A few weeks ago, the Chairman and CEO of Gerald Group Limited, Craig Dean, proudly presented Sierra Leone’s mining landscape and opportunities to potential investors at the Mining Indaba in South Africa. His presentation showcased the impressive achievements of Marampa Mines Limited, a subsidiary of Gerald Group, over the last two years of operations. It was no surprise that shortly afterward, he announced a takeover bid for one of the oldest mining companies.
When news broke of the imminent takeover of Sierra Rutile Limited, a company that has struggled over the years, by Gerald Group, there was jubilation among senior management and community leaders in Moyamba district. They have relied on the mining operations for their livelihoods and job creation.
Citizens in this part of the country believe that the success stories at Marampa Mines can be replicated at Sierra Rutile in Moyamba District under the control of a reputable company like Gerald Group, which has over 60 years of experience in trading precious metals.
“We all witnessed the historic CDA payment made to Marampa Chiefdom last year. Imagine if these kinds of payments had been made to our community over the years; we would have been one of the richest communities in Sierra Leone,” a community stakeholder reiterated.
The Group Chairman and CEO, Craig Dean, through the subsidiary Marampa Mines, has demonstrated an excellent track record of running successful mining operations that have supported the government and people of Sierra Leone. They have met all company obligations to the National Revenue Authority (NRA), contributed to the National Social Security and Insurance Trust (NASSIT) for numerous Sierra Leonean workers, and issued hundreds of scholarships to Sierra Leonean students studying at various tertiary institutions in the country.
Another feather in his cap is the fact that, as CEO of Gerald Group, Craig Dean is complementing President Bio’s human resource development drive through the massive employment of Sierra Leone’s youthful population.
As we went to press, there was jubilation yesterday in Moyamba over the imminent takeover of Sierra Rutile by PRM.
Sierra Rutile Limited was officially founded in December 1971 by Nord Resources and Armco Steel, an American company that was founded over 100 years ago. There are signs that the good old days of Sierra Rutile under American ownership will surely return with the takeover by another reputable American company, Gerald Group, under the leadership of Craig Dean, CEO, and Chairman.”
