The Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Timothy Kabba has engaged students of Geology and Mining Engineering in a public lecture on 10th February 2023, on the impact of mining on Sierra Leone’s economy.
The lecture seeks to enlighten students on the huge contributions of the mining industry towards Sierra Leone’s economy and the benefits of managing the resources judiciously.
The ascendency of Musa Timothy Kabba as Sierra Leone’s Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources has been described by many as a huge blessing to Sierra Leone, due to his continued efforts in transforming the country’s mining industry with better deals.
Prior to his appointment in 2020, he was the Directorate-General of the Petroleum Directorate. As the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, he is charged with the responsibility for the implementation of the 2009 mines and mineral Act working in close partnership with the National Minerals Agency.
Compared to his predecessor, in his first month of office, Minister Kabba was able to resolve professionally the cancellation of licenses of operations for over 25 mining companies in the country and the legal battles between mining companies and the government of Sierra Leone.
“It is not always right to pursue your rights through legal means, we can also explore alternative conflict resolution,’’ Kabba stated.
It has been a perennial problem that Sierra Leonean residents in mining communities have not been able to get a fair share of mining proceeds from their communities.
However, the Minister has changed this narrative by upholding the implementation of the Sierra Leone Customary Lands Rights Act and the Lands Commission Act.
At the end of the engagements, students from both departments expressed their appreciation to the minister for impacting knowledge on the management of mineral resources in Sierra Leone