IPS reported that Sierra Leone Gola Rainforest remains a centre of contention as the local community here plan to take their chief to court next week over a controversial 50 year land lease to a mining company.
Members of the Tonkia Chiefdom claim their ancestral land of Bagla Hills in Gola Rainforest was illegally leased by their chief to UK owned Sable Mining in April. Mining companies have long coveted the land here for its iron ore potential as deposits in Bagla Hills are estimated to be worth 150 billion dollars.
The International Monetary Fund estimates that because of this natural resource, Sierra Leone small economy will have one of the biggest growth rates in the world at a staggering 51.4% in 2012 on the back of legal iron ore activity and exports. But the community of Tonika remains furious about the deal.
Mr Alfred Williams a member of the Tonkia Descendants Association said "The chief is guardian of the land he can't sell it. He said the local community knew nothing of the sale until it appeared in the local media following Sable Mining's statement to the London Stock Exchange.”
Sable Mining issued a statement in May announcing its purchase of an 80%interest in Red Rock Mining which had apparently bought the lease for 206 square kilometres of Bagla Hills from the local Tonkia Paramount Chief. But the lease has become even more controversial as the country President Mr Ernest Bai Koroma declared the 75,000 hectare rainforest a protected area and a national park in December. The forest type is one of the world's 25 global bio diversity hotspots.
The government has also launched an investigation into what they describe as an illegal land sale.
Mr Kate Garnett from the government Forestry Conservation and Wildlife Management Unit says Bagla Hills is a case of Sable Mining having been deceived by a local man. The government issued a statement saying that any sale of Bagla Hills as well as mining in the rainforest is illegal.
Mr Jonathan Sharkar the government's Director of Mines said that the Ministry of Mineral Resources has never dealt with Sable Mining Africa. He said that "Sable Mining have never applied for a mining concession in this country we have no dealings with them. He also points out that any land rights are also only surface rights any minerals are owned by the government.”
(Sourced from www.ipsnews.net)
