MONROVIA – A group of aggrieved citizens of Grand Cape Mount County have demanded the management to replace Debar Allen, the company’s General manager with their preferred choice- Sando Wayne, a native of Grand Cape Mount. The protesters also want President Joseph N. Boakai to appoint the former Community Relations Superintendent as Government Relations/ Reporting Manager to MNG/BMMC operations.
By Gerald C. Koinyeneh – [email protected]
In addition, they called for the reinstatement of the worker’s union chairman with “immediate effect to ensure leadership and clear line of communication between the workers and management, which will enhance a cordial working relationship in the mine’s operations. Choice of the people.”
And that “MNG/BMMC turns over the Community Relations Advisor and Superintendent positions to the affected community to recommend one of their qualified members with immediate effect.”
However, looking to avoid setting a bad precedence, the company has committed to make some concessions, but remains apprehensive over calls to remove its country manager, a native of Grand Bassa County, saying that request was “not applicable.”
Last week, aggrieved residents presented a 38-count petition to the 55th National Legislature following a violent protest at the company’s operation sites in Kinjor and Matambo Towns that claimed at least two lives and injured dozens of others including rioters and police officers. The rioters accused the company of refusing to live up to its mineral Development Agreement with Liberia.
In the wake of the incident, the Speaker of the House of Representatives constituted a specialized committee headed by Rep. Dixon W. Seboe (District #16, Montserrado County) to probe into the situation aimed at finding an amicable solution to the conflict. The committee has since launched its investigation. Last week it invited top managers of the company to the Capitol for cross-examinations. In that process, the residents marched to the Capitol with their petition. The petition was then presented to the company’s for response. In a letter accompanying the response, the company assured Rep. Seboe and the committee that it remains fully committed to resolving the conflict and looks forward to working with him and the members of his team.
In addition to the citizens’ propositions that were deemed “not applicable” by the company, the aggrieved residents called on MNG/BMMC and Government to establish a new country management team to be headed by qualified Cape Mountaineers and other Liberians to help the mine secure its social license to operate freely and in compliance with the provisions of the Decent Work Act and obligations under their mineral development agreement. The company in response said Liberians were already occupying top managerial positions and they include Debar Allen – Country General Manager, Oliver B. Gipli – Human Capacity & Development Manager, Shadrach O. Fahnbulleh – Health & Safety Manager, Cllr. Kunkunyon Wleh Teh – Legal Counsel and Mao Coulibaly – TSF Manager.
This new trend at Bea Mountain, experts say, may have some security implications, as citizens in Grand Bassa are reportedly planning to stage a massive campaign to chase Cape Mountaineers out of their county if this happens.
This may likely spill over to Nimba, as Bea Mountain HR Manager Jackson Yuo, who is from Nimba has been threatened and chased out. Nimba hosts Liberia’s largest concession in Arcelor Mittal and employs thousands of Liberians from across the country. There, the County’s longest serving Senator and former warlord Prince Y. Johnson is also on record saying he will rally Nimbaians to resist his possible arrest should a war crimes court was established in Liberia.
In September 2013, Bea Mountain Mining Corporation entered into a Mineral Development Agreement with the Government of Liberia. In the 2013 agreement, communities were promised employment opportunities, scholarships, social benefits that would improve education and healthcare. The company promised not to import unskilled labor into Liberia. It also promised to employ qualified Liberian citizens for skilled technical, administrative and managerial positions. And it promised to take reasonable preventive and corrective measures to limit pollution of water bodies as a result of its operations.
However, this agreement has been contentious. Affected communities say the company has not been fully living up to its promises.
Job opportunities
In the latest 38-count petition, the protesters outlined that positions reserved for Liberians and are currently being occupied by foreigners should be filled with Liberians in line with the revised Labor Regulation #17 (MDA section 13.lA). and these Jobs include administrative manager, camp managers, accountant, HR, community superintendents, health & safety superintendent & supervisors, head of drivers, warehouse managers & supervisors, mining shift engineers & supervisors, mining shift superintendent, assistant mining managers, electrical managers, procurement managers & supervisors, tire repairmen Supervisors, AC technicians, carpenters and heavy and light duty drivers. Others include yellow machine operators, housekeepers, Cooks/Chefs, nurses at an onsite clinic, security related/manager/supervisors guardsmen. for the mineworkers, construction /bricks layers, fuel pump operators, IT technicians and clerical support staff, supervisors and superintendents. According to them, BMMC owns and operates a mineral water factory and demanded this should be turned over to “qualified sons, daughters and other Liberians with immediate effect.”
The company, in response, expressed commitment to conducting an internal assessment by the end of Quarter-2 of 2024 for all such positions to identify and correct these anomalies as they are identified. It pledged that all recruitments for skilled labor “shall be advertised and put through a competitive vetting process.” It added that only competent Liberians will be considered for these roles. And in the event that competent Liberians cannot be identified for the role will be opened to other external applicants in keeping with the Decent Work Act of Liberia and copies of adverts for the roles will be made available to government regulators.
BMMC also commits to modify and improve its HR policies on recruitment by the end of March 2024, by initially identifying and listing all seasonal positions to ensure a clear differentiation between long-term and temporary jobs.
On the protesters’ request for MNG/BMMC to secure membership in the World Gold Council (WGC), the company said even though it is not obliged to be a signatory company for any initiatives or membership in such organization as the WGC, it will review the benefits of becoming a member if deemed valuable.
The resident called on the company to demonstrate that it can be a force for good by sharing its services with the project-affected communities, including regularly supplying drugs and medical equipment to health centers in the affected communities, supplying electricity, water and helping communities address the concerns of sanitation, roads construction/rehabilitation. According to them, these will not only help secure the mine’s social license to operate, but will contribute to the mine being assured of a healthy workforce to sustain its productivity.
Health Care
On healthcare, BMMC is currently subsidizing health services in most of the project-affected communities including renovation of clinics, provision of drugs, subsidy to health workers and ambulance service.
The company announced that in “good faith,” management now commits to providing drugs for the express purpose of once more launching the revolving drugs program (USD 50,000.00) to healthcare centers in Gola Konneh and Tewor Districts.
Already the company said it has provided support to several health centers in the two districts.
In Laar Clan, Gola Konneh, the company has renovated the Gondor’s Town Clinic, provided medical and non-medical supplies, clinic staff salaries and clinic staff training.
Services in Mana Clan include the construction of Tahn Health Facility and Varguaye Health Facility; while Darblo Clan, the company constructed the Mbaloma Clinic Maternity Waiting Home, completion Mbaloma Clinic staff quarter and Mbaloma Clinic renovation, Mbaloma Clinic staffs quarter & maternity home furniture, Mbaloma Clinic Medical Supplies, Mbaloma Clinic solar energy supplies, running water supplies, and installation of Chain-link Fence.
In Tewor District, the company said it has provided medical supplies to Bangoma Clinic at Matambo Corridor.
Electricity
For the provision of electricity, the company said it has supplied 100 pieces of solar street lights in Kinjor, and it pledged to procure and install additional 100 pieces in Kinjor community within 60 days.
For water, the company said it has constructed 21 hand pumps in Kinjor communities, three in Jawajeh Marvoh, one in Blain, one in Deayelee, six in Jenneh Brown, two in Jikandor, two in Malina, one in Korma Wiaji, four in Via Town, two in Silent Hill and one in Thompson Village.
Road Construction
BMMC stated that it has been improving the public roads of the communities. The company said it has built the 25km Kinjor-Daniels Town Paved Road, Ndablama Paved Road – 45 KM, Weajue Dirt Road-12 KM, Tahn-Lofa Dirt Road-10 KM, Gold Camp-Lofa Dirt Road – 22 KM, Kinjor-Jenne Brown Dirt Road – 20 KM, Jenne Brown-Gbar Dirt Road – 18 KM, Jenne Brown-Lofa Dirt Road – 23 KM, Gold Camp-Gondor Town Dirt Road – 22 KM, Gold Camp-Jenne Mana Dirt Road – 10 KM, Jikando and Malina Dirt Road – 11 KM, Matambo Rockfill Road – 13 KM, Korma Bypass Dirt Road – 5 KM, Blain-Deyealee Dirt Road – 6 KM.
