The Chairman of the Lower Bambara Chiefdom Descendants Association (LoBDA), Mr. Fyeston Bockarie on Sunday 29 October 2023 disclosed that the LoBDA has requested that to seek the best interest of the people, the chiefdom be represented in the Sierra Diamond Mining Company and that going forward he wants LoBDA issues to top the news agenda in the country and abroad.
He made the disclosure during the meeting organized by LoBDA at the China House, Brookfields in Freetown.
According to Mr. Fyeston Bockarie, Lower Bambara is a Class A Chiefdom endowed with rich natural resources but lamented that it lacks basic services like good roads, communications, electricity and water supply and called on members of the Association to be firmly united to fast-track development in the chiefdom intimating that he has engaged the company for over three hours on various issues affecting the development of the chiefdom and appealed to all to take the meeting seriously.
The chairman also denied allegations of largescale environmental degradation of the chiefdom by Sierra Diamond Mining Company, revealed that the company has employed 85% of locals with 43% from Lower Bambara Chiefdom and assured that more locals would be employed as well as others appointed, especially women, to senior positions when the company expands its operations with a 50 million dollars investment portfolio.
According to the chairman of the LoBDA, due to the current drop in the world price for diamonds, the company is not making much profit at the moment, disclosed that the payment of surface rent to the chiefdom has been suspended due to legal and constitutional issues and that the LoBDA would work with the company to implement projects with the 10% Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) of Le1 billion that would be paid to the chiefdom.
He also enlightened that 45% of staff are indigenes from Lower Bambara Chiefdom with some in key positions.
Mr. Fyeston Bockarie went on to inform that the company pays Le100 to each household to evacuate before blasting, take pictures of houses before and after the blasting to compensate houses that would be damaged, that discussions have been held with the company to establish a Technical/Vocational Training Center to train locals as well as a library.
Other issues that were discussed were the holding of zoom meetings, production and sale of membership cards, presentation of the Member of the Parliament to the chiefdom scheduled for 10th December 2023 for which a committee was setup to organize the program and convening of the Annual General Meeting that should be hosted rotationally by sections.
The Member of Parliament for the area, Hon. Rugiatu Tarawalie-Mustafa disclosed that she has shipped medical supplies for the hospital as well as seedlings for onions, tomato, pepper and other vegetables to be distributed to the people.
The meeting was also informed that the renovation work on the Tongofields Hospital is ongoing while a pre-assessment visit to the chiefdom on the proposed agriculture project has been done but that the road network and communications are the major challenges for the establishment of the LoBDA farm.
A committee has been setup to visit the mining areas on 3rd November 2023.
The meeting was also informed that members contributed Le12 thousand towards the medical operation of the LoBDA Secretary General in India and that the operation was successful.
Other topical issues that were discussed included payment of monthly contributions, fixing of the road network, organization of fund-raising activities and award of scholarships to students.
Highlights of the meeting were the reading of the minutes of the last meeting, matters arising from the minutes and its adoption, the financial report and report of the committee to explore a suitable land for agriculture.
The meeting was postponed to mid November 2023.
