In her Part Two video, the First Lady of Sierra Leone, Dr. Fatima Jabbie Bio slammed the Koidu Holdings LTD for allegedly cheating on their workers by boycotting the actual payment contract or agreement, which they amicably signed in 2013.

According to the payment contract or agreement, the First Lady revealed that the Koidu Holdings LTD supposed to pay their workers in Dollars, or in Leones, equivalent to the Dollar payment as per the dollar rate. During that period (2013), she said the Dollar rate was Six Leones Fifty Cent (NLe 6.50). “This was in 2013. From that year till this year, 2025, Koidu Holdings still insist to pay the worker at that rate, arguing that it is their own dollar rate,” the First Lady explained.

The First Lady continued by questioning the management of Koidu Holdings if they have their own separate Dollar Rate. “At the moment, the Central Bank Rate for Dollars is Twenty Two Leones (Le22), but Koidu Holdings’ dollar rate is Six Leone Fifty Cent (Le6.5). So Koidu Holdings has different Dollar Rate from Sierra Leone’s Dollar Rate?” she asked, curiously.

Mathematically, she confirmed that those who were receiving One Thousand Dollars payments as at that time, in 2023, currently, the payment which they are receiving base on what the management insisted to pay (Nle6.5) as their own dollar rate, is One Hundred and Fifty Dollars ($150). “Any firm where someone works, if he gets promoted, the promotion comes with an increase of Salary. With Koidu Holdings, they more you’re are promoted, the more your money get reduced,” she stressed vehemently.

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In her heartfelt statement, she explained that she admonished the management of Koidu Holdings that based on what they have on the document, if they attempt to seek any legal proceeding, they would be found guilty. She First Lady alleged that the management of Koidu Holdings, when making reports to the company’s Headquarters, they always claim that they are paying their workers in dollars. When they know that they are not only paying them in Leone, but in a very inferior rate.”

The First Lady continued that the workers requested for just their payment only, which the company is owing them, committing to let go of the quest for increment. The First Lady stated that she admonished the workers to consider 30% of their company’s imposed rate to be added to their salary, and sign a new contract which can serve as an evidence that they are no longer paying them in Dollars but in Leones; she said, “that is what lead to the war.”

“Even when we agreed for 30% to be added on the current salary which they are paying the staff, the people are still running at loss, for at 60% of the actual salary which Koidu Holdings is supposed to pay them, and how the Koidu Holdings is saying they won’t do it; this is the whole bone of contention of where we are currently,” the First Lady affirmed.

Lady Fatima Bio stated that her efforts is not to gain popularity or fame, rather, it is because of the injustice, which the Koidu Holdings has imposed on the workers for so long, stating that the injustice needs to be corrected.

“In our meeting, the Koidu Holdings told me that at any time the workers stage a protest in Kono, it cost them Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000) to pay security forces to guide their place,” she asserted curiously, adding that she asked them to calculate Thirty Thousand Dollars ($30,000) by thirty days, sixty days, and six months, and that they should also calculate how much salary increments they workers are requesting for. She questioned that if they have such a money to pay security personnel, why won’t they use it to pay they workers so that they would be able to work for them with a peace of mind and happiness.

Upon confirming that claim, the First Lady said the Security Personnel denied receiving any penny from the Koidu Holding. She said, according to the security personnel, the Koidu Holdings is did not give them any money, and that they have never given them any money. “So Koidu Holdings have a special money kept for paying security Thirty Thousand Dollars a day to protect they at their place, but they do not have money add to the salary of the people who are almost giving them millions and billions which they are making in this country,” she asked curiously.

In her concluding statement, she said the demand from the workers was a 50% increment, but that when she proposed the their request to “Roko,” she said, he refused for such demand to be met that it would be difficult for them. So, she said, “ I went back to them and admonished them to accept the 30% increment, so that we can close this matter. Let everybody go back to work so that we can enjoy peace.” The First Lady confirmed that after engaging “Roko,” he told her that he will get back to her in five day time. “Roko went to South Africa. It took him six weeks! He never contacted me again. However, I swallowed my pride and reached out to one of their Bosses, Dannolay, and told him that the promised to reach out to me in five days time, but it’s six weeks. I need you to provide an answer so that I can keep the workers informed on your final answer. Dankolay pleaded with me hold on, that he will call me back,” she concluded her reports on Part Two.

Watch Out for Part Three (3)!