Sierra Leone residents worry about Chinese-funded harbor

Sierra Leone residents are opposed to converting a village into an industrial harbor, fearing the Chinese-funded project will destroy forests and pollute the ocean.
35 kilometers south of Freetown, the village of Black Johnson is nestled among the sands, surrounded by primeval rainforest, home to chimpanzees and rare birds.

Besides being the tourist attraction of Sierra Leone, the turquoise lagoon with palm trees here is also a seasonal breeding ground for fish and turtles. In May, however, the Sierra Leone government announced plans to build a fishing port and processing complex in the village. The project has raised concerns about its devastating effects on the local landscape, threatening animal species and polluting the environment. AFP . Black Johnson is the proposed site for the construction of an industrial harbor in Sierra Leone. Photo: Handout. Consequences of China’s “investment” Sierra Leone’s Fisheries Ministry said China is funding a $55 million project to build a fishing port to create jobs and support the local fishing industry in the poor country. But, instead of winning praise, Beijing’s actions are causing controversy in the African country. Mr. Tommy Gbandewa, also known as Tito, the owner of the eco-lodge, is leading the opposition to the plan to build on green plots. “If the Chinese come here, the environment will stink. The beaches will stink,” he said. “The water here will be dirty because of engine oil and a lot of noise, fishing boats will be everywhere.” This controversy is at the heart of a longstanding source of tension in Sierra Leone, between development advocates and conservationists on the other. Opposition is heightened as the government is looking to promote ecotourism to boost its economy. Eco-lodge owner Tommy Gbandewa is leading the charge against a Chinese-funded harbor construction plan. Photo: AFP. Sierra Leone is one of the world’s poorest countries and is still recovering from a civil war that claimed the lives of about 120,000 people nearly two decades ago. Although there are rich fishing grounds, the exploitation of fishery resources in this country is still limited. Not only that, according to Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Fisheries, in May, there were about 140 foreign fishing boats catching the country’s fish. These ship owners then processed and sold Sierra Leone’s seafood abroad “with little or no benefit to Sierra Leone”. Even so, despite receiving Beijing’s funding to build a modern fishing pier, the ambiguity in the implementation plan made locals wary. Some believe that the Chinese investors intend to build the fishmeal factory, although the government of Sierra Leone has denied the allegation with AFP . In recent times, a series of fishmeal factories have mushroomed along the West African coast. These factories harvest large quantities of seafood and often release foul-smelling waste, polluting water sources, wreaking havoc on the local environment and hindering tourism development. The fishmeal factory emits toxic waste that is a threat to local communities in Sierra Leone. Photo: Handout. Fishermen’s association spokesman Wudie Bakie Koroma said he would support the harbor construction if taken seriously. “If the fishmeal production (factory) is included in the project, we will firmly oppose it,” he stressed. Against this backdrop, the Chinese diplomat in the capital Freetown Du Zijun announced that the new Chinese-invested project is to build a harbor, not a “fishmeal factory”. “The accusations of not caring about protecting the environment and destroying the ecological environment are purely sensational hypothetical information,” he added. “We have a right to the land” Immediately after the news that the government signed a $ 55 million agreement with Beijing for China to build a project on 100 hectares of exposed sea and forest, locals have repeatedly petitioned to reverse the government’s decision. Mr. Tito said discontent was widespread. Government officials arrived with armed men to survey the construction site. “But I’m Sierra Leone and I have a right to the land,” Mr Tito said. In the wake of the controversy, Fisheries Minister Emma Kowa Jalloh, on a recent visit to the Black Johnson village, promised landowners would be compensated. According to the minister, the Chinese government will provide “subsidy” to build the project, while the government of Sierra Leone invests with land. Half of the required land area is owned by the state, the rest will be taken through the decision to acquire. “We are not occupying land,” she said, noting that the project was “very necessary” to create jobs for thousands of people. The new project is expected to be built in the village of Black Johnson. Photo: AFP. However, Dr Sama Banya, honorary president of the Sierra Leone Conservation Society, said the project would have a “catastrophic” impact on tourism and the fishing industry. Environmental NGO Green Scenery accused the government of failing to properly account for the project’s environmental impact and urged the plan to be scrapped. “Black Johnson is the only ecotourism site left in Freetown, we need to protect it,” said organization director Joseph Rahall. However, not all locals are against the harbor planning. Village chief Pa Lamin Kargbo said the port could help improve places where people still face daily shortages of water, electricity and schools. He explained that much of the friction with the government is due to a lack of dialogue. “We are calling for a peaceful resolution of the problem, so that everyone is a winner,” he said.