Parliament Opposes Marampa Mines’ Financial Control Proposal
By John Kelly Marah
Marampa Mines Limited has come under intense scrutiny during a committee sitting in Committee Room One of Parliament, following concerns raised over its proposed financial arrangement involving the creation and control of a third-party account under the mining revenue framework.
Hon. Emerson Lamina, Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Mines and Mineral Resources, raised serious objections to the proposal, warning that any attempt to grant exclusive control over such an account would be inconsistent with Section 143(4) of the Mining and Minerals Act, which requires that all mining revenues be paid into a consolidated public basket fund to ensure transparency and accountability.
He maintained that investors do not have unilateral authority over the management of national resources, stressing that “it is not their money” and therefore they cannot determine how public funds are collected, managed, or distributed. According to him, all financial arrangements must remain firmly within the boundaries of the law and established public financial management systems.
Hon. Lamina further noted that the committee comprises representatives of key national stakeholders, including government agencies, professionals, youth, women, and religious groups, and therefore decisions must reflect the collective interest of the Sierra Leonean people rather than private or individual preferences.
He cautioned against any process that could bypass statutory provisions, warning that weak oversight mechanisms in the extractive sector risk undermining public trust and repeating past institutional challenges where workers’ benefits and entitlements were delayed due to governance failures.
He reaffirmed that revenues from Marampa Mines Limited must be fully accounted for and processed through legally mandated public financial structures to safeguard transparency, accountability, and national benefit.
