Africa-Press – Sierra-Leone. Opposition politician Mohamed Kamarainba Mansaray ordered the First Lady, Fatima Bio, to pay the salary and other benefits of Koidu Holdings’ sacked workers on Sunday morning in the US.
“Since it was you (Fatima) who led to the sacking of these workers, I admonish you to pay their salaries and other benefits,” Mansaray said in a video shared on the social media, Facebook.
He said the First Lady would utilise the $50 million she will be paid as damages by the mining company to cover up for the salary and welfare expenses she would have incurred.
The opposition politician said that although there are a lot of other causes to champion, Bio chose the Kono issue meaning that she is deeply passionate about it.
“Paying their salaries is the right thing (for the First Lady) to do,” he said.
He stressed the government’s double standards regarding the issuance of protest permits in the country. They noted that while the government has been strict in denying permits to protesters, it quickly approved a permit for the First Lady to hold a protest in Kono.
Koidu Holdings, a subsidiary of Octea Mining Company, sacked hundreds of staff earlier this year after protests over wages and other benefits surfaced. The First Lady and the Works Minister, Mohamed Rahman Swaray blamed the company for unfair treatment of workers.
Last week, the situation escalated as both the company and the First Lady initiated lawsuits against each other, alleging defamation and other related charges. This development marked a different turn in the ongoing dispute.
Recent investigations have uncovered that the company is struggling to meet its financial obligations, including employee salaries and benefits. This issue has been attributed to declining profits, which are a direct result of decreasing diamond prices in the international markets.
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