The citizens of Jendema, Tewar District, Grand Cape Mount County have donated 61.3 acres of land to Bea Mountain Mining Corporation (BMMC), for the company’s operations.
At a grand and colorful presentation ceremony of the land deed to management of the company by citizens of Bangorma in Tewor District Grand Cape Mount County which was held recently; in Jendema Town brought together officials of government, elders, traditional leaders, senior management of Bea Mountain and locals of the county.
Bangorma is a licensed area of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation in Grand Cape Mount County, where the company is expected to begin its mining operations.
As a result of this, the citizens of Jendema through a Memorandum of Understanding between the Liberian government and BMMC agreed to provide 61.3 acres of land for the citizens of Bangorma who will be relocated to what will be called New Bangorma.
Speaking during the presentation of the land deed to the people of Bangorma, the Liberia Land Authority county office Coordinator Augustus Zobombo said, Jendema case has been a special one to his office as a result of the relocation of the people of Bangorma to a suitable site within the catchment area.
Mr. Zobombo stressed that it was tough and very challenging as Bea Mountain Mining Corporation and the Liberia Land Authority went through lots of discussions with the citizens of Jendema and Bangorma to ensure that the land was secured for the citizens of Bangorma as their new home land.
For his part, the Health and Safety Manager of Bea Mountain and Relocation Project Manager of Bangorma Shadrach Fahnbulleh said “the Bangorma People suggested various areas of relocation, and I think one of the areas was the area that is connected to Jendema and there were lot of discussions and to know the history and why they deemed it necessary to be relocated near the Jendema Community. We got to understand that there is an inter marriage relationship between them and this has existed years and years ago. If they will be relocated anywhere besides their Bangorma Land then they will prefer to be relocated beside Jendema” Mr. Fahnbulleh explained during the program.
The Health and Safety Manager of BMMC concluded by stating that it was at that point the Liberia Land Authority got involved into the process and today all parties have come to witness the presentation of the Land Deed for Citizens of New Bangorma as legitimate owners of the 61.3 acres of land purchased by Bea Mountain Mining Corporation.
Also making remarks at the program, was the Statutory Superintendent of Porkpa and Gola Konneh Statutory District Frank Sheriff informed the citizens that the Land Rights Act has been established and signed into law and it gives all the local people and citizens to always engage with companies that will come into their communities to do any major investment; stressed that it is where they can now be engaged with companies to negotiate whenever they want to do mining, logging among others in their respective communities.
“This tells us that the freedom we spoke about and the independence we got years back is now working. Where local authorities and the community people are sitting to negotiate with investors how to mine and work around their communities. This is being supported hugely by the Bea Mountain that has always, since the passage of this law, lived within the confines of the law; and we want to say to you Bea Mountain thank you for that” Superintendent Sheriff narrated.
