The chief executive officer of Koidu Holdings, Jan Joubert, has started testifying before the Jenkins Johnston commission of inquiry stating that the vertical pit mining undertaken by his company entails less blasting.
The CEO testified that he had been in that capacity since the operations of the company and was aware of the mining lease agreement between Branch Energy and the government of Sierra Leone.
Asked by the commission what his functions were, he narrated: “I am responsible to the shareholders of Koidu Holdings to give them the return of investment and also responsible for strategic planning throughout the mines from the basic point of view, from the social responsibility point of view and regulating point of view.”
Led in evidence by the company’s lawyer Berthan Macauley to explain what vertical and conventional pit mining were, he explained that conventional opening pit mining entailed more blasting unlike the vertical pit mining which entailed less blasting and that it was preferable for the community to adopt.
He said his company took into consideration the impact of the blasting on the community that was why the vertical pit mining was adopted based on experience.
The chief executive officer continues his testimony today.