The new minister of mines, Mr Julius Mattai has been described as a ‘square peg in a square hole’, meaning that he fits the bill with being the head of mining in Sierra Leone.
Daybreak has been informed that the new Minister of Mines, Julius Mattai holds two MSc degrees (both with distinction) in Geology & Exploration for Mineral Deposits (1992, Ukraine) and Environmental & Earth Resources Management (2001, United Kingdom).
The people have praised the president for recognising the young man who they say have had an exemplary and stellar educational background that is a fit for his substantive position as Minister of Mines.
It can be recalled that Mr Mattai was hired after the president shuffled the former mines minster to the foreign ministry.
‘President Bio couldn’t have made a better appointment for the mines ministry. We are proud of this appointment and we hope that the president will continue to appoint more young people to such positions which will encourage others to attain more in their studies,’ they advised.
Daybreak was informed that the new Mines Minister has a profound working knowledge, experience and expertise in Geology and Mineral Exploration; Mining; Environmental and Natural Resources Management; Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing; Management Information Systems (MIS); Research, Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E); Climate Change (Mitigation and Adaptation); Disaster Risk Reduction and Management; and Health Information Systems (HIS).
Mr. Mattai has a wealth of experience in the minerals sector, having previously served the NMA as Geodata and Information Manager & Director General and provided consultancy services to mining companies and other organisations.
Continuing with his profile, we were informed that Mattai is the Founder/Managing Director of Integrated Geo-information and Environmental Management Services (INTEGEMS) (2011-2019), a multi-disciplinary consultancy firm that provides integrated geo-information; remote sensing; research, monitoring & evaluation; and environmental management services and solutions to various mining companies, private businesses and governmental and non-governmental organisations, including the World Bank, UNDP, UNOPS, UNICEF, etc.
In 2014/2015, Mr. Mattai served as Head of Information Management and MIS/GIS Specialist with the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) and United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS) in Liberia, respectively, where he took responsibility for the implementation of strategic plan for emergency and recovery operations and information management.
From 2008 to 2011, he worked as a Principal Consultant at AEA Technology plc (UK), where he led and managed various multi-disciplinary GIS and environmental management programmes and projects, including the European Union (EU) Infrastructure for Spatial Information in Europe (INSPIRE), Shared Environmental Information Systems (SEIS), Global Monitoring for Environment and Security (GMES) and the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) for the EU Commission (Belgium), European Environment Agency (Denmark), EU Joint Research Centre (Italy) and various Central, Regional and Local Governments in the UK.
From 2002 to 2008, he worked as the Environmental Data Manager for the London Mayor at the Greater London Authority (London, UK), where he managed and provided leadership over departmental and enterprise GIS and environmental data and information management systems for the development, implementation and monitoring of the London Mayor’s Air Quality, Noise, Energy, Waste, Transport and Spatial Development Strategies, including the London Congestion Charge and the London Low Emission Zone Schemes.
Mr. Mattai also worked (1992-2002) as a GIS Data & Information Coordinator and Strategy Officer with the London Boroughs of Camden (UK) and Ealing (UK), respectively. Prior to his career in the UK, Julius worked as a Geologist at the Ingulets Iron Ore Mining & Enrichment Works, Krivoy Rog, Ukraine. Mr. Mattai is very proficient in spoken and written Russian.
We hope that Mr Mattai will leverage his extensive education and work experience in the mining field to better use the proceeds from mining activities ro better the people’s lot. We believe that his appointment has already changed the mining narrative in Sierra Leone. All that is left to be seen is what goodies will come from the mining industry to better the country and her citizens.