Action Against Environmental Challenges-Kono District

16/06/2025

Action Against Environmental Challenges (AAEC)
Motto: ‘’Together we can protect the Earth’’
Email: [email protected]

Koidu Limited Underground Mining Danger

*TITLE: KOIDU UNDERGROUND: DI DANGER WE DAE HIDE UNDER WE FUTS DEM*

*By Quinton Samuel Julius | Action Against Environmental Challenges (AAEC)

Koidu City, Kono District na dae heart of Sierra Leone wey don di gi plenty diamonds to strangers dem lek Koidu Limited. For years, Koidu Limited bin dae dig underground, make tunnel en shaft dem under di city. But now, as dem mining slow down, wetin dem lef under di gron na danger we wi nor dae see — danger wey fit bring big problem pan people en structure dem na Koidu.

*DANGER WEY NOR DAE SHOW: BUT DAE KILL SlOW*

Underground mining nor luk lek open pit — Na tem we dem dey dig long-long tunnel under di gron. Dis tunnel, we caring nor dae dem de weaken. Rain dae make dem collapse. People bin don di complain se dem di see crack na dem house, floor dae sink, wall dae divide. Di gron under we foot nor stable again.
Koidu City dae rest pan empty tunnel — and e dangerous.

*CHEMICAL DANGER EN DIRTY WATER*

Underground, chemical dem still dey. Oil, waste, chemical wey bin don dae use for wash stone all dae soak inside di tunnel dem. When rain fall, dem mix wit di water en go poison di well en borehole water. People dae complain say di water get bad smell, dem dae get skin sick, diarrhea en other infection dem.

*FLOODING EN EROSION*

Rainwater dey go inside dem tunnel, then e cause flooding. Di gron dey weak, so flood water dey jam back pan surface. Dis make erosion start. People nor understand how flooding dae happen for place wey bin dry before.

*STRUCTURE DEM NOR SAFE AGAIN*

House, school, clinic — all den building ya nor stable again. Dem build am pan gron wey hollow under. Experts dem worry say if di tunnel collapse, plenty building go fall. But Koidu Limited nor don take action. EPA en Ministry of Mines nor even investigate.

*IF WI NOR ACT NOW*

If we nor act. People go lose house, water go poison, business dem go lef. Na time now for act.

WETIN WI FO DO*

1. *Check All Underground Tunnel* – Survey for know which side dangerous.
2. *Make Map en Sensitize People* – Tell people which area bad.
3. *Refill Di Tunnel* – Koidu Limited for fill dem tunnel wit soil.
4. *Water Test Regular* – Check well en borehole water for poison.
5. *Stop Building Pan Danger Zone** – Nor approve building pan old shaft.
6. *Government Enforce Law** – EPA, Ministry of Mines for act now.

*CONCLUSION*

Koidu don suffer for diamond. We nor for suffer again for di danger dem lef behind. Di problem underground na real, en we need solve am fast.

Koidu deserve better — dea pupil dem don di suffer for too long.

Government Regulatory body dem don chip dem sef en betray dem fellow brothers and sisters dem na kono District. Tiday de district nor get anytin fo show pas fo sidom na timebomb. Di wan dem wae wi bin show love en ask se duya una fet fo wi cam bak en crucify wi. Or na wae wi nor get moni na hand en yu show se na yu poor pas ol, so dat fo mek yu nor ba tok gud fo dis land en betray am to strangers dem.

16/05/2025

Title: Pollution in Kono District: An Escalating Environmental and Public Health Crisis

By: Quinton Samuel Julius
Action Against Environmental Challenges (AAEC) – Kono District

Kono District, once known for its lush greenery and abundant natural resources, is today facing an escalating crisis of pollution. From air and water contamination to land degradation and noise pollution, the district’s environment is under relentless assault. The primary culprits are unregulated mining operations — both artisanal and industrial — as well as poor waste management, deforestation, and the absence of environmental accountability.

A Legacy of Exploitation
The environmental problems facing Kono are not new. For decades, mining has been the district’s economic backbone, but it has come at a high environmental cost. The operations of both foreign mining companies and small-scale miners have led to widespread pollution. Toxic chemicals used in mineral extraction seep into rivers and underground water sources, putting thousands of lives at risk. Entire communities depend on these contaminated water bodies for drinking, farming, and domestic use.

Water Pollution: A Silent Killer
Water pollution is perhaps the most alarming form of pollution in Kono. Rivers in kono District — once vital sources of clean water and fish — are now tainted by mining residue, fuel spills, and human waste. Mercury, used in gold mining, and other heavy metals have entered the food chain, threatening both human and animal life. Communities in Gbense, Tankoro, and other chiefdoms regularly report cases of waterborne diseases like cholera, dysentery, and typhoid.
One of the most devasting impacts of the raining season is the pollution of water sources. Waste from open dumpsites, plastic bags, oil spills, human excreta, and toxic mining residue are swept into rivers, streams and underground water systems. The rivers that serve as lifelines for drinking, washing and farming become breeding grounds for diseases.
Every year, as the skies darken and the rains begins to pour across kono District, a hidden crisis worsens- the intensification of environmental pollution. what many view as a season of relief from the dry heat also bring overflowing gutters, contaminated water sources, and widespread diseases. The raining season in kono does not just was the streets- it exposes the fragility of our environment and the consequence of years of neglect.

Air and Noise Pollution: Invisible Threats
The impact of mining on air quality is no less severe. Before this time, the frequent blasting by industrial companies like Koidu Limited releases harmful dust and toxic gases into the atmosphere, posing serious respiratory risks to nearby residents. Artisanal miners also burn large quantities of fuelwood and kerosene in processing minerals, further contributing to air degradation.

Meanwhile, the constant drilling, blasting, and operation of heavy machinery have subjected residents to incessant noise pollution, affecting mental health, sleep quality, and general wellbeing — particularly among children and the elderly.

Land Degradation and Waste Pollution
Kono is now littered with abandoned mining pits, which not only disfigure the landscape but also become breeding grounds for mosquitoes, leading to a surge in malaria cases. Garbage piles up in marketplaces, along roads, and in residential areas due to poor or nonexistent waste collection systems. Plastic pollution is another growing threat — choking streams, farmland, and drainage systems.

A Call to Action
The pollution crisis in Kono District demands immediate, coordinated action. Environmental regulations must be enforced, and mining companies must be held accountable for the damage they cause. There is a pressing need for:

Proper enforcement of environmental laws and mining agreements

Community-led waste management programs

Public education on pollution and sanitation

Sustainable alternatives to current mining practices

Rehabilitation of polluted rivers and degraded land

Conclusion
Kono District cannot afford to remain a cautionary tale of environmental negligence. The pollution crisis is not just an ecological issue — it is a public health emergency, a threat to food and water security, and a barrier to sustainable development. We cannot remain silent while our people walk knee- deep in dirty floodwaters, while our children drink from polluted wells, and while diseases take root where clean water and sanitation should be

Let us protect our land, our water, and our people — before it’s too late.

This is call to conscience. Let us act now. Let clean our environment, enforce waste management laws, hold polluters accountable.

The rain should bless us- not bury us

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QUICK UPATE ON ENVIRONMENTAL CHALENGES IN KONO DISTRICT

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With Ezekiel & Esther Hindovai farmers group. – I just got recognised as one of their top fans! 🎉