The discovery of a 709-carat diamond has captivated the nation. Details of the discovery, however, have been the topic of debate and discussion in the media and on the street. On Sunday 23 April, the Network Movement for Justice and Development (NMJD) with the National Civil Society Forum (NCSF) revealed detailed findings on where the diamond was found, who found the diamond and whom should ultimately benefit from its sale.
Firstly, the National Civil Society Forum in Kono (NCSF) has confirmed, Pastor Emmanuel Aiah Momoh is the legitimate owner of the gem.
Its no secret that shortly after the presentation of the magical diamond to the Paramount Chief of Tankoro Chiefdom, Paul Gaba Saquee and the Minister of Mines and then the President, unfortunate issues arose with regards to rightful ownership. Rumours rebounded across the country.
The NCS Forum established a six-person committee to conduct an independent investigation into the entire saga.
The committee visited Koryadu, the village where Momoh and his team found the diamond. Koryadu is diamondiferous mining community where people have discovered large diamonds since 1986, when Aiah Kpakima found a 84-carat diamond.
The District Manager of Network Movement for Justice and Development, Joseph Ansumana, said, the team was able to discover that the plot where the diamond was found is located in an area called Toinejafeh (meaning “source of profit” in Kono), adding that the plot had a valid license that was acquired through the village resources and bears the name of the oldest father, Saffea Senessie.
Ansumana explained, “Despite the license bears that name, it is a common understanding that the ownership remains with the villagers and on demand, and portions of the land are allocated to only the thoroughbred descendants of the village.”
Five people were the direct miners who discovered the gem and the team leader, Komba Nyandemo was the rightful shareholder for the land. The pit that produced the diamond was dug on Nyandemo’s license plot.
“Sahr Lebbie, Saffea Lebbi, Komba Johnbull, Tamba Changa and Sahr Bindi unearthed the diamond while extracting the gravel,” he said. “Pastor Emmanuel Aiah Momoh was the financier for the operation who supported the miners with daily meals, drinks and mining equipment.”
According to the Committee report, the village has an internal (mining) agreement understood by all that out of all proceeds from a mining activity conducted in their licensed plot, 30% of the profit goes directly to the indigenes on whose allocated portion of the plot the mining was carried out.
“The indigene then pays back 10% of that amount to the village,” according to one of the villagers. He explained that their village is yet to benefit from such agreement because of dishonesty amongst the miners.
The Civil Society Forum recommends the use of Section 167-168 of the Mines and Minerals Act, 2009, to adequately determine rightful ownership and profit distribution determination.
The people in the village said they didn’t know much about the huge diamond. They only spotted Komba Nyandemo hurriedly boarding a motorbike followed by his team.
According to the village people, their fear and worry is that with such discovery in their village, multinational mining companies will invade and grab their community land. And, of course, they worry whether proceeds from the sale will benefit their community.
According to Ibrahim A. S. Bockarie, representing Campaign for Just Mining, they visited the National Minerals Agency office in Kono. The Manager said they only heard about the diamond through the social media. The owner and team ignored them.
Bockarie said they went to the Local Unit Commander at Tankoro Division, David Sahid Koroma, who stated that his office had very scanty information about the said diamond.
The Civil Society Forum, according to the Committee report, will monitor the selling process. The Committee maintains that the government should ensure a transparent and accountable bidding process. The government should ensure an arms-length selling procedure should be adhered to in the best interest of the country and owners of the diamond.
It could be recalled that the bidding deadline is May 10, 2017, when sealed bids will be opened and the diamond will be sold.
By Alhaji M. Kamara
Tuesday April 25, 2017.