Moyamba: The Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources on Tuesday supervised the disbursement of the Sierra Rutile Agricultural Development Fund to five host chiefdoms in Moyamba District, aimed at bolstering community agriculture support and promoting local development.
According to Sierra Leone News Agency, Deputy Secretary Edward Mansaray represented the Ministry in facilitating the disbursement at Lower Banta Chiefdom on 7 July 2026. The meeting, chaired by Lamin Manly, Senior Assistant Secretary at the Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources, included officials from the National Minerals Agency, Sierra Rutile management, Paramount Chiefs, town chiefs, landowners, and other community stakeholders.
The Agricultural Development Fund, a statutory requirement under Sierra Rutile’s 2002 agreement, is designed to aid agricultural development in host communities. The chiefdoms benefiting from this disbursement included Imperi, Bagruwa, Lower Banta, Jong, and Upper Banta, with allocations of Le732,554.65, Le218,120.20, Le588,513.00, Le218,120.00, and Le423,893.00, respectively.
During the meeting, Chief John J. Russell, Paramount Chief of Lower Banta Chiefdom, expressed appreciation for the fund but highlighted the issue of delayed disbursement. The timing of payments, he noted, often triggers community complaints and disadvantages farmers, urging for earlier fund releases in the future.
In response, Sierra Rutile Chief Financial Officer Prince Swaray assured that the company would collaborate with the Ministry to enhance the timing of future disbursements. Deputy Secretary Mansaray committed to presenting the delay issue to the Ministry’s leadership, underscoring the Minister’s dedication to enhancing the welfare of mining communities.
Osman Lahai, Sierra Rutile’s Community Relations and Social Development Manager, reiterated the company’s openness to engaging with chiefs and community members regarding the fund. LUC Ahmed Tejan Sali of the Rutile Division Police emphasized the need for transparency and accountability in fund management to ensure community benefits.
Paramount Chief Jonathan Joseph Brown Katekpeh of Imperi Chiefdom welcomed the initiative, marking the meeting as a first for him, and stressed the importance of timely fund release for agricultural preparation. The session concluded with Deputy Secretary Mansaray distributing the fund payments to representatives of the five chiefdoms.