Freetown, 5th November 2026: The Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security, Umaru Napoleon Koroma, has assured workers of Marampa Mines Limited that their rights and benefits will be protected as the company proceeds with a restructuring programme that has resulted in redundancies.
Speaking during an engagement with management and staff at the mining company’s operations, Minister Koroma said the government would closely monitor the process to ensure full compliance with the Employment Act, 2023, and safeguard the interests of affected employees.
The meeting brought together officials from the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security, the National Minerals Agency (NMA), Marampa Mines management, union representatives and workers to discuss the impact of the restructuring exercise and the way forward.
Chief Executive Officer of Marampa Mines Holding, Paul Lombard, welcomed the ministerial delegation and thanked the Government for engaging with the company during what he described as a difficult period for both the business and its workforce.
Lombard said the restructuring was part of efforts to position the company for long-term sustainability amid mounting economic pressures. He pointed to rising international freight charges, increased fuel costs and difficult global iron ore market conditions as factors that had significantly affected operations.
Despite the challenges, he said the company remained committed to restarting operations as a stronger and more competitive enterprise. He highlighted gains achieved under the Marampa Reset Programme, including improvements in production performance, plant recovery and operational discipline.
According to Lombard, the restructuring process began with expatriate positions in a bid to achieve a better balance between expatriate and national staff. He said future operations would place greater emphasis on career advancement opportunities for Sierra Leoneans through skills transfer, leadership development and increased national participation in senior positions.
He also praised workers for their calm and cooperative conduct throughout the process, assuring them that management would continue to engage employees transparently and fairly.
Speaking on behalf of the workforce, union representative Mohamed Kabia expressed appreciation for the Minister’s visit, describing it as a significant gesture during a period of uncertainty for employees and their families.
National Minerals Agency representative Ibrahim Sattie Kamara, who stood in for the Minister of Mines and Mineral Resources, said the Government had made efforts to prevent the situation from escalating but acknowledged that some of the challenges facing the company were beyond its control.
He noted that developments at Marampa Mines were of national concern, given the mining sector’s importance to Sierra Leone’s economy, and expressed confidence that the current difficulties would not mark the end of the company’s operations.
For his part, Minister Koroma described the visit as his first official engagement outside Freetown on labour-related issues since assuming office. He acknowledged the hardship facing affected workers and attributed some of the company’s difficulties to wider global economic pressures impacting businesses across the world.
The minister noted that provisions for redundancy were deliberately included in the Employment Act, 2023, to address situations of this nature and ensure that workers are treated fairly whenever such measures become necessary.
He revealed that he had instructed ministry officials to closely supervise the process and ensure that all affected employees receive the protections and benefits due to them under the law.
“Workers’ rights and interests must be protected throughout this process,” he stressed, while commending employees for maintaining peace and patience.
Koroma further disclosed that Marampa Mines management had assured him that all outstanding issues relating to the restructuring exercise would be resolved by the end of November and that affected workers would receive their lawful entitlements.
He encouraged employees to remain hopeful, noting that Marampa Mines remains an important national asset and that opportunities could emerge for some former workers once operations resume.
During the meeting, employees also appealed to management to ensure fair treatment of future workers and create an environment where staff can make meaningful contributions to the company’s growth.
The engagement ended with a commitment from the Ministry of Employment, the National Minerals Agency and Marampa Mines management to continue working together to ensure the restructuring process is conducted transparently, fairly and in accordance with the law, while prioritising the welfare of affected workers.
