Sierra Leone’s mining boom has been affected since the sharp fall of iron ore sales in international markets over the years.

The decline in sales on the iron ore in world’s market greatly caused to the loss of many jobs by youths in Sierra Leone especially in places like the Lunsar, Pepel after the closure of the African Minerals and the London Mining.

Young graduates were made unemployed when Africa Minerals and Timis Cooperation closed work.

Mining experts have said the mining sector was further exacerbated by the government ban on all mining operations in 2018.

Though the ban on mining activities in the country was lifted, there has been a drastic decline in the number of mining workers. The absence of Africa Minerals had created a vacuum in the sector as thousands of the redundant workers have been unable to return to work again. This sad situation has affected Sierra Leone’s economy and employment drastically.

Many graduates and ungraduate skilled workers are made jobless, with many taking to bike riding across the country.

The number of graduates each year from various universities is adding to the number of unemployed youth in the country.

One graduate who studies business explained his circumstances leading to him taking up bike riding to be able to earn a living.

“You see me, I am qualified graduate from IPAM, but I don’t have job since I graduated. So I took up this bike business to be able to raise funds to run my family. Some of us are responsible for our family relatives upcountry.”

The account of the graduate represents a growing anger similarly expressed by hundreds and thousands of Sierra Leonean graduates from many universities in the country.