Labor Minister Cooper W. Kruah has begun an enforcement action against Bangli, a Chinese mining company operating in Bong Mines. Accordingly, Minister Kruah has issued a 30-day ultimatum for major improvements in workers’ welfare. As part of the enforcement measures, Kruah has also revoked the work permits of four Chinese nationals for allegedly violating the Labor Law.
The move followed a recent strike by Liberian workers and an unannounced tour of the company’s facilities by Minister Kruah and a team of labor inspectors on Friday, November 14, 2025. The visit reportedly uncovered gaps in workers’ safety, welfare, sanitation, and compliance with labor regulations, issues the Minister described as unacceptable.
During the engagement with workers and company executives, Minister Kruah ordered Bangli to construct or fully develop a clinic within 30 days. The facility, he insisted, must be equipped with an ambulance service and staffed by a Liberian nurse or doctor to respond to workplace emergencies. He noted that an on-site clinic with qualified Liberian personnel would not only reduce health risks for employees but also ensure timely medical attention for injuries and work-related incidents. “You must have a clinic and an ambulance here for your employees,” he emphasized. “It doesn’t have to be big, but it must be available whenever your workers fall sick or get hurt.”
In addition to the health facility, Bangli was given two weeks to provide adequate safety gear, including PPEs, helmets, boots, and gloves, items workers say have been insufficient despite the hazardous nature of the mining environment.
The Labor Minister also mandated the construction of proper toilet facilities and a borehole within 60 days, stressing that clean water and sanitation are fundamental to maintaining a healthy workforce. He added that any delays would be seen as a disregard for the rights and dignity of Liberian workers.
Another lingering concern raised by the workers was the lack of clarity in social security deductions. Minister Kruah instructed Bangli’s management to adopt a more transparent system to ensure employees receive their social security cards and benefits without delay. While acknowledging the company’s effort in providing transportation, meals, and drinking water to workers, the Minister appealed for long-term housing facilities within the concession area, although he gave a more flexible timeline for that project.
However, the turning point of the visit came when Minister Kruah discovered four Chinese nationals performing carpentry work on a makeshift structure near the facility’s entrance, work that their permits did not authorize. The Minister immediately ordered their details taken and announced the revocation of their work permits on the spot.
The individuals, identified as Li Shuat Hua, Zhang Hong Wei, Zhang Wei Chai and another unnamed worker who fled the scene, are expected to receive official revocation letters. Minister Kruah warned Bangli’s management that failure to produce the identity of the escaped worker would be considered as harboring undocumented foreign employees, an offense punishable under Liberian labor law.
He reminded the company that while President Joseph Nyuma Boakai welcomes foreign investment, his administration will not tolerate violations of labor regulations or practices that undermine Liberian workers. “We want companies to operate, but they must do so with transparency and dignity for labor,” the Minister emphasized.
In response, Bangli’s General Manager, Lyu Wen Yin, thanked the delegation for the visit and pledged full compliance with the Ministry’s directives. He disclosed that the company is already constructing five toilet facilities and has a clinic staffed by a Chinese doctor, but will now consider employing a Liberian medical practitioner as recommended.
Wen Yin also reiterated Bangli’s commitment to improving sanitation, expanding housing facilities for workers, and ensuring a smooth working relationship with labor authorities and employees. He noted that the company currently employs more than 160 Liberians and over 50 Chinese nationals, and plans to invest millions into its operations in Liberia.
The workers’ union president, Sam Kpehe, acknowledged sanitation challenges and concerns over social security deductions but also commended the company for providing meals, water, and transportation services. He urged management to ensure workers receive their social security cards promptly. Minister Kruah’s intervention comes just days after the workers staged a strike over welfare concerns, marking a sharp escalation in the government’s enforcement approach towards labor compliance in foreign-owned companies operating in Liberia.
