondary schools in Kamakwie namely the Kamakwie
Wesleyan Secondary School, and the Islamic Secondary School
Co- funded the rehabilitation of the Maternity Centre in Kamakwie
Computer training for 30 locals in Kamakwie
Provision of agricultural seedling (groundnut) to ninety (90) women farmer
Currently constructing a 7 classroom primary school in Laminaya
Mr. Moriba gave the contact of T.M Investment (Mr. Jalloh, Legal Person, 076 675847, 077793100,
088966614)
Recommendations:
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AMR Gold completes the acquisition of an EIA Licence
National Minerals Agency to increase the awareness of the public with respect to the different
exploration stages
EPA-SL to monitor and ensure that the various percentages paid by the company are actually
utilized for their intended purpose.
Changfeng Mining Company
This is a Chinese owned company operating in the Laminaya Village, Sanda Loko Chiefdom. This
company has been in full gold mining operations since 2010 without an EIA Licence. This company has
devastated/degraded large acres of land. Among its work force are only two Sierra Leoneans that are
the security and the boat rider. Their dredging machine works on a 24 hours basis as confirmed by the
locals. EPA-SL has made several visit to the site and issued cessation letters to this company but they are
yet to complete the EIA acquisition process. On this visit the team also issued a cessation letter and
copied the Section chief (Pa Alimamy Sesay, 076 882153) and the Paramount Chief. The Paramount also
sent his letter ordering them to cease operation they refused to comply.
24-hour Operation Dredge
Recommendation:
EPA-SL in partnership with the Sierra Leone Police halts these illegal gold miners
UA Mining and Top Target mining companies
These companies are presently not in operation as they have dispute over concession with AMR Gold
and they backed out from this chiefdom.
DAY II ( 21st July 2013)
Kingho Investment North
This is a Chinese owned company exploring for iron ore in Makelfa village, Masabong Chiefdom,
Tonkolili District. This exploration company has a valid Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Licence.
This company has not submitted their quarterly environmental report. The company is currently
constructing their warehouse in Mabonto village. The team upon arrival in the exploration site at
Makelfa village met with Mr. Amadu Bangura, Assistant Manager for Exploration (078219089) who
explained the constraints they are facing with the company management in respect of improper
contractual agreement as the driver and security are recruited from a second party called Sinotek who in
turn recruits the employees without any contractual agreement. Also the issue of poor toilet facility was
observed as the structure called a toilet facility was completely sub-standard but the Chinese staff have
a standard toilet facility. Improper waste disposal facility and no PPEs for staff were also evident to the
team. The staff complained of working for 12 hours without overtime payment.
Top: Dissatisfied Workers, slim and waste from laundry and generator. Bottom: toilet for locals
Recommendation:
The company to submit it quarterly environmental report to the EPA-SL
The company to construct a standard toilet facility for employees within one Month or else their EIA
Licence will be revoked
The Company to pay employees that works above eight hours overtime in compliance with labour laws
Kingho Mining and Sinotek to make sure those employees are properly recruited
Day III (22nd July 2013 Cape Lambert - Madina)
This exploration company does not have an EIA Licence. It has a concession in Brimaia
Chiefdom and Tonko Limba Chiefdom in the Kambia District. At present this concession is at its
Maintenance stage, that is, all equipments have been transferred to the operational concession
in Lunsar. They have staff strength of thirty three (33) according to Mr. Ibrahim Turay, Public
Relations Officer (079404384). He highlighted the projects they have implemented. They
include, water wells, provision of fuel to the Madina Police Station daily, support to the Modu
Children Orphanage with a capacity of sixty (60) kids, built six (6) classrooms in Kukuna, and
awarded scholarships to pupils.
Modu Offanage
Paramount Chief Kabba
The team also met with the Paramount Chief of Brimaia Chiefdom, P.C Kandeh Kabba Sedu. He
stated that the company has assisted him in purchasing a tractor for him as a master farmer
which is in turn used by his people to farm.
Sierra Minerals Holdings (Vimetco) Kambia
This company has a concession in two chiefdoms in Kambia District, namely Magbema, Gbile-Dixon
where they are presently drilling. The team spoke to the Chief Geologist on Site Mr. Harold Johnson
(078989354) and Abdulrahman Kamara, Community Relation Officer. They have staff strength of 28
employees. They have not acquired an Environmental Impact Assessment Licence but the Chief
Geologist to communicate that his boss for action.
The monitoring meeting with Vimetco staff
Conclusion
The team in its debriefing session agreed that EPA and NMA needs to continue educating the public
about the functions of the agencies and the NMA must endeavour to educate the public about the
various stages of the mining process and the obligations of the company at each stage. This will help
manage community expectations and reduce conflicts.
It was particularly noted that the Chinese companies have poor compliance record and the EPA must
ensure that they conform to the Act and regulations