The Government of Liberia (GOL) has expressed grave concern over ongoing protests and tension within some communities of ArcelorMittal Liberia’s (AML) concession area in Nimba County. In a statement, the government said these activities have led to disruptions in the company’s operations and free movement of citizens.
Accordingly, the Government has announced the constitution of an inter-ministerial committee with a mandate to engage all parties involved to find an immediate solution to the situation.
The Committee comprises of the Ministries of Internal Affairs, Justice, Mines and Energy, and Labor along with the National Bureau of Concessions.
The government said it fully supports the legal right to protest; however, it stressed that citizens must be mindful of the need for investments that create jobs and provide livelihood for the Liberia people.
The government also frowns at the misuse of traditional and cultural institutions to intimidate citizens and foreign residents.
There are legitimate channels to express grievances and the Government therefore urges all parties involved to tread the path of dialogue through the established grievance channels in seeking redress.
The government assures AML and all investors of its commitment to maintaining peace and security in their operational areas.
At the same time, stakeholders are urging Vice President Koon, who hails from Nimba, to make a meaningful intervention that states his position clearly on both the protests and the disputed Solway area to restore calm in Nimba and maintain investor confidence.
The Vice President understands that the granting of an exploration license to Solway by the Weah Administration was completely illegal because this area was already concessioned to ArcelorMittal in a Mineral Development Agreement signed by the government.
