By Sorie Sesay
Women on Mining and Extractives (WoME) has raised concerns over inadequate capacity, weak accountability and limited transparency in the management of mining-related community development funds in Sierra Leone.
The concerns are contained in a research report launched on Wednesday, September 2, 2026, at the Council of Churches in Sierra Leone Hall on Kingharman Road, Brookfields, Freetown, with support from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ).
The research assessed the capacity, transparency, accountability and gender responsiveness of Community Development Committees responsible for managing mining funds in six mining operational areas across Kenema, Bonthe, Kono, Moyamba, Port Loko and Tonkolili districts.
Speaking at the launch, WoME Executive Director Esther Kandeh said the research focused particularly on Community Development Agreement Funds and the committees responsible for managing them.
Kandeh said the findings show that many Community Development Committees lack adequate training to effectively perform their roles and responsibilities, while significant gaps remain in the transparency and accountability of mining funds.
She said several committees lack the capacity to properly report on how funds are spent and to monitor development projects implemented in their communities.
According to Kandeh, most of the projects financed through the funds are construction-related projects.
She further noted that under Sierra Leone’s Mines and Minerals Development Act, one percent of the turnover of mining companies is expected to return to communities where mining operations are conducted.
However, she raised concerns over the level of women’s participation in decisions relating to the management of community development funds, saying women account for only about 20 percent of participation in agreements concerning the funds.
Kandeh also pointed to poor road networks and low living standards in several mining communities, saying these conditions continue to disproportionately affect residents, particularly women.
Meanwhile, GIZ Head of Regional Programme Max-Emanuel Hatzold said the organisation would continue supporting WoME because of its efforts to improve outcomes for communities affected by mining activities.
Hatzold said communities in areas where minerals are extracted do not always receive sufficient benefits from the resources taken from their localities.
He called on stakeholders to ensure that mining communities benefit meaningfully from mining activities and that funds earmarked for community development are managed transparently and accountably.
Also speaking at the launch, National Coordinator of the Sierra Leone Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (SLEITI), Mohamed Baimba Koroma, described the report as timely and important to the country’s extractive sector.
Koroma said mining revenues should not only contribute to national development but must also translate into tangible benefits for communities where mining activities take place.
He stressed that effective Community Development Committees are essential to ensuring that mining operations deliver sustainable benefits to local communities.
Koroma said transparency and accountability in the extractive sector should extend beyond the disclosure of payments made by mining companies at the national level.
He said citizens and mining communities should be able to know how funds allocated for their development are received, managed and converted into projects and services.
Koroma welcomed the report’s focus on capacity, transparency, accountability and gender responsiveness, describing them as key areas for strengthening community participation and improving the management of mining-related funds.
He said the findings and recommendations could provide useful evidence for policymakers, mining companies, local authorities, Community Development Committees, civil society organisations and mining communities.
Koroma also assured that SLEITI is prepared to work with relevant stakeholders to promote greater disclosure, citizen participation and accountability in the management of Sub-National Mining Revenues and Community Development Funds.
He commended WoME for conducting the research and GIZ for supporting the initiative, while urging stakeholders to study the findings and translate the report’s recommendations into practical actions.
