By Crispina Cummings
The Director General-designate of the National Mineral Agency says the agency will introduce international best practices for the environment in Sierra Leone.
Sahr Wonday was speaking to the Parliamentary Committee on Appointments where some MPs raised some concerns.
The Deputy Committee chairman who doubles as deputy majority leader of the House, Ibrahim Bundu, had expressed concerns over the environment.
Minority leader of the House, Dr Bernadette Lahai and Deputy Speaker Chernor Bah said that mining companies did not always follow through the exploration rights and minerals act as many times they often overstepped what was stated in the acts thereby causing conflicts with the community people whom he said were not well informed.
They said the agency should have a team to go beforehand to mining communities and inform the people that such activities would come up. The MP’s should go through the community heads so information would be passed on well.
The issue of the Kimberly process was also raised and the nominee was asked how he was going to handle it. He said the mining sector and the government would involve the community when making policies and would ensure that people who had mineral rights, complied with the act.
Wonday promised that the NMA’s vision act as an interface between the government, the mining sector and the mining community. He said he believed in action and results.
When asked by journalists if he would look into the conditions of service of mine workers as this had been a thorny issue, he answered in the affirmative saying they would organise a retreat to think through a strategy to address this which he assured would yield dividend.
