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Prominent Sierra Leonean barrister and human rights activist, Yasmin Jusu Sheriff, has launched a scathing critique of First Lady Fatima Bio’s involvement in the ongoing labor dispute at Koidu Limited, accusing her of “bungling” foreign direct investment and exacerbating an already volatile situation.
Sheriff’s intervention highlights escalating concerns over potential human rights violations and the economic impact of the escalating conflict. “If this post is true, then only a fool would be surprised by this outcome of Fatima Bio’s bungling & incompetent attempts to interfere with foreign direct investment & investors that our President has spent 8 years of incessant foreign travel and truly vast sums of poor Sierra Leoneans’ money trying to drum up,” Sheriff wrote, expressing deep concern over the “squandering of our national time & resources.”
The lawyer’s criticism comes as Koidu Limited suspends operations, citing an “illegal” strike and political interference. The company alleges that the First Lady’s public support for the striking workers, which includes social media pronouncements, has undermined efforts to resolve the dispute and has led to an atmosphere of intimidation, preventing workers from returning to their jobs.
Sheriff has raised alarm over the potential human rights implications of the prolonged strike and the company’s suspension of operations. “How could our Government and Ruling SLPP stand by while one (1) Untrained & Unqualified Individual turns herself into a One Person wrecking ball of highly sensitive industrial relations situations?” she questioned, emphasizing the detrimental impact on the miners and their families.
She further criticized the perceived inaction of the opposition APC, stating, “And where is the so called Official Opposition APC in all this? Busy fighting amongst themselves for what everyone else can see is nonsense.”
Sheriff’s statement specifically highlights the potential for abuse of power and the disregard for established labor laws. She also expressed deep worry for the miners and their families, whose livelihoods are being directly affected by the ongoing dispute.
“Who has taken time out to express the slightest concern or worry over how the miners & their families are being misused and their livelihoods being destroyed by One Person’s insistence that a whole nation should be nothing more than a film set for her personal melodrama?” she asked.
Sheriff called for an immediate cessation of what she described as “nonsense,” demanding accountability and a return to due process. She also demanded answers about the true motivations behind the First Lady’s actions, and demanded to know “What Endgame is really being played here? And when will this Nonsense be Stopped?”
The opposition will not talk when they talk they will be get arrested intimidated your know that tell our president to settle the dispute he is the right man to do that you know that if it is the opposition that led this strike a lot would have been in prison by now you know very well that
My brother you are among some of the people that doesn’t want the development of KONO and the work of koidu LTD.
I’m an APC and I’m in supportive of the1st. Lady on the idiotic foreigners ripping off our wealth and the worst of it maltreating our indigenes.
We don’t need their investment anymore.
Let them park and go.
We’re no more going to deal with them.
And to be sincere they’re destroying our mother’s land, let them go to their country.
Good do
From your write up I can tell the angle in which you are coming from Mr. Yasmin Jusu Sheriff base on your poor analysis that will not see you get the attention of our liberal mother, sister and indigenes of the promised land (Kono District) with her focus purely concentrated on the workforce demands for her people that are working in the mining sector of Koidu Limited Company. Bravo to madam First Lady for standing by your people against the injustice Koidu Limited Company is executing on your them.
The system is being distoryed and undermine by few individuals, Fatima is busy using political influence to intimate people. We accept the fact the company is foreign based company. As you mentioned the opposition, they can’t say or do anything because they too don’t want to be imprisoned unlawfully. Sierra Leone has become a place where we can’t smell or see democracy working physical. We have freedom of speech, but after your speech, your freedom is never been guaranteed.
Where was the Human rights lawyer when the company was treating their employees badly? So now that our vibrant, strong and blessed first Lady has chosen to set her people free, you are here saying negative things about her. My brother you will never know peace in your life, the Almighty Allah will judge you bad when you are not even dead yet. Bad citizens of this country.
I see Sheriff statement as total total madness, and disrespect for the workers of Koidu Holdings. Where was he all this time without making any statement? From his nasty and senseless write-up, I can tell he acted out of grievance. What hurts me the most is that he is trying to defend those who are constantly violating our constitution and abusing the rights of our people. Where are you when these injustices happen? I just wish Julius Malema were here. Anyway, I pray that the First Lady’s mission comes to actualization.
Say it again my brother
Mr Human Rights, you are weeked and selfish. You are one of the people who konives with foreigner to still our minerals. God bless Sierra Leone.
Calling the First Woman of the nation incompetent. Learned intellectual like this lawyer want national decision to be only left with the So called legal minds to handle matters that has to do with national development yet they are senseless to the interest of the common man.
Udat the lawyer be sef?
Let him get out, enemy of salon progress.
I don’t blame him bcz he’s okay that why vomiting rubbish…
So you want investors to miss used our people and our resources. You are one of the people who is not good for our country. Let the course of this nation be upon you. hmmm
“He who feels it knows it.” This criticism sounds baseless and the critic appears gullible in thought. I sense some cowardice in what he wrote. Has he been alive with his legal thoughts in the last 8-9 Months? If yes, how did he fail to interprete the claims and counter claims of the workers and the Company management respectively? Am I correct in thinking that this critic just woke up from 😴?
Has he not been following the news in the last eight months?
He should have visited the scene [Kono), find out for yourself and critic objectively. Foreign investment with no regard for humanity as alleged?
In my opinion, there existed a vacuum for an unreasonable period before the 1st Lady stepped in.
Have you investigated what went on during that period of vacuum? Does the critic know of anyone who was expected to fill the vacuum but failed?
Why blame the 1st Lady, when it was her intervention that seemly brought out the fact about the real intent of the Company( unwillingness to comply with what it’s representative signed up for)? Is the critic aware that the people of Kono, not just the employees wanted a clear understanding or
a review of the MLA /TOR for the company’s operations?
Haven spent more than 5 years in the District, I have come to notice that they majority of the Kono people were voiceless because of past experiences of oppression and suppression from local and some national leaders. This should have come to the table long ago I think.
But to be honest, the Sierra Leone section of the world happiness report clearly defines the people of Kono. Make no mistake.
Comments like his will add no positive values to the process because the indigenes have resolute there everybit to go with the 1st Lady as one of them, the 1st Lady whom they people of Kono see as the only redeemer.
U may call it what you like but the First Lady is on the right track.
selfish fellow(lawyer )😠
As u can see my name Kono Descendant, strictly am from Kono and presently staying in kono, if not of the rules and regulations of the social media, I should have use sarcastic words against u (Yasmin Jusu Sheriff), if u know how these foreigner are treating my Kono people especially the workers you should have know what to say,. The fact here is that am a true APC but the action which was taken by our 1st Lady is 100% correct. Bcuz those that are responsible to take action on this matter they have received brown envelope from them. I believe is that u should have criticize on as unprofessional barrister twzzzzz.
U r absolutely right lawyer sheriff. This government is waistfull & intimidating.
If u don’t mind me asking has fatima got any qualifications/credentials?