Grand Cape Mount County – The Minister of Internal Affairs, along with the head of the Traditional Chiefs Council of Liberia and officials of government from Grand Cape Mount County has blamed citizens of Kinjor, Larjor in Grand Cape Mount County, for the setback they (citizens) are now faced with the Bea Mountain Manning Corporation.
Report by Macaulay Sombai, macaulay.sombaifrontpageafricaonline.com
The Ministry’s intervention came after residents of communities surrounding the concession area, staged a night demonstration recently under the disguise of the Poro Society. Unlike all other days, the protesters advanced to the main entrances of the company.
After officials of Internal Affairs Ministry, including the county’s had listened to the citizens’ spokesperson Mohammed Daramie and the company’s spokesperson Sando Wayne, residents were made to understand that there does not exist any conflict between them and the company. However, these interveners blamed the Kinjor inhabitants for the lack of progress in the area and not the company.
The meeting was chaired by Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf assisted by the Traditional Chiefs Head, Zanzan Karwar, Representative Mambu Sonii of District #2, Cape Mount County, and Superintendent Tenneh Simpson Kpabebah of Cape Mount County.
The mediators warned citizens of the areas that until they: youths and elders get to stop the internal fight, development will continue to elude them.
For his part, Chief Zanzan Karwar, who spoke on behalf of the Traditional Council, called for a revisit of the Resettlement Action Plan and Concessional Agreement. He halted with immediate effect all Poro activities in the area.
For his part, Representative Mambu Sonii of District #2, too, blamed residents of Kinjor for the trouble.
He asked the Minister of Internal Affairs to convene another meeting aimed at settling the rigmarole between the elders, youths and landowners.
In remarks, Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf promised to hold several meetings in order to find a lasting solution to the Kinjor problem.
Minister Sirleaf also vowed to constructively engage the land owners including the elders so they all can sit to dialogue on the Kinjor issue.
Min. Sirleaf appealed to the Bea Mountain Management to complete all the housing units under construction for the residents.
He also urged the company to move a bit further to have the clinic effectively running.
The Minister further called on the company to consider the agriculture program that is in the Resettlement Action Plan so other residents can take advantage of that for livelihood support in the community.
He at the same time, called on the landowners to work with him so that one group of administrators can be introduced to the Mine to get ‘outstanding benefits,’ including land rental payments, to start to flow the beneficiaries again.
Another issue, Minister Sirleaf emphasized during the meeting, was the issue of job security and called on the company to give it serious attention.
“It’s sad to note that foreign nationals are given jobs, such as truck drivers, steel benders, block layers, among several others that Liberians can do.”