Liberia: CEIO Condemns Senator Twanyen’s Remarks on ArcelorMittal Liberia, Urges Responsible Leadership

Monrovia – The Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinions (CEIO) has sharply criticized Nimba County Senator Nya D. Twanyen, Jr. over recent remarks regarding the operations of ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) and the oversight activities of his fellow lawmakers. The group says Senator Twanyen’s rhetoric undermines national interest, damages investor confidence, and sends the wrong signal to both current and potential development partners.

By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972) – [email protected]

The backlash comes in response to a Facebook post made by Senator Twanyen, in which he accused over 25 lawmakers of holding “secret meetings” with ArcelorMittal Liberia in Nimba County without his knowledge. The Senator, a member of both the Concessions Committee and the Nimba Legislative Caucus, expressed surprise over the lawmakers’ presence and questioned their motives.

“Unbeknownst to me… ArcelorMittal has more than 25 lawmakers (Sen/Rep) visiting Nimba County for a secret meeting as of this post,” the Senator wrote.

“ArcelorMittal taking some Senators and Representatives for a luxury tour of the AML concession area does not negate the fact that you are in gross violation of the Mineral Development Agreement… We dare any heartless lawmaker to turn a blind eye on the egregious violations and neglect to vote for renewals.”

Senator Twanyen also challenged members of the Executive to refrain from bringing any new AML agreement to the Legislature for ratification, accusing the company of misrepresenting the value of its assets in Liberia.

In a swift reaction on Wednesday, CEIO Chairman Mohammed A. Dukuly issued a strongly worded statement condemning Senator Twanyen’s remarks, calling them “immature, irresponsible, and incompatible with the position of trust he occupies.”

“The lawmakers were performing their statutory duties by visiting AML’s concession area for on-site inspections and fact-finding. This is a critical function in determining compliance with the Mineral Development Agreement,” Dukuly stated.

CEIO argued that Senator Twanyen’s public criticisms do not only damage the credibility of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on MDA Compliance, but also sow distrust, spread misinformation, and portray Liberia as an unstable and hostile environment for investment.

“These are not harmless political comments. They present Liberia to the world as a place of disorder and division. Foreign partners take note of such rhetoric, and potential investors quietly retreat.”

The statement further warned that such political attacks risk jeopardizing jobs, halting community development projects, and stalling much-needed foreign direct investment—particularly in rural communities such as those in Mount Ble and Delton, where operations have already been suspended due to a hostile climate.

“Senator Twanyen’s words are not only damaging to his colleagues and ArcelorMittal Liberia, but also to his own people who elected him,” CEIO added.

The organization accused the Senator of losing touch with the daily struggles of ordinary Liberians, claiming that he is living a comfortable life on the backs of taxpayers while trying to “chase away” the only major investment in his home county.

“He is getting it easily so he can wake up in the morning with no impact to make on his people but to try to run off the only major investment in Nimba County and the country.”

CEIO called on the Senator to abandon his combative posture and adopt a more constructive approach to leadership. The group noted that while ArcelorMittal has not been perfect, there has been measurable progress in its engagement with communities and fulfillment of obligations.

“Leadership is not about grandstanding or stoking division. It’s about solving problems, balancing accountability with partnership, and encouraging companies to do more for our people,” Chairman Dukuly said.

CEIO challenged Senator Twanyen to bring in new investors if he is serious about offering alternative livelihoods for the people of Nimba, rather than sabotaging existing partnerships that still hold potential for growth.

The organization ended its statement by urging the Senator to retract his misleading comments, and encouraged all public officials to maintain a high standard of integrity, truth, and national responsibility.

“We further urge the Liberian media, civil society, and the public to remain vigilant against divisive political rhetoric from any politicians,” CEIO noted.

“In the interest of democratic consolidation, we call on all public officials to uphold integrity, truth, and responsibility in their service to the Liberian people.”

The Center for the Exchange of Intellectual Opinions reaffirmed its commitment to promoting intellectual honesty, respectful engagement, and constructive national discourse as Liberia continues on its democratic journey.