In a bid to shrink youth joblessness, the Minister of Mines and Minerals Resources, Timothy Kabba, has on Friday 26th February, 2021, commissioned the Cheng LI Mining Company Alluvial Plants that seeks to generate massive job opportunities for youth in Koinadugu District.

This is another groundbreaking feat marked by the President Bio’s New Direction regime, as the company is expected to start producing 99.9 billion gold bars for exporting in one year.
The company is poised to create massive employment opportunities for the people of Sierra Leone particularly youth residing in the chiefdom and its environs.

Speaking at the commissioning, the Mines Minister, Timothy Kabba voiced special gratitude to the company’s local representative, Mr. Fassalay Tarawally, for his relentless efforts to ensure the much needed company operates in the country.

He heaped praises on the Company for creating job opportunities for the people of Sierra Leone, which has been a perennial problem over the years and also reaffirmed government's commitment to creating the enabling environment for private sector investment to thrive.

“As a government, we are always ready to support you since our country needs such people who think of adding value to the country” he assured. Hence called on the residents to work closely with the mining company

The Country Representative of Cheng Li Mining Company, Mr Fassalay Tarawally said, the commissioning of the Alluvial Plant is just the beginning of the mining operations as the company is a two-faced mining company as it would commission the hard rock plant within six (6) months. Contd. Page 5

According to the Company’s Country Rep, Mr Tarawally, “In one year, the company is expected to start producing 99.9 billion gold bars for exporting,” he concluded.
Mr Fassalay Tarawally is no stranger in the mining and mineral sector of Sierra Leone since he is one of the country’s leading diamond and gold exporter with more than ten years experience.

Cheng Li Mining Company is a large scale gold mining project which is an affiliated mining company that engages in mining activities. The Mining Company has officially started operations after six (6) months of site preparations and camps building.

It is expected to employ hundreds of Sierra Leoneans within the end of 2021, and more priority would be given to the people of Diang Chiefdom Companies like Cheng Li Mining pays millions of dollars a year to the government for the large-scale mining license and is required to put 0.01% of their proceeds into community development.

However, the people of Dalakuru, Diang Chiefdom in Koinadugu District were extremely happy, as they were dancing and singing for having such a huge investment and a source of livelihood within their community.

Many say since the 1980s when mining started in Diang Chiefdom, there had been no tangible impact on the community, but residents testified that the coming of Cheng Li Mining Company in six months has recorded massive developments.

The commissioning, they say, was a clear demonstration of President Julius Maada Bio’s efficient leadership in delivering his promises on taking the country in the right direction.