Mining Neglect in Kono Claims Lives
JKM
Abandoned mining sites in Neni Koroh Chiefdom expose the devastating cost of corporate irresponsibility and weak environmental oversight.
In Neni Koroh Chiefdom, Kono District, a tragic mining pit collapse has reignited public outrage over the reckless behavior of some mining companies operating in Sierra Leone.
More than a hundred people are feared trapped, after an abandoned mining site caved in—an incident locals say could have been prevented if the company had fulfilled its environmental obligations.
The site, once operated by a licensed company, was left unsecured and uncovered after the firm moved its operations elsewhere. No rehabilitation, backfilling, or safety barriers were put in place, leaving behind gaping holes that have since become both a physical and social hazard to the community.
With no alternative means of livelihood, desperate youths often venture into these abandoned pits to search for leftover gold and stones. They call it “picking survival”, but this time it ended in tragedy. The earth gave way while dozens were underground, trapping miners and leaving families in panic and despair.
Rescue operations have been slow due to the depth and instability of the collapsed site.
Emergency teams from the National Minerals Agency (NMA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and local authorities have been deployed, but limited equipment and poor access to the site continue to hinder recovery efforts.
Community leaders have expressed frustration over what they describe as the “reckless abandonment” of mining sites by companies that exploit their land and leave behind destruction. “These companies come, extract our wealth, and leave us with death and poverty,” lamented one local resident. “If the pits were properly covered, our people wouldn’t be dying like this.”
Environmental activists are also calling on the government to enforce stricter post-mining regulations, insisting that companies should not be allowed to walk away without rehabilitating the land.
They warn that the continuous neglect of mined-out areas will have long-term effects on the environment—polluting water sources, destroying farmlands, and endangering lives.
Experts say this latest disaster is part of a pattern of corporate irresponsibility in the mining sector, where weak monitoring and enforcement allow companies to disregard environmental standards.
As the search continues for survivors, the people of Neni Koroh Chiefdom are demanding not just accountability, but justice—and a future where mining no longer leaves communities buried under the weight of neglect.
