Abdul Malik Bangura: Sierra Leone telegraph: 18 July 2020:
As first Shipment expected in October to December 2020, Kingho Investment says it will employ over 2000 Sierra Leoneans to revamp iron ore mining in Tonkolili District.
At the peak of a global pandemic which has ravaged economies of all countries across the world, Sierra Leone is having a clear boost in its mining sector as a group of expatriate from the Chinese owned Kingho Investment Company Limited jets into Sierra Leone yesterday, Friday 17th July 2020, with the motive to revamp iron ore mining in the country’s northern district of Tonkolili.
Led by the General Manager of Kingho Investment Company Limited, Mr Gilbert Zhao, who together with others flew in onboard a private chartered Chinese flight, the team leader said they are in the country to boost the mining sector and also government’s revenue and tax collection.
He confirmed that Kingho Investment Company Limited is working on exporting its first shipment of iron ore from Sierra Leone by the 4th quarter (October-November-December) of 2020.
Speaking on arrival at the Freetown International Airport in Lungi, Mr Gilbert Zhao started by thanking President Julius Maada Bio, the Government and People of Sierra Leone for their confidence in Kingho.
He assured that going forward his investment company is keen on employing a workforce of between two thousand and five thousand employees.
He added that his company will do everything possible to comply with all laws relating to local content policy in Sierra Leone. Hence, he said, some of the expatriates are sub-contractors who will utilize local Sierra Leonean engineers and workers who would also receive training in Beijing, China.
Mr Zhao further confirmed that the confidence they have in the Government of Sierra Leone is what gives Kingho Investment Company Limited the confidence to invest millions of Dollars in resuming iron ore production in country.
In addition, Mr Zhao said that the new job opportunities will be opened to every Sierra Leonean irrespective of gender, ethnicity, social origin or religion. He further assured that they will help Sierra Leone achieve more on increased tax and revenue generation. He said for the first time Sierra Leoneans will benefit from Sierra Leone’s natural wealth.
Kingho Investment Company Limited will initially focus its mining activities in Sambaia, Dansogoia, Simiria, Kafe and Tane chiefdoms all in the Tonkolili District of the Northern Province of Sierra Leone.
Kingho Investment Company Limited is a subsidiary of China Kingho Energy Group with headquarters located in Beijing, China.
Am so glad for the reopening of the Mines Sector in the Northern part of Sierra Leone, espercially Tonkolili and Lunsar in Port Loko District. Please this time round am glad with the Chinese Kingho Mining Company and the Sierra Leone Government and encourage the youth. Have been working for London Mining Company in Lunsar since 2010 to 2015 as Surveyor and later transformed to Timis Mining Company for 10 Months due to mismanagement, the Company short down without paying our benefits. Please this time round am going to send in my application and attached document as Surveyor.
Am so happy so much because am a drilling and blasting operator
This is a nightmare for the APC party after brainwashing the youths of Lunsar that no investors will return to their town and unemployment will be the order of the day. In the near future, the youths will definitely realize that they have been used as political pawns, to make the country ungovernable, because they refused to accept the reality of the 2018 presidential election results. SORE LOSERS.
I was part of the team since 2011 to 2018 as Port Supervisor.Looking forward to work with the Company again.
I am happy for such an improvement in Sierra Leone.
Any business has to rely on market conditions and as was the case with AML and Shandong Steel the market prices and conditions forced them to close their operations. This happens in most countries and well the Iron Ore price is back at a level a investor will be interested in trying to make that all important part ie a PROFIT. They don’t come as a humanitarian outfit so think business first or privatize this important part of the economy if it is so critical to the national balance.
Labour, suppliers, service sectors and government depts all need to be capable of supporting this size of operation in a measured fashion or one them become the constraint and the operator also needs to identify up front where the shortcomings are of these players and offer solutions to make them work for the operator. When the iron ore price cyclically runs down as it will all need to have hedged for this likely period in a few years time and hopefully after the operator has had a chance to accumulate reserves.
Only key expertise should be imported by the operator to look after their investment – not frontline operators, as the country and region has plenty skilled workers but don’t expect superstars as they demand top wages. Hope the rail trucks stay on the tracks.
We thank God almighty to making it possible for the reopening of the largest mining company in Sierra Leone. I was part of the team in the last company {SD Steel} as a senior Plumber and also a senior Water Treatment plumber engineer, from 2013 2017.
Mr Zhao said that the new job opportunities Will be opened to every Sierra Leonean irrespective of gender, ethnicity, social origin or religion, thanks God for that. I was part of the team since 2011 to 2018 – looking forward to work with the company again.
I was part of the team since 2012 to 2018 – Looking forward to work with the company again.
I am really happy for this wonderful and glorious FDI. China’s kingho company into Sierra Leone may your company be successful in all your endeavour.
Thank you so much for your update.
Are there any vacancies for new graduates to make way within the company?
I only hope that the chinese mining companies fulfil their corporate social responsibilities to the people of Sierra Leone.
It will be a great boost in the minig sector of Sierra Leone. And also a good source of employment for the youth and people of the country. Special thanks Kingho Investment and the Government of Sierra Leone for such a great venture.
#Trust The Process#
Deceitful and dishonest – Kingho fake US$8bn investment exposed!
https://standardtimespress.org/?p=4362
Wow. It’s a good deal as the situation in the country it is at the moment. I just suggest if the government can turn the deal back again and asked them to process it in the country, so that we can benefit more. God bless Sierra Leone
Mr Philip you asked an important question that needs a long term solution in the processing of the raw iron materials to value added products that will tremendously improve both employment and revenue/financial gains for mama Salone. But such venture entails both human knowledge and cheap electrical energy intensive long term ventures that the current SLPP led govt is implementing through their free quality educations projects, increasing investor confidence via our current 78% Global Transparency Indices to come to Salone and invest.
And the availability of cheap electrical power supply especially through cheap hydroelectric power supply by the various hydro dams in the country etc are needed for the processing of these raw materials to various added value end products. It requires visionary leadership coupled with skilled labour force and cheap energy supplies for such to materialise. And guess what now is the time with the current SLPP party led govt’s development POLICIES/projects IMPLEMENTATIONS partially disrupted by the Covid 19 global pandemic currently affecting global trade and commerce.
Why the government is allowing the Chinese to extract the iron ore and ship it to their country instead of processing it in Sierra Leone? Or why can’t the country extract the iron ore and process it so it could be a good boost to the nation?
This is too painful to read. Why?? Why?? We haven’t learned from our mistakes yet.
It all sounds so glittering. But is it everything that glitters that’s gold? One of the pillars of President Bio’s “new direction “ slogan is transparency, but he seems to have lost confidence in us by not letting us know the details of the deal with the Chinese . This is the time for us the people to discard our party colours and emotions and band together to demand that we be made privy to the agreement struck. The iron ore belongs to all of us ; therefore we must all benefit from it not just the government or a handful of others. At this moment we must ask such questions as what percentage do we get from all exports? What structures have been put in place for us to know the amount of ore that leaves our shores? What is the exact proportion of our labour force that will be employed?
How will the mining activity affect the environment? We must understand that most non-Africans who do business with us actually hate us and regard us as being suckers. They can continue to hold their views for eternity, but at the negotiating table we must tell them that blood and oxygen do flow into our head, and that they have always mistaken our endearing and hospitable nature for gullibility.
The Bio government must ensure that all residents of Tonkolili are protected from Chinese subtlety at land grabbing by reaching side deals with corrupt chiefs and others. The new Attorney-general and minister of lands should do some work in this regard. Some of us are tired of successive governments signing dubious contracts as long as it’s favourable to a few individuals.
Well..well well what exactly have we got going on here?Wonders never cease to happen in Sierra Leone.What the hell is this? A lawless government hell-bent on disobeying an international arbitrary tribunal order or a shady criminal Cabal that has settled the financial grievances of disgruntled investors behind the scenes and can now move on?Answer – Why did the writer of this article make no mention of the ongoing litigation between the government of Sierra Leone and SL mining and the horrifying far-reaching consequences,and incalculable heavy price our nation would have to pay if the Chinese are allowed to commence mining ore in Sierra Leone.I really believe shrugging it aside is not going to make the problem go away.
The criminal tendencies of this inept,lawless government never ceases to amaze me; Answer – How difficult can it be to do the right thing for once and comply using good sense and decency to the ICC’s credible ruling that was done in a transparent and unbiased manner?
No doubt,this government doesn’t represent the ideals,morals and values of the majority of our peace-loving,law-abiding people – they are Con-artists and opportunists that any civilized society must frown upon and beware of – surely these degenerates were scrapped from the bottom of the decadent barrel of our corrupt society – no question they are the worst that have ever ruled our beloved Sierra Leone.Now its really on – SL Mining’s response is gonna hurt like a concrete brick out of nowhere thrown directly against the head.
This is good news for mama Salone, how can someone be employed in this company?
H.E. President Julius Maada Bio and his Government should ensure that the Company-Country and the People of LUNSAR-Tonkolili District benefit equally.
Is the promise of 5000 job opportunities truly the JUST deal that the communities and people of Sierra Leone deserve for the resources they have been blessed with, and taking into account the possible profits from the mining? Is justice less important to macro economic numbers and sacrificing a few dollars/jobs to the poor?
We can give all our money to the poor and yet not truly love them. God’s true love as revealed in Christ Jesus is just (does not favour the rich against the poor nor favour the poor against the rich). May the Spirit of God open our eyes, minds and hearts to seek his righteousness and peace in the Lord Jesus Christ for ourselves and others. Righteousness exalts a nation but sin is a reproach to any people.
Interesting development with the Chinese taking over some of the mining activities done in the past by western companies. Not exactly sure what the deal breaker is in regards to what the regime sees in the Chinese companies compare to their western counterparts. One singularity about the Chinese investors however is the tendency to bring in a host of Chinese workers, including laborers, leaving the locals shorthanded in terms of employment. Nonetheless, it’s indeed a sigh of relief to kickstart the exportation of iron ore and other minerals. Hopefully, our local currency the Leone will appreciate against the foreign currencies with this new economic activity.