The people of Mafoki and Marampa in the Portloko district said that they want justice for Indigenes Mining Company which has started operations in that district for about three to four months without their contract been terminated.
They presented letter of petition through there members of parliament against CTC mining company, Integems and the NMA Director General Julius Mattai.
The presented the petition last Tuesday November 22 in the well of Parliament while at the same time holding peaceful protest in Parliament.
The people were holding placards in the upper gallery of parliament with words in the placards like “I am a sacred Cow.” “The president is my classmate, Julius Mattai.”
Hon Abdul Karim Kamara Constituency 069 Port Loko district pointed out that the people of marampa and Maforki are displeased in the way CTC mining company is operating in the chiefdom, so they have given him petition letters and that over one hundred and fifty of them signed the letter.
According to him, the company has never met the people to discuss anything to them about the way the company operates, so they just imposed the company on them and that as members of parliament representing the people they want parliament to look in this petition against CTC mining company, the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources and National Mineral Agency (NMA).
Hon Kamara said that when Indigenes was operating there they met with the land owners but that all of a sudden they saw CTC started operating there without the people getting involved.
They accused NMA Director of Conflict of Interest, noting that his company Integems was the one who did environmental work for CTC and that it is because of that consultancy that NMA issued license to CTC.
The Member of Parliament called on parliament to look at the petition of his constituents because they are not treated fairly.
The Speaker of Parliament Dr. Abass Bundu said they are going to accept the petition from the people through there Member of Parliament.
Hon Mathew Nyuma said they are the people representative and moved a motion that the said matter be sent to the petition committee.
Dr. Morris Yarjoh elder of the chiefdom said that the indigene mining started operation about four months ago and that they know the plight of the people.
He said that while they were on this, they saw a Lebanese national who took over to mine bauxite but has never talked to the people and that why they have sent petition letter through there members of parliament so that parliament could look in their issue.
Kassim Suliaman Sesay Chairman Land Owners said he wants the government to look into this issue at Marampa.
