By Alfred Koroma
In a Bid to support President Bio’s New Direction Agenda towards improving human capital development, the astute Deputy Chief Whip of the Sierra Leone Parliament, Hon. Alusine Kanneh has shipped in a consignment of machines, worth millions of dollars to boost Gold mining in the country.
The MP brought Bravura, a Norwegian Mining Company in Sierra Leone about two years ago to invest in Gold mining and explore other areas of investment beneficial to the country.
Last week, he unveiled varieties of mining equipment, including caterpillars, excavators and dumpers at the Queen Elizabeth Water Quay, telling journalists more equipment are on the way coming.
With the arrival of the machines, he continued Bravura will now start mining operations in Kailahun District, the Eastern part of Sierra Leone as a small scale with the intention to go large scale.
The Deputy Whip intimated that he has been a business tycoon, even before joining politics. He noted he is an MP that believes not only in politics but also investing in business and contributing to nation building. “I am the Chairman of the Company and as well I own a share” he stated.
Unveiling the mining equipment, the MP declared that the Company is here to transform Sierra Leone, create employment and transform the lives of citizens in the country. “It is good to transform other people’s lives.”
He said Bravura Mining Company will begin in Kailahun at a small scale level but will eventually grow into a large scale mining company and extend its tentacles to other parts of the country and also explore the possibility of investing into fisheries.
“We are here to make sure we contribute to nation development. We believe in human capital development,” the Deputy Chief Whip told a convoy of Journalists while unveiling the mining machines.
According to him, this large scale Gold Mining is in fulfillment of President Julius Maada Bio’s job creation for thousands of locals within the mining sites to help boost Community development and generate revenue for the Country.
“Under the Leadership of President Julius Maada Bio, Sierra Leoneans residing in Mining Communities are now feeling the real sense of development in the mining sector” he said.
This was reechoed by the Company’s Country Manager, Umarr Fuad Bawoh who said Bravura SL Ltd is already paying teachers who are not on government payroll in the community they will be mining and have also promised to build the community a hospital.
We are here to do proper business; we are here to support the mining policy, Bawoh said.
It is all about investment and how to do good business, Viggo Gundersen, Chief Operating Officer of Bravura added, saying they are in now for a small scale license while looking forward to expanding into large scale and exploring other areas of investment.