By Elijah M. Boimah
GRAND CAPE MOUNT – The leadership saga in Gold Camp, a densely populated mineral-rich town in Laar Clan of Gola Konneh District, in Grand Cape Mount County remains far from being over, as efforts to quell the feud has for the second time, ended in deadlock.
An initiative to broker peace spearheaded by Gola Konneh District Commissioner, Alfred Gbellay Varney, and Paramount Chief Momo Thomason, failed to meet its desired goal over the weekend, according to our reporter in Grand Cape Mount County.
It’s almost a month, and the dust is yet to settle over who becomes Gold Camp’s next Town Chief, a post which occupation has become contentious among citizens of the area.
On 5 October, citizens and residents of Gold Camp woke up to a protest action from some citizens calling themselves “Concerned Youths of Gold Camp.”
The protesters who are opposed to Town Chief Alexander Haines leadership, called for his immediate resignation, setting up road blocks throughout the town, and allegedly chased away pro-Haines supporters.
It was alleged that the protesters reportedly attacked the home of Town Chief Haines, broke into it, and allegedly made away with some valuables, allegations the head of the protesters, head Madam Konah Yoko, a former Town Chief of Gold Camp has since vehemently refuted.
As the protest intensified, Grand Cape Mount County Superintendent Foley Kiatamba instructed the Statutory Superintendent of Gola Konneh and Porkpa Districts, Kebelu Konneh, to put the situation under control.
Thereafter, due to the intervention of Statutory Superintendent Konneh; former Statutory Development Superintendent, Abraham Fofana; and Lofa Bridge Police Commander, Chris Dowah; the protestation was halted, but with the leadership saga still lingering.
The protest action that day did not only claim the attention of Superintendent Kiatamba, but may have also aggravated the traditional people, as late on 5 October, none traditional members were forced indoors, with the “Bush Master” otherwise called Jacques Klein taking over the town, compelling all protesters whether traditional members or not, to exit the main streets of Gold Camp.
Following the traditional people taking seize of the matter regarding the disturbances related to the leadership saga at Gold Camp, Commissioner Varney, Paramount Chief Thomas, Grand Cape Mount former Superintendent Aaron Bonokai Vincent, and Statutory Superintendent Konneh, among others, visited the town to ascertain what had gone wrong.
At a town’s meeting to ascertain the occurrences of the day, the protesters accused embattled Town Chief Haines of selling slots for job opportunities given the community by Bea Mountain Mining Corporation.
“In the Town Chief office, you have to register [with] US$50.00 before you can even be considered for job with Bea Mountain. Besides, Town Chief Haines has failed to call a single town meeting to discuss the progress of the town with the residents of the town,” Madam Yoko, the ringleader of the protesters alleged.
According to the “Concerned Youth of Gold Camp”, they had written the Town Chief asking him not to allow Bea Mountain perform what they termed its second sacrifice for the opening of another pit at Nblama Mines until citizens of the town sit with the company’s management team and tell them what they need, as a directly affected community without basic social necessities like clinic, high school, safe drinking water, among others.
Contrary to their request, “Concerned Youth of Gold Camp” claimed that Town Chief Haines ignored their communication and proceeded with the rites or sacrifice for the opening of another pit at Nblama Mines.
In response to the protesters’ claims, Town Chief Haines denied any wrongdoings including selling slots for job, ignoring a communication form the “Concerned Youth of Gold Camp” and/or directly approving the traditional rites for the opening of another pit at Nblama Mines.
Despite Haines’s efforts to clarify the contentious issues raised by the members of the “Concerned Youth of Gold Camp”, it seemed the protesters minds were made up, as they further demanded that he be suspended and an Acting Town Chief be put in charge.
Haines was however suspended and General Town Chief Beh Gondor-Ward Thomas Faylajuah was appointed to serve as Acting Town Chief of Gold Camp.
The Acting Town Chief was mandated to properly probe into the matters between the “Concerned Youth of Gold Camp” and suspended Town Chief Haines and report findings to the Offices of the District Commissioner and Paramount Chief respectively.
According to our reporters, Acting Town Chief Faylajuah assisted by Laar Clan Project Management Committee Chairman, Charles D. Cooper, probed into the matters few weeks ago and reported their findings as instructed, and last Thursday was the day set aside for the verdict in the Town Chief saga.
During last Thursday’s gathering held at Cape Mount’s District Headquarters Tahn, it was anticipated as to whom to be Gold Camp’s next Town Chief would have been decided, with many preferring a power-sharing leadership headed by Madam Yoko, the ringleader of the protesters as the new Town Chief and suspended Town Chief Haine being her Assistant. But that was not the case, as a decision to reinstate Haines was resisted by Madam Yoko and members of her “Concerned Youth of Gold Camp.”
“We are not here to say who’s wrong or right in this matter. We want you all to remain calm as Alexander Haines resumes His duties as Town Chief,” those presiding over the meeting ruled, but the decision to reinstate Haines was greeted by stiff resistance from the “Concerned Youth of Gold Camp”, occasioned by uproar that brought the meeting to a premature end, amid demand from the protesters for their ringleader to instead be enthroned as Town Chief, a demanded that was also objected by a local group named Civilized Sons of Laar Clan, on ground that Yoko is a party to the conflict and should not be an option for such leadership post.
With the Thursday’s meeting meant to settle the Gold Camp leadership impasse ending in deadlock, last Sunday was selected as the next day for a meeting expected to quell the matter, but that too did not materialize, as our reporter who attended the last weekend’s reported that the parties failed to reach common ground, leading to Saturday, 2 November 2024 being picked as the new date for the settlement of the Gold Camp leadership squabble.
Edited by Olando Testimony Zeongar
