KPATAWEE CLAN, Bong County — Police in Bong County Saturday ordered the temporary closure of the Kpatawee Waterfalls in Suakoko due to security concerns, after residents staged a protest against the management of Jalk Enterprise for reportedly violating the terms and conditions enshrined in a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the leadership of Bong County in December 2019.
By Selma Lomax, [email protected]
According to the commander of the Bong County Police Detachment, Fasu Sheriff, the police issued the order to close the waterfalls after intelligence indicated the closure could lessen the chance of violence and destruction of the facility.
“Our intelligence has established that ninety percent of the demonstrators have weapons with them, which is bad. Since residents are protesting that Madam Josephine Salee should no longer operate at the place despite entering into a Memorandum of Understanding with the county leadership, we will shut the facility until there is an understanding between residents and the management,” he said.
Continuing, he added: “As advised by the lawmaker of the district, Eugine Kollie, we are appealing to residents of the town to remove the logs placed on the road to give free access to others we use the route. The police will ensure Madam Josephine Salee leaves ahead of any pending discussion with you people.”
“I want to appreciate the lawmaker of this district for arriving on the scene at a very crucial time to talk to his people. Had he not come it would have been almost impossible for us to calm the situation.”
The Kpatawee Waterfalls, according to Fasu, will not be opened to guests and tourists until the issue with residents of the Clan and the management of Jalk Enterprise is resolved.
He said security personnel will be deployed to safeguard the entire premises as the parties involved go on the roundtable to resolve the matter.
Fasue warned residents to stay away from the facility as anyone seen around without the consent of security will be arrested and investigated.
Jalk Enterprise, owned by Madam Salee, entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with then Superintendent Esther Walker to take over the running of the waterfalls for the period of ten years with terms and conditions except for the distribution of the resources, depending on the economic situation situation and income generated by the waterfalls, as enshrined in section one.
Section Four of the Memorandum of Understanding also allows Jalk Enterprise to operate on ten acres of land within the range and surroundings. But on Saturday, residents blocked the main entrance to the Kpatawee Waterfalls using felled trees, accusing the management of Jalk Enterprise of bad labor practice and encroaching on their farmland.
Fatorma S. Momo, resident of Kpatawee, accused Madam Salee of abusing their women who are doing hire at the waterfall. “Besides encroaching on our land, our women who work at the facility are being abused by Madam Salee no reason. That’s has been happening since she took over the facility. We are angry an want to protest to show to her that our women are not slaves,” he said.
Derrick Sampson, another Kpatawee resident, said. “Since Jalk Enterprise took over the Kpatawee Waterfalls, we have not had access to our farmland, a situation that is forcing us to strive for our daily bread. We had thought the coming of a company would have helped us but it’s a different case because we are suffering.”
Madam Salee couldn’t be reached for clarity up to press time.
Upon hearing about the protest, District #5 Representative, Eugene Kollie rushed to the scenes of the protest and appealed to citizens to calm down and dialogue the issue.
Rep. Kollie admitted that the plights of his people were important and legitimate but said it requires time and engagements to settle the situation.
He also disclosed that his office earlier invited Madam Salee for meeting when the citizens first wrote him, but the Jalk Enterprise CEO refused to show up.
Rep. Kollie promised not to rest on the issue until he sees a positive outcome to please his people who feel aggrieved by the operations of the company.
