In a significant development, homeowners in the Chinese Quarry area of Mambo are facing an urgent call to halt construction work and immediately demolish their buildings. This directive comes as the government declared the area a disaster-prone zone on Wednesday, March 6th, 2024, prompting swift action from the Ministry of Lands and Country Planning.

The decision was catalyzed by a viral social media video on Tuesday night, which depicted falling rocks and debris from a hilltop onto nearby unfinished mansions. Following this alarming footage, the Deputy Minister of Lands, accompanied by forest guards, marked the homes for demolition and pasted notices instructing residents to vacate, demolish, and report to the ministry.

Abdul Koroma, Chairperson of the Chinese quarry site, highlighted the origin of the issue, stating that the China Railway Seventh Group had initiated stone mining on the hill for road construction five years ago. However, the aftermath has led to severe environmental repercussions, with water surfacing from the ground due to the now crushed and abandoned hill. Koroma emphasized that the affected area spans approximately 10 kilometers from the residents' dwellings.

Contrary to rumors circulating on social media, Koroma clarified that there have been no reported deaths or casualties in the community. He recounted an incident where a resident stone miner identified a large stone on the hill, volunteered to remove it, and informed fellow miners before taking action. However, the stone, when pushed down the hill with an iron rod, inadvertently landed on the mining site.

Prompt response from government officials, including military personnel, ensued the following morning. Among the affected residents is Mariama Seray Kamara, whose shanty structure was marked for demolition. Kamara, whose livelihood depends on selling cold sachet water and beverages, faces uncertain times ahead. Similarly, stone miner Ramatu Turay, with a decade of experience in the trade, expressed concern over the sudden halt in their livelihood, mentioning that customers, including the Chinese, purchased stones at Le3,500 per headpan.

During the ministry’s site visit, they identified more than 10 houses, some of which were unfinished, with claims that permits were granted by the ministry itself. The ripple effect extends to over a hundred women who depend on stone mining in the community, all of whom are now seeking alternative solutions.