By: Josephine Nyeweah in Kenema district
In fulfillment of one of its corporate social responsibilities, a team from the Gola Rainforest Conservation Limited by Guarantee (GRC_LG) operates in seven chiefdoms: Gaura, Nomo, Koya, and Tunkia chiefdoms in Kenema district, Malema chiefdom in Kailahun district, and Bari and Makpele chiefdoms in Pujehun districts in the southern and eastern parts of the country.
The team is roving the seven chiefdoms in the regions, giving out the yearly cash support to chiefdom authorities that are comprised of chiefdom speakers, section chiefs, Forest Edge Communities (FECs) town chiefs, and Mammy Queens for 2024.
Siaka Musa Swaray Community Development and Livelihood Supervisor Gola Rainforest Conservation Limited by Guarantee (GRC_LG) called on the community people of the National Park chiefdoms in the Southern and Eastern Regions to continue doing their best support in protecting the forests in their chiefdoms for their own benefit and for national development.
He assured them all of continuous community benefits as long as they continued conserving their forest.
He made these calls during the yearly cash support exercise for 2024 to all the National Park chiefdom authorities in the Regions.
Siaka Musa Swaray further disclosed that for 2024 yearly cash support for the seven chiefdoms, meaning seven chiefdom speakers each taking home $150 equivalent to 3,300 NL, which totals to $1,050 or equivalent to 2,3100 NL.
Seven Mammy Queens each bagging $150 or 3,300 NL.
39 section chiefs each bagging $125 or 2,750 NL total $4,875 or 107,250 NL.
120 Forest Edge Communities (FECs) chiefs each bagging $100 or equivalent to 2,200 NL Total $12,000 or 264,000 NL.
Ground total for the yearly cash support for 2024 sums up to $18,975 or 417,450 NL.
The Paramount Chief of Gaura chiefdom Kenema district, PC Alhaji Sandi Mohamed Koroma Gbatekaka, the fifth, assured (GRC_LG) of his chiefdom’s fullest corporation in conserving the forest, adding all the chiefdoms in the two regions are still benefiting from (GRC_LG) in the areas of education, health, infrastructure, and welfare. He promised to enforce the bye laws in Gaura chiefdom for the protection of the forest.
