Top: An aerial view of the Marbon Community Forest from Meskina Town. The DayLight/Samuel T. Jabba
By Samuel Jabba and Philip Quwebin
JAWAJEH, Grand Cape Mount County – On one Monday in March 2022, the Marbon Community Forest signed a logging contract with Kisvan Timber Corporation, an Indian-owned firm. The agreement allows Kisvan to operate the 18,680-hectare forest in exchange for development in local communities. Established in 2021, it is the first contract for Marbon Community Forest in Gola Konneh District, Grand Cape Mount.
Now, four years into the contract, Kisvan is failing to deliver on its obligations. By now, Kisvan should have undertaken 45 projects across communities, including schools, hand pumps and roads. It has yet to fulfill those promises, according to townspeople.
“Some of the things we agreed to do in one year have passed, some of the things we agreed to do in two years have passed, and even in three years have passed,” said Mohammed Daramie, Marbon’s chief officer. An official monthly report published last February confirmed Daramie and the townspeople’s claims.
It was unclear how much Kisvan owes Marbon, as neither Daramie nor Kisvan responded to queries about payments. However, a review of the contract, official records and the interviews with townspeople provides a clue.
Members of Marbon’s community assembly—the highest decision-making body in community forestry—said they received L$100,000 (US$588) since Kisvan began its operations. They heard that Kisvan paid money into Marbon’s account but had not seen any receipts.
The revelation is a far cry from the contract, which requires Kisvan to pay Marbon US$219,210 each year in training, healthcare, land rental fees, and forest monitoring, according to The DayLight’s analysis of the contract.
Daramie confirmed payments were made but did not say the amount. He promised to share payment documents but did not turn out at his office the next day and did not return calls or text messages.
Regardless, official records show that Kisvan exported at least 4,730 cubic meters of timber between 2024 and this August. That is an additional US$14,190 to Marbon, per the contract, bringing the total to roughly US$233,400.
In addition to payment issues, Kisvan did not respond to other questions for comment. Beginning in September, reporters contacted the companies’ executives via letters, WhatsApp messages, and texts, but got no replies. However, last year, Van Ngo, Kisvan’s CEO, blamed the global timber market for the company’s struggle to pay its debt.
The Forestry Development Authority (FDA), too, did not respond to inquiries about approving Kisvan’s exports while the firm is indebted to the Marbon. Forestry Regulation on Forest Fees bars a company from exporting when it owes the government or a community.
The official monthly report urges the FDA to be “more operational” in paying communities. It suggests the agency requires companies to upload receipts to communities in LiberTrace, the system that tracks timber before export.
‘Liars’
Reporters visited six of Marbon’s 36 landowning communities to find out more about contractual projects.
In Jawajeh, which hosts Kisvan headquarters, the contract’s failure lay bare. The town is supposed to have four hand pumps, four toilets, and a school, according to a community assembly member who represents the town. However, it is not the case. There are no Kisvan-built water facilities here, and people defecate in a nearby creek.
“One thing I know about Kisvan is that they are liars. No latrine, no safe drinking water, and no school. Every time we call to meet with them, Kisvan will always come with stories,” said Memah Kemokai, chairperson of Jawajeh Town.
“We are suffering, while we are surrounded by riches.”
Daramie acknowledged that Kisvan failed on some of its contract terms. However, he said that Marbon’s resolution did not capture Jawajeh, adding that the town’s representative did not present a proposal. Per the contract, Kisvan should construct two roads by 2023, a school by 2024, and eight hand pumps each year up to 2027. Nevertheless, communities can also decide to build other schools from the land rental and harvesting fees Kisvan pays.
The situation in Jawajeh is the same as in Meskina. A more populous and larger town, and closest to the forest, Meskina does not have any schools, in addition to lacking hand pumps and toilets. The closest school from here is in Kinjor, a famous mining town, about an hour away on a motorbike.
“We’re supposed to get some of our benefits by now, but there’s nothing yet,” said Alex Kamara, a Meskina resident.
No roads
Hand pumps, toilets and schools aside, roads are Marbon’s biggest problem. The worst stretch of the road is in Macca, the headquarters of the Darblo Clan, which hosts the forest. The contract requires Kisvan to maintain all roads in the area.
Yet no roads have been paved. A major bridge on the road leading to Macca is broken. Reporters saw motorcycle-taxi drivers pushing their vehicles across the water, while townspeople either jumped over culverts or stepped in the water to cross. The motorcycle-taxi driver carrying reporters fell into the water at the broken bridge.
Jenneh Brown, a large town next to Macca and home to a Kisvan log yard, faces the same obstacles. Thick, red mud makes the road leading to the town nearly impassable.
“Kisvan promised to construct the road from Jenneh Brown to Sinje Town and Marbon Wanga, but they failed to do the road rehabilitation,” said Zinah Boakai, a community assembly member. “I’m disappointed with the projects.”
Marbon is not Kisvan’s first struggle with a logging contract. Kisvan had similar circumstances with the Central Morweh Community Forest in River Cess County, where it did not complete several projects and delayed payments.
Ultimately, Kisvan and Central Morweh terminated the contract by mutual consent. After the termination, the River Cess community opted to conserve the forest, while Kisvan signed a new deal with the Bondi Mandingo Community Forest in Gbarpolu County to add to Marbon.
[Additional reporting by Philip Quwebin]
This story was produced with support from Internews’ Earth Journalism Network.
