PC Saquee Mediates Between Landowners & Koidu Limited    

By Alhaji Turay  

The Honourable Chief Paul Ngaba Saquee the 5th of Tankoro Chiefdom in Kono District, Eastern Region of the republic of Sierra Leone, had peacefully mediated or intervened on the fracas between Landowners/property owners and the Koidu Mining Limited in Kono District.

The gracious mediation meeting which attracted the attention of paramount chiefs, civil society organizations, MAPO, local authorities, the media and members from the public was held early last week at the Fillie Faboa Memorial Hall in Tankoro Chiefdom, Koidu City in Kono District.

In his opening statement, Paramount Chief Paul Ngaba Saquee the 5th underscored the rationale for the engagement, which could not be disconnected from the long standing disputes between the Marginalized affected property owners (MAPO) and the Koidu Limited.

We determine that it was necessary to engage the Marginalized affected property owners MAPO who have been in this for several years.

It could be recalled that a law court passed verdicts in favor of Koidu Limited Mining Company last year, noting that the reapplication of the MAPO

is not good for the Chiefdom.

Chief Saquee maintained that after several constructive consultations with colleagues stakeholders in the district, including Civil Society organizations, where he thought it wise to draw the matter from the court consciously with the permission of MAPO to solve the protracted disputes between the Company and MAPO internally for the progress of the Chiefdom.

Honourable Paramount Chief Paul Ngaba Saquee further stated that he was privileged to have fruitful engagement with the Marginalized affected property owners. “The land owners promised to officially pen down their greviances in black and white, and once they were done with that, they will present it to him”, (PC Saquee).

Upon receiving the arrival of the letter from them, PC Saquee said he would equally get the side of Koidu Limited and assured that he would set up a resolution panel with other stakeholders, including civil society members to address the matter for the betterment of the chiefdom.

PC Saquee informed aggrieved land owners to realize that the resettlement houses started with one thousand houses and the company has already built one thousand homes, with only 60 remaining.

PC Saquee frankly stated that it’s not all the affected people, but just a fraction of the affected property owners who were not happy.

He urged both parties to present their grievances to him, and from that point, the chief said, we will move to address it once and for all.

He noted that he is optimistic about the enhancement of total peace between MAPO and Koidu Limited because both parties are willing to have a peaceful dialogue.

Speaking on behalf of other members in a response to a request made by honourable PC Saquee, Chairman for MAPO, Tamba Prince Boima thanked the Paramount Chief for taking what he described as a bold step for the general good of the district

Prince Boima maintained that this matter had been in court since 2019 and they were willing for Saquee to settle impasse amicably between the two groups.

However, other stakeholders also made meaningful contributions towards the values embedded in the peace dialogue between MAPO and Koidu Limited.