By Ophaniel Gooding
The signing of the Pepel Port and Pepel-Tonkolili Railway Development, Expansion, and Management Lease Agreement between the Sierra Leonean government and ARISE Integrated Industrial Platform Ltd (ARISE IIP) has generated significant interest and controversy. The agreement, which is worth US$476 million, aims to provide services to mining companies and other investors and rebrand the country’s mining sector through the introduction of the special economic/industrial zone project.
Recently, a group of journalists embarked on a fact-finding mission to ARISE’s interventions in Benin and Gabon, and their findings have sparked further conversations in the media.
However, ARISE has responded to some of the the questions with regards to transparency and gender poised by skeptics and has highlighted their commitment to transparency and accountability in the exportation of Sierra Leone’s minerals. The company stated that they would break the monopoly in the bulk mining sector and provide accurate data on exports.
ARISE also addressed concerns about community benefits, stating that the current surface rent to communities would increase from under 1 billion old Leones to over 5 billion and that they would provide jobs for the community.
Finally, ARISE emphasized their policy on gender and recruitment of locals, stating that they would prioritize employment for the community with a special focus on gender and training. The company also mentioned their plans to launch the passenger train, which would provide job opportunities for Sierra Leoneans, and bring in major, reputable companies from across the globe to operate in the industrial zone.
