As part of its corporate responsibility, the Chinese Kingho Investment Company Sierra Leone Saturday presented food items worth over eighty (80) million Leones to the Muslim community in Kpaka and Gallinas Perri chiefdoms in the Pujehun district to celebrate the feast of Eid-ul Fitri. The ceremony which took place in Bumpe in the Gallinas Perri Chiefdom was witnessed by a cross section of the Muslim Community from both chiefdoms led by their traditional and religious leaders.
The food items which comprised cattle, rice, oil as well as other consumables were to be distributed among the Muslims in the two chiefdoms as they mark the end of thirty days of fasting. China Kingho lnvestment Limited Sierra Leone is undertaking the exploration of iron ore in the Pujehun District.
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| Mr. Jack of the Kingho Group, making his statement |
In his statement before the presentation of the food items, the Deputy General Manager of China Kingho Sierra Leone Limited, Mr. Gilbert said they were pleased to be associated with the Muslim community in celebrating the feast of Eid –ul-Fitri. He said the gesture is a way of associating themselves with the aspirations of the community and thanked them for the cooperation they have received since they started exploration in that community. He assured them that this is the first in many other assistance they will be rendering to the community and looked forward to their cooperation at all times.
The Resident Minister, Mr. Moijueh Kaikai, the Guest of Honour of the occasion and a native of the area, described the ceremony as the” happiest day in his life”. He recalled that in entering politics he had vowed that he would ensure that he brings development into his district and the exploration exercise by Kingho is a fulfillment of such desire and a beginning of the development aspirations of President Ernest Koroma in that part of the country.
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| Dignitaries on the high table |
He told the packed audience that the progress of Pujehun should be thier priority and they should set aside their petty differences in the interest of their district.He attributed the backwardness of Pujehun to the acrimony among them and called on his compatriots to work as one so that the benefits to be accrued from the activities of Kingho will be reflected in the development of their district.The Minister told the packed audience from both chiefdoms that he had been assured by the Kingho Investment Company that they would strive to rehabilitate the road network in the two chiefdoms as well as provide scholarships for deserving school children in the chiefdoms they operate.
After consultation with the Kingho representatives, he announced amidst thunderous applause that the company has decided to award two scholarships to two deserving children of the two chiefdoms to pursue higher studies and requested the Paramount Chiefs to recommend the two students that will benefit from this generous offer from the company.
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| Cross section of the donated items |
The Minister recommended that for a good working relationship between the company and the residents of the area, that the Paramount Chiefs in consultation with the District Officer and the security apparatus of the district, set up a special committee that will be holding periodic discussions with the company that will clarify or settle any misunderstanding as and when they occur.
The Director of Mines, Mr. Jonathan Sharka, who represented the Minister of Mineral Resources, explained the processes involved in issuing mining licenses under the recently enacted Mining policy Act, which he described as one of the best in the world.
He welcomed the gesture by Kingho and admonished them to develop a good working relationship with the people and to continue their Cooperate responsibility by providing development assistance to the area.
He encouraged the people to ensure that their children embark on educational pursuits and skills training that will make them employable by the company.
The Director further emphasized the importance of the local content in all agreement signed with investors especially in the mining area so as to create employment facilities and other benefits for the community.
The District Officer Pujehun, Mr. Kemoh Mansaray, who chaired the programme, commended Kingho Investment Company for their timely gesture to the Muslim community, and gave a brief background to the China Kingho Investment Company Sierra Leone Limited which he said is a subsidiary of China Kingho Investment Company in the Peoples Republic of China.
He said the company which boasts of an estimated asset of over four billion dollars and thirty two thousand employees worldwide, is in Sierra Leone to join the Government to exploit and mine our resources for the benefit of all Sierra Leoneans. He admonished the people to cooperate with the company for development in their area.
In his contribution, the Chairman of the Pujehun District Council, Saddique Sillah whilst commending the gesture from Kingho Investment, hoped this is the beginning of further development cooperation from Kingho.
He admonished the company to help in improving the infrastructure in the district by repairing the roads and providing other basic amenities.
The Paramount Chief representatives from both chiefdoms expressed grateful thanks to the Kingho Company for their exemplary gesture and promised to give them all the necessary cooperation to ensure the company achieves a very successful exploration. Other speakers at the ceremony included the Local Unit Commander and the representative of the Civil Society Movement who assured the company of their fullest support and cooperation and admonished the people to cooperate with the company to so as the district will benefit from its god given resources.
© Copyright by Awareness Times
Newspaper in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
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