By Abubakarr Tarawally
Building affected by the tremor
Residents of Koidu City, Kono district, have expressed serious concern over the recent ground tremor, which has raised negative concerns over environmental and social consequences on the lives of people in Koidu City and the district.
Most residents are squarely connecting the occurrences to mining activities especially by Koidu Holdings Limited.
It could be recalled that on Saturday, 25 January 2025, the Koidu Municipality experienced a heavy tremor, which put the city in turmoil. Within five days, on Thursday, 30 January, another tremor, heavier and more destructive than the previous, struck the city.
Speaking to Concord Times, on Thursday, Justice Moitenga, a resident, explained that several buildings in Koidu, especially along Koroma Street and Hill Station, were heavily affected following the tremors. He further that five homes developed severe cracks, given the magnitude of the tremor. He stressed that more properties across the city of Koidiu may have been badly affected, posing a significant threat to the residents.
“The safety of the people must come first; it must be prioritized. It is about time for the authorities to take these issues seriously before lives can be lost. We must not wait for catastrophes to fall on the district before actions can be taken, ’he said.
He pointed out that, experts had warned about the negative ramifications that underground Kimberlite mining could have on the people and their well-being, citing that the city has become polluted as a result of the constant blasting, which exposes the people to respiratory diseases.
Moitenga said many residents have also been raising serious concerns about access to clean water. He emphasized that many households have been grappling with enough water to drink, cook and for agricultural purposes during the dry season.
Lansana Dauda, who is a resident and activist in Kono, expressed that they, as residents, are worried, fearing that if the Tremors continued, it could lead to devastating collapses of buildings, loss of lives, and widespread destructions.
“We cannot sit back and watch our land, our heritage, and our people suffer only because of some reckless mining operations. With visible cracks appearing in homes, if nothing is done about it, this could lead to a disaster,” he said.
He and other residents are demanding immediate action from the Government of Sierra Leone, mining stakeholders, and relevant authorities to establish a thorough investigation into the cause of the earth tremors and to put a stop in the unsafe mining operations, until proper safety measures are being implemented; but most seriously, to support the affected persons, whose homes had already sustained damage.
In response to growing concern, the Koidu New Sembehun City Council, in a press release dated 30th January 2025 officially wrote the Environment Protection Agency (EPA), the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, and the office of National Security (ONS) urging them to lunch an expert investigation to determine the cause of the unusual earth tremor.
“The council is greatly concerned about the well-being of citizens within the Jurisdictions of Koidu and its environs. Anything that tends to cause disaster is worrisome and must be treated with utmost urgency,’’ the release reads.
The Minister of Local Government, Tamba Lamina, when asked during the Government weekly press conference about the tremor, he explained the nature of the situation, stating that residents fled homes out of fear. The minister confirmed that they reached out to Koidu Limited to clarify the tremor, but the company denied any involvement in the issue.
“As to whether it is a tremor or a blast, I cannot say. So, I had to contact Koidu Limited, but they denied the allegations, everybody is worried about the issue,’’
The minister continued that, during the time of the Tremor, on the 25, he was having a conversation with Hon Musa Fofana. Lamina, described the incident as terrifying, when the ground shook. He said that the issue would be investigated, as residents are demanding transparent answers from the government and Koidu Limited regarding their community.
Despite the widespread speculation, Koidu Limited, a major Company operating in the district, has denied any involvement in the incident.
