By Paul Lamin from Kenema

The Environmental Protection Agency – EPA and the Green Vital Environmental Consultancy Company, have both recently ended two days Environmental, Social and Health Impact Assessment Meeting in Kpandebu Dama community.

It was done for the DAYOUB TRADING SL Ltd at Kpandebu Dama community center and YAD Auditorium in Kenema respectively.

The meeting brought together community stakeholders including Paramount Chief of Dama, P .C Sandy Momoh Fowai.

The program included EPA officials, Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security , The Ministry of Water Resources  , Trade Monitors, Farmer’s Federation,  Councillors and youths from  the Dama community.

The Paramount Chief, P.C Sandy Momoh Fowai, in his welcome address, thanked the Dayoub Trading SL Ltd. for the bold steps taken to formalize their business operations in the chiefdom.

He noted that the Agricultural company ( Cacao & Rubber) which is about 584 acres established by the Dayoub Trading company will be of great benefit to its stakeholders and the community people of Dama chiefdom.

PC Fowai strongly condemned stealing of the cacao by residents of the nearby villages and urged the company to put in place proper security measures to prevent further theft of the cacao and rubber plantation.

The Deputy CA of the kenema District council Patrick Jakema, on behalf of the council, stated that the Agricultural company established by the Dayoub Trading company falls under the locality of the District Council.

Given geographic location of the community, the council is believed that, it has the right to monitor the activities of the company in ensuring that the right thing is done.

He said as council they will also make sure that the company performs their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and other communities driven by development projects such as roads, water and educational projects.

He urged the Dayoub Trading company to involve the council in the implementation of Community Development projects to avoid duplication of projects.

A representative of the Environmental Protection Agency who is also director of field operations and outreach Aiah Kaimbey thanked the Dayoub Trading company for the proactive steps taken to ensure that the right thing is done according to the new EPA Act of 2022.

He said for any company to fully operate under the new laws “you must go through the Environmental Social and Health Impact Assessment (ESHIA) process before starting full scale operations.”

Mr  Keimbey said the ESHIA report will guarantee the safety and security of the  people and company as well.

Keimbey said the report had been presented to the oversight ‘s ministry for the award of a licence to the Dayoub Trading company in the shortest possible time.

The meeting was climaxed by a PowerPoint presentation of the ESHIA Report and questions and answers session followed, in which the community stakeholders agreed that the DAYOUB TRADING SL Ltd was to be given licence to conduct its operations in the chiefdom.

Other speakers at the program were Michael Ngauja,  crops officer at ministry of agriculture and food security;  Kai Junisa of Ministry of Water Resources; Alie Badara Kanu, a trade monitor at Ministry of Trade; councillor Ibrahim Mohamed Konneh of Ward 35 of kenema District ; Charles Amidu Morrison representing Farmers Federation Eastern Region.

Mofid Dayoub  who spoke on behalf of the DAYOUB TRADING SL Ltd and assured participants that the company will work very closely with the community stakeholders including the Paramount Chief for the development of the community.