Honorable Chernor Abass Bundu, Speaker of Parliament, emphatically warned stakeholders to make very good use of the surface rent paid by the Leone Rock Mining Company, enlightening that “for every benefit enjoyed, there is a corresponding obligation.”
He made this statement during the surface rent Payment made by Leone Rock Mining Company to land owners, on Saturday 2 December 2023 at the Port Loko District Council.
“The assets you are receiving money for today, (the rail, the Port) do not belong to kingho and do not belong to our Chinese friends, but are state assets, so please let us protect these properties.” He stated.
He added that the obligation upon them who receive the benefit are to bear primary responsibility more than anyone else, adding that whoever fails to protect the assets and look after the people, will have to answer to the government.
Speaker Bundu urged everyone; be it government, local authority, or land owners, to give the mining company peace to carry out their activities. He went on to remind stakeholders about the public petition committee in Parliament, which will be there to receive complaints from people who may be disadvantaged during the sharing of the money.
In his lengthy speech, he advised on the use of community development funds, stating that, ” There are roads, hospitals, market places, and in some places, light to be made, so a lot of those monies should go for these development instead of leaving everything in the hands of government.”
He concluded by urging them to heed to the details of his advice, as the government will patiently supervise the community development funds to ensure they are well managed and utilized.