Monrovia – Shortly after his election last November, President Joseph Boakai promised that his administration will take a close look at mining concessions to ensure they benefit Liberia. In the President’s view, Liberians have not benefited from the mining sector, despite the country’s rich mineral reserves, including diamonds, gold, iron ore and timber. “To be frank with you, the mining sector has been one of the problems in this country. I have seen our resources exploited and the life of the people remains the worse,” Boakai said, in an interview with Reuters toward the end of 2023.
By Rodney D. Sieh, [email protected]
Now, a massive investigation by FrontPageAfrica has found that the President is in for a tough call regarding the ministry responsible for ensuring the management of lands, mines, and energy resources for the socio-economic development and equitable growth of Liberia under applicable regulations, reviews, and in the proper cases grants or denies, applications for prospecting, exploration, and mining rights except for concessions.
In a shocking revelation, evidence has emerged pointing toward a systematic and criminal manipulation of Liberia’s Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) by Gao Feng, a Chinese national known by the alias “Barry.” formally known as “the Real Minister” at MME. This elaborate scheme, orchestrated over the past six (6) years, involves bribery, illegal license issuance, and a blatant disregard for mining regulations, posing a severe threat to the integrity of the country’s mining sector. Gao Feng, purportedly holding the title of “the Real Minister” at MME, is accused of engaging in a series of illicit activities, collaborating with former ministers to advance his interests and those of his companies: Urban & Rural Services Inc., Xin Li Da Investment Development Ltd., and Scott Investment Incorporation.
Among the litany of offenses, Gao Feng allegedly paid to former Ministers a staggering sum of US$350,000.00 to secure two Prospecting Licenses for Urban & Rural Services Inc., directly overlapping the active Exploration License of NEO Global Mines & Minerals Inc. in Gbarpolu County. Despite the Liberia Geological Survey vetting reports warnings for the overlapping and not to issue the said Licenses, notwithstanding, the former Ministers, whose names is being withheld due to sources confidentiality, issued the two Prospecting licenses to Urban & Rural Services Inc. violated the Mineral and Mining Act of 2000 Section 5.2 & Section 6.7.
Urban & Rural Services Inc., owned by Gao Feng, is accused of conducting massive mining operations with 9 excavators and 3 washing plants within the granted area of NEO Global Mines & Minerals Inc. Exploration License, causing significant damage to 200 boreholes intended for exploration purposes. Reports suggest that Gao Feng allegedly paid former Ministers a monthly fee of US$150,000.00 to manipulate them, ensuring protection for his illicit mining activities within NEO Global Mines & Minerals Inc. Exploration License area without any Licenses. And this illicit mining of Urban & Rural Services Inc. minimum production is 8,000.00 grams per day, equivalent toUS480,000.00 daily and US14,400,000.00 monthly, this conduct evading huge amount of Government Taxes.
In a shocking revelation via a WhatsApp call, Gao Feng arrogantly declared himself the law and threatened to revoke exploration licenses at will. He allegedly conspired to use Scott Investment Incorporation to apply for the same area previously granted to NEO Global Mines & Minerals Inc., subsequently revoking the latter’s license, and approving Scott Investment Incorporation’s application within one (1) month.
Further compounding this issue, truly, after the WhatsApp call within one month, Gao Feng and his accomplices revoked NEO Global Mines & Minerals Inc.’s Exploration License without cause, without even service of notice and swiftly granted the same area to Scott Investment Incorporation within a mere 29 minutes, Reports suggest that Gao Feng allegedly paid former ministers US$250,000.00 to manipulate them to revoke NEO Global Mines & Minerals Inc.’s Exploration License, thereafter issue the same area to Scott Investment Incorporation, exposing a blatant abuse of power.
Gao Feng’s criminal activities extend to impeding NEO Global Mines & Minerals Inc.’s Reconnaissance License, manipulating ministers not to sign it, and instead granting the same area to Xin Li Da Investment Development Ltd. for two Exploration Licenses within Grand Bassa County. Despite NEO Global Mines & Minerals Inc. paid US$20,627.61 license fees respectively, and pending complaints and legal violations, Gao Feng, in collusion with former ministers, orchestrated the issuance of these licenses, further highlighting the audacious nature of the criminal manipulation. Reports suggest that Gao Feng allegedly paid former ministers US$300,000.00 not to sign NEO Global Mines & Minerals Inc.’s Reconnaissance License, thereafter, issue the same area to Xin Li Da Investment Development Ltd for Two Exploration Licenses.
Sector observers have warned that it is important that the Ministry of Mines and Energy take immediate action to address these serious allegations, preventing Gao Feng from further damaging Liberia’s mining sector and prosecuting where necessary. The legal references within the Mineral and Mining Act of 2000 should guide swift and decisive action against Gao Feng and all those involved in this egregious abuse of power.
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The Systemic & Criminal Manipulation of The Ministry of Mines & Energy