Minister Denies Taking Bribe Over Marampa Iron Ore RowFriday,...

Minister Denies Taking Bribe Over Marampa Iron Ore Row
Friday, October 17, 2008 - Mineral Resources Minister Alhaji Abubakarr Jalloh

I serve Sierra Leone, the government of Ernest Koroma and my own conscience” he said in an exclusive interview.
The former NDMC mining engineer said the APC government had inherited the dispute over Marampa from the SLPP.
“African Minerals was here before I assumed office. London Mining was here before I came in September 2007. The dispute over claims has been festering for some time. The correspondence over claims and counter claims goes back a few years” he said.
Alhaji Jalloh said his ministry had just recently sent a team of surveyors to ‘fairly demarcate’ the two competing claims.
“Unfortunately, London Mining didn’t send a representative to the formal demarcation of the different sites”.
Without prejudice to this, the Mineral Resources minister said, government had not taken any decision to favour one company over another.
“Both companies obviously cannot be given the Marampa concession and Pepel railway to run” he explained.
“We hope that - winners or losers - the companies will consider the interests of this country paramount”.
Alhaji Jalloh said people were going around with the misleading impression that the government delegation was ‘bribed’ on the recent visit to Romania to meet African Minerals chairman, Frank Timis.
“In fact some say I received $3 million! That’s just ridiculous! It’s a tactic to discredit me and the new mining policy”.
This policy, he said, had emerged out of ‘intense discussions’ before 2007 elections.
“Look in the APC election manifesto. It is clearly stated. We intend to make sure all mining companies add value to their product, develop infrastructure and give local employment. This is not Abubakar Jalloh’s personal policy. It is APC policy. It is Government policy. And I am fulfilling this policy as best as we can at this Ministry”.
The Minister said that a Presidential Task Force on mining would soon submit a report on all mining concessions and recommendations on how the maximum benefits could be secured for the country.
“Look, let’s be patriotic. After all Sierra Leone owns its minerals resources and companies who do business here should serve our interest as well as make profits for themselves.
(Full interview next issue