|
There is a growing tension and dissatisfaction amongst land owners in Bombali district and Tonkolili district, civil society organizations, Farmers Association and youth groups over a letter that is said to have been written by the German NGO, Rain Forest Rescue.
The letter which was addressed to all financial institutions that are expected to fund ADDAX BIOENERGY Project, one of Sierra Leone biggest private sector investment, highlighted how the project will not be of benefit to Sierra Leone. It described the 270-page long Environmental Impact Assessment of the company as “vague,” while referring to the project as an “organized land grabbing one.”
The letter has however provoked a lot of reaction from many organisations in the district.
In response to concerns raised and submitted by Rain Forest Rescue about operations of Addax bioenergy project in Sierra Leone, the Bombali District Council in a letter signed by it Chairman, Eric Dura Sesay and addressed to the financiers described Rain Forest Rescue’s claims as unfounded and baseless and aimed at destroying the intentions of H.E. the President’s vision to turn around the economy of this poverty stricken nation to prosperity.
The Council referred to the NGO as one that is bent on scaring investors away from impoverished African nations. The Secretary General, of Coalition of Civil Society for Peace and Development (CSOPAD), Elma Kamara said the call by Rain Forest Rescue on potential financiers not to finance Addax was a deliberate attempt to throw spanners in the wheel of development in Sierra Leone. In there protest letter CSOPAD, requested the German NGO Rain Forest Rescue to retract their letter to the banks forthwith. Coordinator of BODWOFCA, Mrs. Joseph Kanu said in her letter that the German NGO is bent on dragging the country’s development in the mud by frustrating investors like ADDAX.
Director of ChildHelp Sierra Leone, Kaprie J G Thoronka said he sees ADDAX initiative as one that will benefit and improve the living conditions of thousands of Sierra Leonean youths, children and the country as a whole.
On his part, Chairman of the Makeni Union of Youth Groups (MUYOG) said the action of Rain Forest Rescue is a deliberate attempt to deny job opportunities to 4,000 Sierra Leoneans and that it sabotages the energy potential the company intends to provide for the country. Should Rain Forest Rescue fail to adhere their demand for a retraction, he said, they will be left with the option of staging a peaceful protest in front of the German Embassy in Freetown. The million question on the lips of observers is, what chances has the Rain Forest Rescue letter in changing the minds of the donors from financing the project?
The answer lies on the response of the bankers to both Rain Forest Rescue and the Sierra Leone populace. |
