OCTEA demands investigation
April 17, 2015 By Victoria Saffa
Chief Executive Officer of OCTEA Mining Company, Ibrahim Sorie Kamara, has called on the National Minerals Agency (NMA) to undertake an independent investigation into allegation by some residents of Yormandu chiefdom in the Kono district that flooding caused by the company has damaged their crops worth over Le30 million.
Kamara, however, maintained that the allegation was baseless and aimed at giving the mining giant a bad image.
He said their investigation indicates that the flooding had been caused by illegal mining activities within the concessional zone of the company, which had resulted to the blockage of waste water which otherwise would have drained out.
He added, however, that only the NMA could do independent findings to ascertain and apportion right or liability.
Meanwhile, reports say some residents in the chiefdom have been holding regular meetings with local authorities in a bid to peacefully resolve the conflict.
