The Plenary of the Liberian Senate on Tuesday, MAY 27, 2025, received a formal communication from Senator J. Alex Tyler, Senator of Bomi County and Chairman of the Western Region Legislative Caucus, raising serious concerns about the operations of Western Cluster Liberia Limited (WCL).
Western Cluster Liberia Limited (WCL) is an iron Ore Mining Company operating in the western part of Liberia. In his communication, Senator Tyler presented a formal complaint detailing what he described as the gross violation of the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) signed between the Government of Liberia and Western Cluster.
According to him, the company has engaged in activities that not only undermine the terms of the agreement but also disregard the welfare of citizens residing in the affected counties, namely Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu Counties, respectively.
Senator Tyler accused Western Cluster of operating outside the bounds of its contractual obligations, specifically pointing to the company’s failure to make social development and community payments owed to the people of Bomi County and the Western Region.
He stressed that despite numerous engagements and public expectations, the company has failed to meet its financial commitments, yet has allegedly commenced preparations to resume operations without settling its outstanding obligations or renegotiating terms with affected stakeholders.
“The people of Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu have waited patiently for justice. The company continues to exploit our resources while refusing to deliver on its promises,” Senator Tyler asserted.
He emphasized that the company’s behavior reflects disrespect not only for the local population but for the authority of the Liberian state, and at the same time called for immediate legislative intervention.
Following the reading of the communication, Senator Edwin M. Snowe Jr., also of Bomi County and a member of the Western Region Legislative Caucus, made a motion that the matter be turned over to the Senate Committees on Judiciary and Investment.
The motion, overwhelmingly endorsed by members of the Senate, calls for the relevant committees to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the operations of Western Cluster Liberia, assess the extent of the company’s alleged violations, and report back to the plenary with findings and recommendations within two weeks.
The Plenary thereby mandated the joint committee to begin its investigation without delay. The decision was met with strong support across the aisle, reflecting the Senate’s collective concern about the conduct of concessionaires operating within Liberia’s borders.
