CTC Mining Company Exposed For Traffic, Labour and Mineral Law Violations
By VOS Investigation Desk
Inside this year, CTC Mining Company, a company granted a licence to undertake bauxite exploration in Sierra Leone, has found itself at the centre of a series of controversies over alleged violations of the country’s laws. Within a matter of months, the company has been linked to issues involving the Traffic Act, the Employment Act, and the Mines and Minerals Development Act, raising serious questions about its compliance with regulatory standards and corporate responsibility.
Earlier this year, officials of the Sierra Leone Road Safety Authority (SLRSA) intercepted several unregistered vehicles and heavy-duty machines belonging to CTC Mining Company at its operational site. The equipment was reportedly operating with Guinean number plates without meeting Sierra Leone’s registration requirements. SLRSA officials subsequently impounded the vehicles until the company complied with the country’s registration procedures, exposing what critics described as a blatant disregard for the nation’s traffic regulations.
Barely months after that incident, the company again came under public scrutiny when workers accused management of failing to pay their salaries for several months. The complaints prompted the intervention of the Ministry of Employment, Labour and Social Security, which reportedly engaged the company and urged it to settle the outstanding payments.
According to reports, CTC Mining has since paid two months’ salary arrears, while one month’s wages remain unpaid. Under the Employment Act 2023, employers are required to pay workers at regular intervals, typically by the end of each monthly payroll cycle. Failure or refusal to pay wages on time constitutes a breach of workers’ statutory rights to fair and timely remuneration, making the allegations against the company particularly concerning.
The latest controversy centres on the company’s apparent failure to comply with provisions of the Mines and Minerals Development Act 2022 regarding the suspension of mining operations. During a recent media engagement, representatives of CTC Mining reportedly admitted that the company suspended its operations in April this year.
While the law permits mining companies to suspend operations under exceptional circumstances, such suspension must be formally placed under a “Care and Maintenance” programme. The Act also requires companies to notify the National Minerals Agency (NMA) and publicly announce the suspension to inform workers, host communities, stakeholders, and the general public.
However, there has been no publicly available notice from CTC Mining announcing the suspension of its operations. If confirmed, such an omission would raise serious compliance concerns under the Mines and Minerals Development Act and further deepen questions about the company’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
For many observers, the recurring controversies paint a troubling picture of a company repeatedly finding itself on the wrong side of Sierra Leone’s regulatory framework. From alleged traffic violations to labour disputes and now questions over compliance with mining regulations, CTC Mining has faced growing criticism over what many describe as a pattern of disregard for the country’s laws.
As public pressure mounts, attention is now turning to the National Minerals Agency and other regulatory institutions to determine whether further investigations or enforcement actions will follow. Stakeholders argue that if Sierra Leone is serious about promoting responsible mining and protecting the rights of workers and host communities, no company—regardless of its size or investment—should be allowed to operate above the law.
