SINCE LIBERIA EMERGED from civil war in 2003 and conducted its first post war election in 2005, investors rushed to the country exploring investment opportunities in a country where everything was not in place for almost 15 years, leaving the vast natural resources explored.
ALSO FACING NUMEROUS problems including unemployment, the Government quickly started ratifying many concession agreements with international companies.
THESE INVESTMENTS were in separate areas-some for logging, others mining, amongst others but sooner the country found itself facing problems with the relationship between some these investors and the local population.
CONFUSION GREW BETWEEN many of these investors and the local population mainly over land with the locals resisting expansion by these concessionaires.
THE SITUATION TURNED deadly when a foreign national was killed in the Liberia Agriculture Company (LAC) concession area in Grand Bassa County when locals resisted expansion program by the company. Bruno Michel was shot dead while touring expansion project by LAC.
FROM LAC THE SOUR relationship has been increasing with citizens of Nimba County setting ablaze properties belonging to World Steel Giant Arcelor Mittal. In Sinoe County Golden Veroleum has been facing similar problem same as Sime Darby in Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties.
PROPERTIES WORTH MILLIONS of dollars have been destroyed and lives lost through these unfriendly relationships with the Government using prosecution as the way to deal with the occurrences.
TO THE CONTRARY, past events have shown that arresting people and putting them to prison for attacks on concessionaires properties is not the best option in dealing with these issues. There have been one arrest after another, with no significant improvement in the relationship between the two parties-concessionaires and locals.
LAST WEEK GOLDEN VEROLEUM signed oil palm development memorandum of Understanding with Du-Wolle and Nyennue communities
MORE THAN 300 CITIZENS of Du-Wolee and Nyennue communities, including youth, elders, women’s groups, district and county authority representatives welcomed agreement being reached for Golden Veroleum Liberia’s (GVL)oil palm operations to come to the area after more than 3 years of negotiation.
THE SIGNING CEREMONY also witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding incorporating a Social Agreement on 11 June 2016 in Panama, Du- Wolee Nyennue Township, Kpanyan Statutory District, Sinoe County.
ACCORDINGLY, IT IS ANTICIPATED that the signing of this land development agreement with GVL will provide more than 200 jobs for the community’s citizens and other eligible persons. In addition, the agreement provides for the construction and rehabilitation of roads, schools and hand pumps, as well as other social benefits.
THE PROGRAM WHICH was accordingly climaxed with a soccer match at the Panama sports pitch between GVL and Du-Wolee soccer team which ended with a goalless draw is a major step forward in resolving some of the long existing problems between the locals and GVL.
THE INITIATIVE BY GVL is a welcomed approach as direct engagement with the villagers is the best way to avert any future conflict.
THERE IS NO BETTER security for the concessionaires than building a good rapport with the local population. No number of police or other security can protect the assets of these concessionaires but rather the local population.
ONCE THE LOCALS and these concessionaires work together and reach such agreements, the operational areas will be very secure and the operations of these concessionaires will be smooth.
THESE KINDS OF ENGAGEMENTS should have been done long time to avoid violence and destruction of properties.
BETTER LATE THAN EVER, it is a welcomed development and it is good for other concessionaires to follow the path of GVL as it will help to protect their investments.