Koidu Holdings, a South African-based Mining Company with operations in Kono District, has again fulfilled its corporate social responsibility by constructing an ultra modern Community Health Center at the Tankoro resettlement Center for affected property owners.
Valentine Yongai, Chairman Affected Property Owners’ Association and the District Medical Officer, Kargbo Labour, expressed gratitude to Koidu Holdings for improving the health standards of the affected property owners that have been resettled by the company. Chairman, Council of Paramount Chiefs, Kono District, PC Fasuluku, who chaired the ceremony, said the hospital is better than the other health centers in the district.
Paramount Chief Paul Saquee while delivering the welcome address, expressed profound gratitude to Koidu Holdings for the construction of the health center with its modern facilities, and the soon-to-be-opened UMC primary and Secondary School with a Church and Mosque for resettlement communities.
He renamed the health center as Kimbadu Community Health center as a result of several consultations with stakeholders.
Chairperson of the Kono District Council, Diana Konomanyi, said she is happy for the intervention of Koidu Holdings in improving the living the standards of those affected by the operations of the company.
She said Koidu Holdings is not only developing Tankoro but the entire Kono District, adding that the Corporate Social Responsibility has been fulfilled by Koidu Holdings, lavishing praises on the company.
She appealed to residents to open up to the Management of Koidu Holdings for an interface dialogue and discuss issues affecting both the company and the people.
She also called on health workers to maintain the health center to standards. The Chief Executive Officer of Koidu Holdings, Jan Joubert, said his company is working to benefit the people through a vision that was put in place by all stakeholders and financing partners through the selling of Koidu Holdings’ operations and stories. He said “shareholders provided $USD 50M (fifty million Dollars) to develop a strategic plan for the development of the mining sector and the communities we operate,” the CEO stated. He said “We need support from the Kono community because they believe in Koidu Holdings’ operations.” He intimated that this is just the beginning for the expansion of the Kimberlite project through a vision that will be implemented for the development of the mining sector. “I want to assure the people of Kono that we will continue to invest in a responsible manner through the commitment and support from the community and the Government of Sierra Leone,” the CEO added.
He also said that “we have a healthy relationship between the government, community members and our shareholders to extend health facilities to every community that needs It. We can do great things for Kono with a vision to develop the Sierra Leone economy.
Patrick Saba, one of the shareholders of the company said “they remain committed and determined to support Koidu Holdings’ expansion project for the development of the country.”
Delivering the keynote address, the Deputy Minister of Health and Sanitation, Mamoud Tarawally, said the government of Sierra Leone will ensure that the health center is provided with drugs and other equipment for the smooth running of the health center.
He said Koidu Holdings has provided the health facility and urged residents to make good use of the health center in a bid to reduce deaths on preventable diseases, thereby reducing the high infant and mortality rates.
“The Ministry of Health and Sanitation is determined to partner with Koidu Holdings in the provision of free health care drugs and other medical equipment”, the Deputy Minister reiterated.
The previous health center had only five beds with one labour room which nurses and other patients told Awoko that it was inadequate and lacked basic facilities in the provision of quality health care delivery.
Both nurses and some patients expressed thanks and appreciation to Koidu Holdings for the construction of the health center which they said will help to minimize deaths in the district.
Koidu Holdings is one of the largest mining companies in the country providing employment opportunities to many and also supporting community development projects that aim at transforming the living standards of the communities in which they operate.
By Saidu Bah in Kono