Her colleague women cannot console her not even the few men around because she was going through stress, pain and anger as a result of the ongoing mining activities in Tankoro chiefdom in Kono district.
Mrs. Sia Bayoh is a mother of Ten (10). She was born, raised and got married at Bayoh Lane in Tankoro area in Koidu City, Kono district and is best known for her trading in pigs for the up-keep of her family including educating all her children and extended family members. Conditions are not favourable with her family and business after a poor relocation plan led to the death of more than Seventy-Five (75) of her pigs after heavy rains hospitalized three family members, and her pigs.
The expansion of Kimberlite mining activities by Koidu Limited mining company, which is wholly owned by BSG Resources Limited (BSGR) through its subsidiary OCTÉA Limited in Kono which resulted in the relocation of residents closer to the mines site despite criticism by residents and activists, had affected the livelihood of the Bayor family. Their relocation process was incomplete by OCTÉA Limited for failing to move her pigs into the camp.
The Koidu Kimberlite project is located within the Tankoro Chiefdom of the Kono District, measuring approximately 4.9 km2 and hosting two small kimberlite pipes, No. 1 Pipe (“K1″) and No. 2 Pipe (“K2″), and four kimberlite dyke zones, along which four small blows or enlargements have been discovered. (www.koiduholdings.com).
In an exclusive interview with madam Bayoh at her 10 Bayoh Lane address in Tankoro close to the Mining sites, she said the entire resettlement process for her family was unfairly dealt with, from construction of their house, to the movement of her pigs, cattle, and goats. She alleged that only four rooms with a kitchen were built and handed over to them in April 2015 with no latrine instead of her initial self-contained house.
Mrs. Bayoh said her pigs were assessed and registered in the relocation plan by one Henry Vao, a South African, believed to be head of the resettlement process, who was eager for her relocation because of her animals and children with her. She said after enquires from Paramount Chief Saquee IV of Tankoro chiefdom, one Doctor Gbetuwama and the company resettlement staff, told her that on no account will her pigs be relocated.
She said prior to the news that her pigs will not be allowed in the resettlement camp Octea staff in-charge of the camp had earlier allocated a piece of land for the construction of her Pen (Home for pigs) this according to her was unfair which prompted her to further ask more questions. She went on that she was told that the original location had been allocated to traditional women for construction of their societal bush meaning her Pen will not be constructed.
“Because we are native of this land and we don’t want to send bad signal out there I decided to lobby round the company authorities to see reason with me and my children for the construction of the Pen because my husband is not working. Our children are all going to school and our survival depends on those pigs. We were woken up by floods, which killed more than forty-five (45) pigs including three new born including big and small ones on 24th July 2016.
The acting mayor came on Tuesday 26th July to assess the gravity of the flood on my livelihood and he took photos of the dead pigs and the destruction. Since he left we are yet to see him. I have informed almost every stakeholder in the chiefdom and district with regards my situation but nothing absolutely has come out from those reports and complaints made,” she noted.
She said twenty bags of cement and bundles of zinc were given to her for the construction of her Pen which according to her, she did not accept because it was raining and she cannot afford to build it by herself.
Heavy rain in Kono on Friday 5th August 2016 hospitalized three, washed the entire house off and killed over fifty pigs after mud and granite allegedly rolled from the OCTÉA mining environs and descended on them at Bayoh Lane. Madam Bayoh is accusing the Paramount Chief, OCTÉA mining company, the police, women and other human rights activists for not responding to her situation. She pleaded with Government to salvage her situation before her children become drop-outs from school as she cannot now support their schooling.
Henry Vao of OCTÉA when contacted on the issue said the company had done all it can in solving the situation but confirmed and alleged that the decision not to move pigs into the camp was reached at and made by the Paramount Chief, PC Saquee IV. He said before now he had been personally assisted the woman and other women but they cannot do anything rather than what the chief said, emphasising that all resettlement issues have been addressed.
The Paramount Chief of Tankoro chiefdom PC Paul Gaber Saquee IV accused the young lady of being ‘stubborn’ and wanting to create ‘issues’ out of the situation. He pointed out that everybody had been resettled including her husband. He confirmed that they had resolved not to take pigs into the camp but notwithstanding that, another allocation closer to a swamp was identified for her but the lady refused to move there.
Chief Saquee said he had been assisting the woman financially but the lady is just too ‘hard-in-dealing’ with.
By Mohamed Kabba
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