MONROVIA – Avesoro Holdings, which is one of the major investors in Liberia through its subsidiaries Bea Mountain Mining Corporation and MNG Gold Liberia Inc., condemns in the strongest terms the unethical and malicious article published against it on March 1, 2021 in the Independent Probe Newspaper titled “Massive Turkish Onslaught on Liberia’s Gold Industry Imminent Mineral Depletion Looms”.
The article makes a wide range of allegations against the company and individuals without any iota of truth and accuracy, as required by the basic acceptable standard and ethics of good journalism.
It is an established culture in the field of journalism that a person or entity accused of a wrong must be given a chance to respond to said wrong. However, the publisher of the Independent Probe Newspaper showed absolutely no regard for the very tenets he pledged to promote as a journalist, by making allegations that are malicious and libelous on its face.
Sadly, neither the anonymous reporter of the paper’s editors contacted any of the relevant managers for comment. Nor, did it inquire from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, which is by law the statutory body clothed with the authority to govern mining activities in the country, to authenticate some of the allegations it reported.
This shows that the paper’s aim is to blackmail the company or undermine public confidence in our lawful operations in the Republic of Liberia.
Avesoro is operating two largest commercial gold mines in Liberia and is always committed to explore and create new opportunities for people and the development of the country. Being world class businesses integral to Liberia’s economy, both companies act with integrity with the Liberian Government and other key stakeholders in the development of solutions for responsible economic growth, leveraging the talent of more than its 2,000 employees, over 80% of whom are Liberians, and contributing to a sustainable future for the communities.
While the management of Avesoro remains, a corporate citizen committed to abiding by the laws of Liberia, including freedom of the press and the Mineral Development Agreements it entered with the Government of Liberia, we (unlike the “Independent Probe Newspaper”) take very seriously any malicious and false allegations against the image of our company and/or employees, something that the “Independent Probe Newspaper” has obviously embarked on.
As we consult our lawyers about possible legal action against the outrageous conduct of this newspaper, we will also officially inform the Press Union of Liberia about the newspaper’s wanton disregard for truth telling – a core value of the press.
Meanwhile, we would like to inform the public that all mining and exploration activities ongoing in Liberia are within the authority granted the company by the Mineral Development Agreements.
