By: Josephine Nyeweah in Kenema district
Land-owning families of the Gola Ŕainforest Conservation Limited by Guarantee National Park have received the 2024 royalty from the Gola Ŕainforest Conservation Limited by Guarantee GRC-LG.
Gola Ŕainforest Conservation Limited by Guarantee is operating in all the seven chiefdoms that make up the national park.
Baarry and Makpele chiefdoms in Pujehun district, Southern Sierra Leone; Nomo, Koya, Tunkia, and I Gaura chiefdoms in Kenema district; Malema chiefdom in Kailahun district, Eastern Sierra Leone.
Two hundred and forty three (243) landowning families from the seven chiefdoms have benefited from the money and have plans to use the money judiciously to develop themselves and their family members in diverse ways.
The 2024 royalty payment of Fifty six thousand United States Dollars (US$56,000), equivalent to One hundred thousand, two hundred and thirty two (1,232,00.00) Leones, is directly meant for themselves and is to be used according to family needs.
The organization Gola Ŕainforest Conservation Limited by Guarantee (GRCLG) is operating in the two regions with the aim of continuing the protection of the forests for the benefits of all and sundry.
There are about 243 landowning families across the seven Gola chiefdoms.
The head of GRC-LG Fomba Kanneh always assured his audience of continued support for the seven Gola chiefdoms in the two regions of support and appealed to all to be honest in the protection of the forests.
Wuya Sheriff of Belebu in the Tunkia chiefdom is one of the beneficiaries of the 2024 royalty payment in Gorahun town, Tunkia chiefdom, Kenema district. She expressed her happiness and extended thanks and appreciation to GRCLG and its partners for their continued support for the Gola Ŕainforest families in the two regions, adding the payment came at the right time at this point in time under the global crises.
She appealed to her family members to continue supporting GRC-LG in the protection of the forests, as the community stands to benefit more by strictly obeying the bylaws of the community for the protection of the forests.
Most of the rural communities that lack safe drinking water, schools, culverts and bridges, health centers, and village barays, among others, are now available in their localities due to the intervention of GRC-LG over the years.
Each family member uses the royalty money in diverse ways; some undertake infrastructural development and support their children, among other family interventions.
She points out that each community has a Community Development Committee (CDC) comprised of ten members from the community that direct the use of any benefits in the interest of all.
Sheriff narrate that since the Gola Ŕainforest Conservation Limited by Guarantee entered their communities some years ago with the aim of teaming up with the community members in the protection of their forests in all aspects, there has been some improvement in terms of basic needs.
Community Development and Livelihood Superintendent GRCLG Amadu Jusu assured all that as long as the community people continue to stand behind the byelaws agreement in the protection of the forests, more benefit will continue to come into their communities.
He said there exist community forests and the reserved forests to be protected always by law.
Currently, GRCLG is implementing the RED Carbon project that does not deprive the community of not entering the national park, but with caution not to destroy the forests.
Certain activities referred to as illegal activities are not allowed in the reserved forests, like farming, mining, fishing with the use of chemicals, charcoal burning, and logging, among others.
Other corporate social responsibility interventions include the yearly Community Development Funds, payment of royalties to Paramount chiefs, and the local councils in the two regions, among others.
The community is poised in the protection of the God-given natural reserve.
