YEKEPA – Liberia’s Ministry of Public Works has begun identifying and marking illegal structures in Yekepa Township, in coordination with ArcelorMittal Liberia, as part of a planned upgrade of the mining concession town, officials said.
The exercise, which started on Feb. 9, involves Public Works engineers and company personnel moving through residential areas to register owners of unauthorized buildings and notify occupants that marked structures could face demolition.
Lance Gbagonyon, Superintendent for Government Relations at ArcelorMittal Liberia, said the initiative aims to determine which structures fall outside concession boundaries and to inform residents about upcoming infrastructure improvements.
“Major streets in Yekepa are scheduled for upgrades, and buildings constructed within road corridors will have to be removed,” Gbagonyon said.
He added that while the company operates under a concession agreement, ownership of the land and infrastructure rests with the Liberian government, which will assume control after the company’s departure. The marking process, he said, is backed by the government as part of broader modernization plans.
Authorities said residents had been notified in advance through meetings with camp masters and local stakeholders, as well as announcements aired on community radio.
The operation began in Areas A through K on Feb. 9 and continued into Area P on Feb. 10, a busy commercial section of the township.
Anthony Siaway, Resident Engineer for the Ministry of Public Works in Nimba County, said the process is expected to last about 10 days, after which government and company officials will meet to determine next steps.
Officials said Yekepa has also been affected by widespread forceful occupation of housing units owned by ArcelorMittal Liberia, complicating planned construction works intended to restore parts of the township to their pre-war condition. The latest upgrade, they said, is designed to deliver a more modernized Yekepa with expanded features, including the construction and full paving of the Sanniquellie–Yekepa road. Once completed, the project will link Monrovia to the Ganta–Guinea border via a continuous paved route, financed by ArcelorMittal Liberia.
Efforts to upgrade Yekepa have drawn sustained public interest and debate in local media. While many residents support modernization, the township has seen widespread construction of unauthorized buildings, with some structures encroaching on roads and raising environmental concerns.
In 2023, authorities issued notices instructing occupants in Areas A and B to vacate buildings slated for renovation. Residents resisted at the time, citing a lack of alternative housing.
