A two-day public disclosure meetings organized by Camco Gold Mining Company in collaboration with the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) respectively held on Friday, August 19th and Saturday 20th of the same month this year at Kalmaro Village in the Kholifa Rowalla Chiefdom and Magburaka town in the Tonkolili district have ended at the Magburaka District Council hall.
Giving an overview of the operations of Camco and the benefits it would bring to the communities at well-attended meetings in both Kalmaro village and Magburaka, Senior Project Consultant, Abdulai Contehsaid CAMCO Gold Mining and Engineering Services Ltd is a Sierra Leonean-based company with registered offices situated in Makeni.
He said the company has been formed to search for, develop, promote and implement programs for the exploration and mining of natural resources and in particular Gold.
Consultant Conteh further informed his audience that Camco has highly motivated and experienced team committed to conduct its business activities in a manner that promotes sustainable development and improve the general welfare of the people and the community in which it operates with a commitment to protect the environment.
In her presentation, CAMCO’s Country Manager, Madam Rugie Kabba expressed appreciation to the warm welcome they received from the people of Kalmaro and also their enthusiasm to see the company commence operations immediately. The Country Manager assured the residents that once CAMCO gets its license from EPA and starts operations it will create employment opportunities for Kalmaro residents.She assured further that the company will ensure a perfect relationship with the people and that special preference will be given to youth within the district for employment.
Madam Kabba said their company will not only respect the customs and traditions of the people, but will abide by the laws of the state, especially those having to do with responsible mining and the protection of the environment.
The public disclosure meetings were held in conformity with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Act of 2008 as amended in 2010 which provides for Camco Gold Mining Company Limited and its projects to be publicly disclosed through community engagements with residents of the community (in this case Kalmaro village) where it intends to operate. This is intended to minimize potential negative social and environmental impacts within the Kholifa Rowalla Chiefdom.
The meetings were climaxed by site visits by Camco and EPA officials to the proposed areas of operations in the Kalmaro village led by community elders.
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Newspaper in Freetown, Sierra Leone.
