Senior members of Sierra Leone’s parliament have applauded the timely move of PRM entity to take over Sierra Rutile mining company.

This follows after Sierra Rutile suspended mining and processing activities at its Number One (area mining site).

In a no equivocal term, these members of parliament have further commended the Chief Executive Officer of PRM, Mr. Craig Dean for the swift move in rescuing approximately 25% of staff, including expatriate staff after being issued with redundancy notices from Sierra Rutile.

According to a redundant notice from Sierra Rutile, the staff, by the end of March this year, will automatically be made unemployed.

A senior member of parliament stated that some of these staff that were about to be unemployed by March this year will now breathe a sigh of relief as PRM taking over will give them the opportunity of retaining their jobs.

Another member of parliament revealed that there was huge pressure for him and other MPs at the moment Sierra Rutile suspended its operations.

The lawmaker said this is because many people’s livelihoods at constituent levels have been put on hold.

In a telephone conversation, a senior member of parliament in the mines and mineral committee also commended the Chief Executive Officer of PRM Craig Dean for rescuing both Sierra Leoneans and foreign staff.

For rescuing those who were on the verge of losing their jobs by Sierra Rutile due to the suspension of all mining and processing activities at area one mining site.

He further expressed the pressure that he was going through after the notices were sent to the staff, adding that, most of the staff were appealing to him to find jobs for them.

“I am happy for the swift intervention of PRM in rescuing the mining communities,” he commended.

He disclosed further that most of the workers that had received the redundant notices were indigenes from the mining communities.

“After the announcement under the dynamic leadership of Craig Dean was made of PRM with Mr Dean promising to takeover Sierra Rutile, there were huge jubilations in the affected mining sites.

He revealed further that the people were jubilating because with Craig communities will be transformed and sons of the soil will be gainfully employed.

It could be recalled that under Craig Dean, MML has paid a total of approximately US$40 million to the Government of Sierra Leone in 2022 and 2023. This amount includes both taxes and royalties owed under MML’s agreement.

This is in addition to an approximately US$1.74 million payment being made in 2023 to the Community Development Fund which was established for the developments of Marampa and Maforki chiefdoms.

A similar payment is to be made as of 2024. Also, MML’s contractors and vendors are legally obligated to pay additional taxes to the Government of Sierra Leone.

In a similar fashion, the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, Julius Mattai informed journalists during the Tuesday weekly government press briefing that there was no question about a monopoly concerning mining activities in Sierra Leone.

This was because as far as they were concerned Marampa Mines is on record for being the single mining company that had and continues to pay the highest money in terms of royalties and surface rents to government.

He added that the government is yet to hear from Sierra Leone and that there is no question about monopoly because Sierra Rutile is engaged in bauxite mining whilst Marampa Mines is engaged in bauxite mining. He maintained that the Government of Sierra Leone is looking for investors and that they will, in no, say discourage investors.