By Amin Kef-Ranger

Parliament erupted into animated debate on Thursday, July 3, 2025, following the presentation of a public petition by Paramount Chief Member of Parliament, Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh III. Speaking on behalf of landowners and traditional leaders from Dansogoia, Sambaia and Diang Chiefdoms in Tonkolili and Koinadugu Districts, the Paramount Chief called on lawmakers to safeguard customary land rights, which he argued are being undermined by new regulations introduced by the Sierra Leone Mines and Minerals Development and Management Corporation.

Rising to address a packed chamber, Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh III told colleagues that the communities he represents felt compelled to seek parliamentary intervention. “This petition is not an attack on the Government,” he said. “It is an appeal for justice on behalf of people whose livelihoods depend on land now claimed by the Sierra Leone Mines and Minerals Development and Management Corporation.” He referred to Statutory Instrument No. 11 of 2024, which grants the state‑run body exclusive ownership and leasing authority over the Kasafoni area, a mineral‑rich zone long managed by local chiefs.

The petition argues that the instrument violates the Customary Land Rights Act 2022 and the Mines and Minerals Development Act 2022. According to the Paramount Chief, those two laws enshrine the right of communities to control land handed down through generations. He warned that stripping those rights would “undermine the social fabric of our chiefdoms and place families at risk.”

In four key areas the document asks Parliament and the Government to recognize a lease already signed with the Gento Group of Companies, an indigenous firm. It calls for the contested regulations to be declared null and void and urges the Public Petitions Committee to investigate how the Sierra Leone Mines and Minerals Development and Management Corporation engaged with local stakeholders. A final request is for a special public hearing that would bring lawmakers, chiefs, community members and mining officials face to face.

Honourable Jawah Sesay of Tonkolili District seconded the motion. He told the House that the issue transcends party politics and speaks to the heart of equitable development. “If we do not safeguard customary land ownership we risk unravelling the trust that holds our rural communities together,” he said.

Speaker of Parliament, the Right Honourable Segepoh Solomon Thomas listened intently. Moments after the petition was tabled he directed the Public Petitions Committee, which he chairs, to meet on Monday at two o’clock in the afternoon. The committee is expected to examine the petition point by point and may summon witnesses. “The House will treat this matter with the seriousness it deserves,” the Speaker announced, signaling an open process in which all sides can be heard.

Outside Parliament the petition has already stirred comment among civil society groups that monitor land governance. Many activists greeted the Paramount Chief’s move as a chance to test how newer land laws can be used to shield communities from what they see as overreach by powerful state agencies and multinational investors. “This is a pivotal moment,” said Ibrahim Turay, Programme Officer with the Network Movement for Justice and Development. “If Parliament upholds the Customary Land Rights Act it will set a landmark precedent for community rights across Sierra Leone.”

Representatives of the Sierra Leone Mines and Minerals Development and Management Corporation were not present in the chamber on Thursday. In an earlier statement the corporation said it is acting within its mandate to protect national mineral assets and attract investment that will create jobs and revenue. Critics insist that development projects must come with the consent of traditional authorities and affected families.

The stakes are high for residents of Dansogoia, Sambaia and Diang. The Kasafoni iron ore deposit is seen by investors as one of the most promising in the country. Community leaders argue that they are not opposed to mining but want agreements that guarantee fair compensation, environmental safeguards and respect for cultural heritage. Alhaji Musa Bamba Foray Kulio Jalloh III stressed that point in his closing remarks. “Our people are ready to welcome investment that is transparent, accountable and lawful,” he said. “What they reject is any arrangement that erodes their ancestral bond with the land.”

With Parliament gearing up for Monday’s committee session, excitement is building in Tonkolili and Koinadugu. Market stalls in Magburaka and Bumbuna are alive with discussions about the upcoming hearing. Meanwhile, radio call-in programs are flooded with questions on whether the Government can successfully balance national development ambitions with local ownership. For many residents, the outcome now depends on the decisions lawmakers will make in the coming days.

In a country where land disputes have often sparked unrest, Thursday’s petition thrusts the issue of customary rights back to the centre of national debate. How Parliament responds will shape community relations with mining companies and could influence future investments across Sierra Leone’s extractive sector. For now chiefs, landowners and villagers wait, hopeful that their voices will carry weight within the nation’s highest legislative chamber. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/public-petitions-committee-to-investigate-slmmdc-regulations-after-community-protest/