By Dadson A. Musa

The rainy season in Sierra Leone often brings perilous conditions, and this year’s heavy downpours have heightened risks for commuters in the Sierra Rutile mining community. A critical road connecting the mine site to Mogbwemo town is on the verge of collapse, threatening the safety and livelihoods of residents. The road, situated near an artificial dam constructed years ago by the Sierra Rutile Mining Company, has developed severe cracks due to the dam’s levy weakening under the pressure of overflowing water caused by relentless rainfall. As a result, the road is now impassable, severely disrupting local traffic.

“This is just one of several roads affected this rainy season, alongside numerous other disaster areas linked to rutile mining,” said Peter Sao Gbonje, a local radio reporter based in the mining community. The situation has left residents anxious, hindering their ability to carry out essential activities such as farming and other businesses.

Efforts to contact the Sierra Rutile Mining Company’s communications officer for details on plans to address this crisis were unsuccessful, as the officer is not based at the mining site. The community urgently awaits solutions to restore safe access and mitigate the growing risks posed by the damaged infrastructure.

Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday,6th August 2025 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)