In his keynote address to a jam-packed Bintumani Conference Hall, at Aberdeen in Freetown, VP Jalloh maintained that it is not only good to create and introduce policies but that what is most important is that policies introduced are implemented to the fullest; otherwise, there are hundreds of policies floating around Africa that are just there and of no use.

He used the opportunity to caution the Mines Minister and staff of the ministry and its partners including National Minerals Agency and relevant other bodies to ensure that they do all in their power to implement all and every policy they introduce if the policies are to have the full impact for which they are formulated.

The Vice President used the opportunity to convey his thanks and appreciation on behalf of President Julius Maada Bio and the Government of Sierra Leone to the World Bank, African Development Bank, GIZ, UNDP and other development partners for their continuous support to the Ministry of Mines in particular and to the country in general.

He went on to state that mining companies operating in any country, are as bad as the government which granted them license to them to operate because according to VP Jalloh, when the government allows a mining company to do as it pleases without strictly monitoring how the mining company goes about performing its corporate social responsibilities among other, that government should be held responsible for allowing its citizens to be robbed and mistreated over what rightfully belongs to them.

He called for a fine line to be drawn that would define the role and extent of CSR to that of the government’s own responsibility and obligation to its citizens.

Earlier, a power-point presentation of the policies and what they entail was done by Daniel Gbondo Esq. Other speakers included the Minister of Mines Dr. Morie Manyeh, NMA Director General Julius Daniel Mattai, a representative from Sierra Rutile, and several others, The program was chaired by Michella Conteh.