An imbroglio between the citizens of the Kodiaran sub-prefecture and the recruitment office that acts as a bridge between the Mandiana mining company (SMM) and the community continues to fuel debate. The members of this office are accused of corruption, in the recruitment process, by the young people and local authorities of Kodiaran, who are demanding their dismissal. After several days of fruitless discussions, the Prefect of Mandiana announced strong measures to put an end to this misunderstanding.
Nothing seems to be going right between the citizens of Kodiaran and the recruitment office set up a few years ago to manage the recruitment process. Accused of corruption in the management of several files, the members of this office no longer inspire confidence in the eyes of young people and local authorities in Kodiaran.
"The current recruitment office is not an office that defends the community. It's all about corruption. We're not against anyone, but we want a change, whatever the origin of the members from the districts of Kodiaran", said Oumar Konaté, a member of the Kodiaran youth bureau.
For his part, Moussa Magassouba, the Kodiaran sub-prefect, is calling for the members of the current recruitment office to be replaced.
"The recruitment office was between the company and the community, but it was riddled with corruption. It's an office that absolutely must be dissolved for the good of the community", he said.
During a crisis meeting held this past weekend at the prefecture, the protesters took turns to express their disappointment with the management of the current recruitment office. In response to these various interventions, the prefect of Mandiana took decisions against the members of the recruitment office.
"There have been too many complaints against this recruitment office for years. So, to find a solution, we've decided to dissolve the recruitment office for dysfunction and have it replaced by another. They will consult among themselves and choose the members of the new office, which will be supervised by the prefecture", insisted Colonel Fodé Soumah.
This decision is not shared by young people in certain districts of Kodiaran, who feel that they were not consulted beforehand by the local authorities.
"Even if it's Kodiaran who orders us, the young people and the authorities should consult us beforehand. But as it is, we can't accept this decision. It was during the meeting that we were informed that the recruitment office was to be dismissed, so we can't associate ourselves with the decisions taken here at the moment", deplored Lamine Konaté, from Kounadou Komana.
Given the way things are going in this locality, many are asking whether this is the start of a new crisis between the Kodiaran sub-prefecture and these districts. In any case, time will tell.