By Africa 24 newsman

The Deputy Opposition Leader in Parliament has said community mining development funds have been chopped by few certain individuals.

The Deputy Leader made the submissions on Tuesday 23rd July, 2024 during the debate on the approval of the CTC mining company in the Well of Parliament, Tower Hill in Freetown.

According to Hon Koroma, monies that are meant for development over the years have been going into the wrong hands, resulting to lack of development in the mining communities.

He cited Sierra Rutile community as a shining example which is considered as very deplorable irrespective of the huge sums such as CDF and lease funds giving to community stakeholders.

“Mr Speaker if you go to Sierra Rutile during the dry season. You will realize that how the dust is overwhelming the houses while roads are in terrible status; the people are perishing,” Hon Daniel Koroma said.

He emphasized that all agreements should be brought to Parliament for scrutiny before being tabled in the Well of Parliament.

He said there are lots of agreements which have loopholes. He said parliament does not have the power to change anything in any agreement as per law.

He urged the law house and the leadership to ensure that agreement be scrutinized and expunged from the laws.

“We need to amend that virus so that we can make agreement suitable for investors and the government,” he asserted.

Hon Deputy Leader of Opposition maintained that,”If Parliament is given the opportunity to re-adjust agreements, I will recommend that the mining company retains a percentage of the CDF and lease funds for the construction of the roads leading to the mining operational areas.”

He pointed out that, “If every year a company constructs about 15 kilometres road, by the period the time frame of the company ends the roads in that community would have been paved.”

He urged parliament to look into the agreements and make them better for the benefit of the mining communities and the country as a whole.