Concord Times (Freetown)
Ibrahim Tarawallie
26 November 2008
Network movement for justice and development (NMJD) has decried the way and manner in which the APC government is conducting the review of the mining sector which, according to the civil society advocacy group, does not make meaningful the participation of the public. According to a release from NMJD, the review process is supposed to be informed by regular and consultative feedback and input from the public but that the public has no knowledge about what is happening, while the affected communities too do not seem to know the direction the process is going.
"In the wake of the Jenkins-Johnston's Commission of Inquiry on the disturbances in Kono in December 2007, president Koroma appointed a presidential task force to review mining agreements and other rights. Since the organ started operation, they have been conducting their activities in a non-transparent manner which makes many people to believe that the government is only paying lip-service to the multifaceted problems affecting the mining sector," the release stated.
NMJD revealed that the committee appointed within the ministry of mineral resources to facilitate the formulation of structures and mechanisms ahead of the reopening of Koidu Holdings has met only once.
The advocacy group also noted that the presidential task force on mining agreements and other mineral rights has so far done nothing to make the public know about their activities.
"How can president Ernest Bai Koroma and his government justify their much talked about commitment to democracy when they cannot follow simple channels of democracy like transparency and accountability. By not making the people, especially the affected mining communities part of the review process, the government is reinforcing the very undemocratic practices that the people have been speaking against," a civil society activist said.
NMJD viewed with grave concern the consequences of this action on the economic development and overall growth of the country.
"The country's development partners will frown at Sierra Leone as a country that is not interested or committed in the fight against corruption and in promoting transparency and accountability in the public sector," the release stated.
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