Members of Parliament (MPs) from the parliamentary oversight committee on mining, headed by APC Member of Parliament, Hon. Chernor Bah, has visited some of the mining sites of African Minerals. According to a representative member of the group, SLPPs Hon. Mathew Nyuma "it is a laudable venture...this is the type of national development that we too in the opposition support."
In their responsibility as members of the parliamentary oversight committee on mining some six MPs, in company of the press, paid a two day-visit in two of the three mining areas of the African Minerals Company. Starting from Port Loko district in the north, the MPs saw the newly refurbished railway beginning from Gbere Junction, through to Pepel where it will terminate to enable shipment of the Iron Ore.
PMDC Member of Parliament, Hon. Albert Mac-Balley, said he is now convinced that African Minerals is a very serious mining company and that "the country stands to gain even from the point of employment for our teeming youth". In his contribution, the Chairman of the Parliamentary committee on Mining, Hon. Chernor Bah praised the efforts of President, Ernest Bai Koroma for his foresight and business acumen in allowing a serious company like African Minerals to work in Sierra Leone at this material time when the country needs every penny for its socio-economic development. "From tax accruing from its operations, despite the availability of work for many Sierra Leoneans", he said, "this company is going to be a helping unit for the development of our country", he concluded.
Member of Parliament, for the Peoples Movement for Democratic Change, PMDC, Hon. Albert Mac-Balley, who is also a member of the Mines and Minerals committee in the house of representative in Sierra Leone, said in Feregbaya in the Tonkolili District, that "since African Minerals Limited is a serious company and aims at developing the country, we as a serious opposition party at the PMDC support every positive move of this company".
The PMDC strong man was speaking to a team of journalists at the mining site, during a two-day visit to two mining sites of the company. Overlooking the sparsely populated villages, the Simbili, Marampom hills are loaded with iron ore deposits worth billions of tons of iron ore.
According to the General Manager, Geology and Exploration, at the mining site-camp in Tonkolili, Marcus Reston, the mineral deposits contained in and beneath the three hills which serve as the main mining sites for the African Minerals, runs in excess of some 10.5 billion metric tons. "At the moment, this is the largest discovery in the world", Marcus said.
http://www.awoko.org/?p=8770
also from Awoko 5/7/10
At Marampa Mines 350 million Tons Ore available. The Manager of Mines Activities of London Mining, Geologist Karim Barrie has revealed that after several months of drilling and tests they are convinced that the quantum of iron ore available in their Marampa mines is about 350 million tons. He made this disclosure when the Members of Parliament representing the Mines Committee visited the site to acquaint themselves with recent developments going on....(CONTINUED)
http://www.awoko.org/?p=8778#
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5/7/10 Bombs Discovered in Port Loko
Four bombs have been reportedly discovered in a Forest near Kamator Village, Maforki Chiefdom in the Port Loko District by the Health and Emergency Services Manager of African Minerals, a mining consortium operating in the northern part of the country. Police investigations conclude that the bombs are some of the several unexploded bombs abandoned by warring factions during the eleven years long rebel war in the country. It is reportedly feared that many more bombs are hidden in isolated places in various parts of the country yet to be discovered.
Mines Monitoring Officers go without pay.
Local tabloids have alleged that there is a discontent among four hundred and seventy nine Mines Monitoring Officers (MMDS) attached to the Ministry of Mineral Resources over the delay of Salaries. According to reports since April this year the MMOS have not received their salaries. This according to reports may not be unconnected to the drop in revenue generation by the ministry from which salaries are paid. This will reportedly affect other mining activities with the recent discovery of tons of Iron Ores in the Northern part of Sierra Leone.
(20min delay)