MONROVIA – With less than 14 days to officially take over the management and operations of Sime Darby Plantation Liberia (SDPL), the incoming Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mano Palm Oil Industries (MPOI), Mr. Asaad R. Fadel, has vowed to maintain thousands of employees presently working at the company.
SDPL signed a 63-year concession agreement with the Government of Liberia in 2009 to develop 220,000 hectares of land in Grand Cape Mount, Bomi, Gbarpolu and Bong Counties into oil palm and rubber plantations.
The company announced that it would sell its assets by the end of 2019 in keeping with its asset monetization strategy under which sale proceeds will be used in borrowing.
At the Liberia-United Kingdom held on December 5 in London, the Liberian government, through the Minister of Information, Cultural Affairs and Tourism, Lenn Eugene Nagbe, announced that SDPL and MPOI are ‘finalizing their terms and conditions for the sale and purchase of the Malaysian oil palm plantation company’.
Since the news of the transition broke out, there have been fears and concerns about the absorbing or laying off of vast majority of employees at the company.
But speaking at a meeting with top officials of SDPL on Tuesday, the incoming CEO of Mano Palm Oil Investment, Asaad R. Fadel, disclosed that his company has no intention of laying off staff.
He pointed out employees at the plantation cannot be blamed for the current challenges, and as such, their jobs are secured.
“Currently, the company is struggling. It’s not struggling because of you. It’s struggling because we need to have more energy and productivity on the farm. You need to be given the chance to succeed. We understand that everyone has a family-and in Liberia, we understand that one feeds a hundred. We trust that you guys can get the jobs done. We will need friendship and a professional relationship based on trust,” he stated.
Mr. Fadel continued: “It’s not about white or black. I love you guys but I am a very tough manager. I expect performance and you will have to perform well. We have to set targets and reach that as a family, staff and company. For now, everybody job is secured. You can inform your families that we are still on the same page and we are moving forward. We hope that we can build the staff to a bigger staff.”
Commenting further, the Lebanese Industrial Engineer disclosed that his company has been through lot of tough times in Liberia.
“We had in mind to get associated with oil palm. Without palm oil, you can’t get soap or cooking oil. We have never been quitters; we went through four commotions in Liberia; the good, bad and ugly-we stood the test of times. We love this country, and we love its people. We are Liberians by choice,” he noted.
“Currently, the company is struggling. It’s not struggling because of you. It’s struggling because we need to have more energy and productivity on the farm. You need to be given the chance to succeed. We understand that everyone has a family-and in Liberia, we understand that one feeds a hundred. We trust that you guys can get the jobs done. We will need friendship and a professional relationship based on trust.”
– Mr. Asaad R. Fadel, CEO, Mano Palm Oil Industries
“Being the leader of this company and going forward, I want to let you understand that you have a non-pride CEO that you can open the door to his office, come to his house and talk about issues. I am open for that. I am a people’s person,” he added.
Mr. Fadel urged employees of the company to respect and build trust in one another for the forward match of company.
“We love our people, kids and we gave back to the communities. And this is the same mindset we are bringing to Sime Darby. We will reach out to the communities to make sure that there are vibrant outreach activities. We want to reach out to the youths; they need more support and care. They are the future of this country,” he indicated.
“The women that are working here-we have to give them all of the respect. They are our mothers, aunties and sisters. We should not harass and prejudice them,” he maintained.
No Politics
Mr. Fadel, who is also the coach of Mighty Barrolle Basketball Team, further cautioned the employees against engaging into politics at their respective job sites.
According to him, dialogue should be the hallmark for finding remedies to problems confronting both the communities and employees at the company.
“I don’t like politics at the work place. Don’t be a hypocrite. You have a problem come to my face and tell me; and we can discuss it. If you help assist me and trust me and in return I do the same, we can grow. But we can’t grow by stepping on people’s heads in the communities or my staff. We have to continue to dialogue,” he added.
He disclosed that the issue of employees finding difficulties in receiving their salaries from the banks will be addressed when the company has been officially turned over to MPOI.
Mr. Fadel, however, promised to consistently engage the affected communities to ensure sustainable development and vibrant outreach activities at the concession areas of the company.
For his part, SDPL CEO, Ali Kamal, expressed delight over the smooth transition between the two (2) companies.
He pointed out commencing next year, the company will be officially turned over to MPOI.
“In the next few days, we will be handing the entire investment in the plantation to MOPI which stills legally belongs to Sime Darby Plantation Liberia. On the 1st of January 2020, MPOI will be the legal owner of Sime Darby Plantation Liberia and will be named MPOI,” he disclosed.
Mr. Hussun continued: “We had mixed feelings when the pronouncement was made by the government of Liberia on the 5th of December at the Liberia-London Development Forum. The news was carried out in the local and international media. All of us are basically aware about this transition and I think that we should be thankful to Allah. I think we need to congratulate ourselves because we are still in tight. I have seen in my personal career that not many transitions have gone smoothly as what we are enjoying now.”
He pointed out that despite the current economic situations around the world, employees of SDPL have not been affected as a result of the woes.
“Despite all the odds in the economy not only in Liberia but in many countries because of the commodities and situations, many out there has no job; or have jobs but they have not been paid. But thank God today we are here enjoying this transition period smoothly,” he maintained.
Mr. Kamal pointed out that MPOI has been a long time partner of the Malaysian company in the sale of palm oil.
According to him, MPOI was selected as the best bidder for the sale of SDPL because it met the benchmark set aside by the committee for the sales of the company’s assets.
“MPOI has been very instrumental and they have been our partners for many years; even before I came here. They have been buying oil from Sime Darby for six or seven years now. They have been here for 50 years now, through thick and thin. They met all of the five main criteria
About MPOI
MPOI is one of the ventures under the Mano Manufacturing Corporation.
It was established by Raef Fadel, a chemist and Lebanese national, who graduated from the University of Grenoble in Paris, France.
Mr. Fadel landed in Liberia and started the Liberia Bleach Chemicals.
50 years later, the company has become Mano Manufacturing Corporation, renowned for its flagship brand called ‘clora’ in Liberia.
The company, located on the Bushrod Island, outside Monrovia is the producer of water treatment products to UNICEF, and PSI based in Washington, USA, detergent powder, antiseptics, dishwashing liquids, household candles, cosmetics, a variety of soaps and cooking oil named ‘Top Chef’, among others.
Fady and Asaad commonly known as the “Fadel brothers” are the sole managers of the companies.
Meanwhile, citizens of Gorbla Clan in Bomi County have gowned and certificated the outgoing CEO of SDPL and the incoming CEO of MPOI. The citizens said their decision was due to the numerous developmental initiatives carried on by the company in the county. They named construction of multiple hand pumps, schools, hiring of locals, providing numerous contracts to their sons and daughters, involvement of the locals in the decision-making process of the company, among others as some of their reasons to honor the company.
They urged the incoming owner of the company to work with the communities if the company is to succeed in the future. “We were not having nothing here, but through Sime Darby we have hand pumps, schools and other good, good things. so this new people that coming take over, if your hold us good, we will hold your good. No body will steal your palm,” Abdullai Novoo stated.