Eleven Kono Communities Reject Proposed Mining Operations
Eleven communities in Peyefeh Section, Nimiyama Chiefdom, Kono District, have formally rejected proposed mining operations on their customary lands due to growing fears of losing farmland, contaminating vital water sources, and disrupting local livelihoods.
According to a report by legal empowerment organization Namati Sierra Leone, affected farmers and landowners state they have not given consent and are demanding that their customary land rights be strictly respected. For many, including Peya Community farmer Sia Foday—who relies on rice farming to support her seven children—the threat is immediate, warning that the arrival of mining companies "will destroy us."
Attention has centered on three foreign firms operating in the area: MIM Mining Company Limited, Cloud Minerals Mining Limited, and Deep Rock Minerals Limited. While the National Minerals Agency lists licences for MIM Mining and Cloud Minerals as pending, Deep Rock Minerals holds an active mining licence covering both Nimiyama and Nimikoro chiefdoms. Namati Programmes Director Daniel Sesay has publicly questioned the licensing process, emphasizing that communities must grant required consent prior to the issuance of any mining licences.
Community resistance is fueled by the lingering environmental damage from past mining operations in nearby Kaipeyah village, where abandoned mining pits, degraded farmland, and stagnant, polluted water remain unresolved. Landowner Lansana Kabbakoe highlighted how unchecked mining transformed once-thriving agricultural land where farmers previously cultivated bananas, cocoyam, and cacao, remarking that local authorities allowed mining to proceed until "everything is upside down."
Under Section 28 of Sierra Leone's Customary Land Rights Act 2022, investors must secure written Free, Prior, and Informed Consent from at least 60 percent of adult landowning family members or a fair representation of the community holding rights before commencing operations.
In early August 2026, the eleven communities submitted a formal petition to the Environment Protection Agency, demanding that no mining licences or environmental approvals be granted without their explicit consent.
While some residents remain open to future dialogue if companies offer transparent documentation and tangible community benefits, overall opposition and internal tensions remain high as pro-mining groups attempt to gather signatures.
Local unrest escalated further following reports of unauthorized land surveying in Peya Community, where residents actively protested after footage surfaced showing a foreign national being escorted through customary land without prior community approval.
Comments