Monrovia – Steel Giant Arcelor Mittal Liberia has informed FrontPageAfrica that its management has begun an investigation into an accident that took place at its mine operation site, resulting in the death of one of its employees Roseline Borbor.

By Willie N. Tokpah/0777039231

Roseline, an articulated Dump Truck (ADT) operator died on duty in the accident in the morning hours of Thursday, June 6, 2024, at the iron ore mines in Yekepa.

The incident occurred when the ADT truck she was operating somersaulted from a hill, leading to her untimely demise.

 According to reports, the ADT truck driven by Borbor lost control while navigating a hill within the mine premises, causing it to overturn.

The incident has prompted a temporary shutdown of the mines for an immediate review of safety protocols and procedures at the Iron Ore Mines to prevent similar accidents in the future.

However, Arcelor Mittal Liberia has extended its deepest sympathies to Roseline’s family during this incredibly challenging time and said it is supporting the family and will continue to do so.

“Roseline, an Articulated Dump Truck (ADT) operator joined ArcelorMittal Liberia a year ago and has since been an exemplary employee, known for her dedication, professionalism, and kindness,” Arcelor Mittal said in a communication.

“Her contributions to the business and the positive impact she made on everyone around her will always be remembered.”

Monrovia – Amid lingering threats of protests, senior staffers of the Ministry of Mines and Energy and officials of the ArcelorMittal Liberia management team Thursday held a secret closed-door meeting with a group calling itself Nimba Education Guide in a bid to quiet down threats of protest in demand of jobs for Nimbaiains.

Report by Henry Karmo, henry.karmo@frontpageafricaonline.com

The meeting, which lasted for several hours at the Ministry, did not include lawmakers of the county or representatives of other relevant ministries or the Ministries of Labor and Justice.

Recently, the Nimba group threatened to stage a protest in demand of jobs for citizens of the county – a situation that appears to be pushing the steel company to the limit during a global health crisis that is disrupting global economies.

Among a laundry list presented to the company, the group is demanding that the company shoulder the responsibility of rehabilitating the Yamein Road once every year and open its recruitment with preference given to Namibians — especially skilled jobs.

The group are also demanding that Nimba-based companies be given the same opportunity to apply for contracts at ArcelorMittal Liberia and that all local contracts such as catering and other services be given to Nimbaians only.

Industry observers say pushing the company to adhere to these demands will set a wrong precedent for one of the country’s major investors and may leave other project-affected counties – Bong and Grand Bassa where the company also operates – launching similar threats and demands
The Ministry of Justice, which is the legal organ of the government, and the Ministry of Labor were not informed nor were invited to the discussion.

A source within the Ministry of Justice, who asked for anonymity, said the Thursday’s meeting at the Mines & Energy Ministry presents a “semblance of illegality”, adding that “If it relates to any disruption or potential violence, it should involve justice from justice minister”.

“We had the meeting because we are the sector lead ministry. Instead of taking the matter to the inter-ministerial committee we thought it wise to broker a deal between the company and the Nimba education guard. We could not allow FrontPageAfrica today because we don’t run our business in the Press.”

– Mr. Emmanuel O. Sherman, Mines and Energy Deputy Minister for Operations

Additionally, a top official of the Ministry of Labor, who asked not to be named, added: “If the protest is about labor matters, it should involve the Ministry of Labor. If it relates to any disruption or potential violence, it should involve justice. If a group is threatening protest, justice, labor should have been present just as it was done in the issue with the redundant workers.”

FrontPageAfrica also observed that there were no lawmakers from the county at the meeting. One lawmaker, Representative Samuel Korgar later told FPA via phone call that he knew nothing about the meeting
But Mr. Emmanuel O. Sherman, Mines and Energy Deputy Minister for Operations, denied reports that the meeting was held in secret and that the media was not allowed because “we don’t run the government in the press.”
“As a lead ministry, we call the two parties to broker a deal because we were clear with the group that if there is any protest it could shy away investors. For FrontPageAfrica to assume that the meeting was a secret meeting is an affront,” said Sherman.

“We had the meeting because we are the sector lead ministry. Instead of taking the matter to the inter-ministerial committee we thought it wise to broker a deal between the company and the Nimba education guard. We could not allow FrontPageAfrica today because we don’t run our business in the Press.”

Mr. Armstrong Goba Sekekpoh, who represented the group from Nimba County, said the Thursday meeting ensured that they face the company to discuss their demands, warning that their planned protest still remains.
Sekekpoh disclosed that AML has asked for three weeks to come back to the drawing board to further discuss the possibility of responding to their demands.

“They call us to face those we accused for the first time. We argue point by point and didn’t come out with a solution, so we were given three weeks to come back at the drawing board,” Sekekpoh said.

Sekekpoh added: “There is a communication gap between us and the company. We submitted 13 counts draft that was presented to the company. One of the basic issues is [that] the community liaison does not speak any of our dialects [languages] and for that we don’t received information — these are issues we want to protest for. The HR doesn’t love Nimbaians.”
In July, the Nimba Education Guide wrote the County Attorney seeking permit to protest at the facilities of ArcelorMittal. In that communication to the County Attorney John D. Miah, the group claimed its membership was over 1,000 youth, who were seeking permit to demonstrate against the company.

“The leadership of Nimba Education Guide has decided to mobilize its supporters to go to ArcelorMittal on the 20th of July 2020 in demand of (500) five hundred jobs for each of the Mountains in Nimba, including community liaison heads, human resource heads, mine managers and 50% of unskilled jobs,” the group said.

Although the permit to protest was denied by the County Attorney, who cited the COVID-19 pandemic, the group informed FrontPageAfrica that they remain resolute to carry out the protest.

“Our concern is not whether another company wants to come or not. Our concern is that ArcelorMittal should be able to give us jobs. If they own all the potential mountains, they must give us jobs to sustain ourselves. We went to school and came back to the county to contribute to the development of the county, but ArcelorMittal is not helping us. We see a lot of Guineans in the employ of the company while Liberians remain jobless,” Mr. Sekekpoh said.

AML has faced several protests actions from aggrieved residents of three counties where it operates. In February this year, hundreds of former workers of the company blocked rail which is used to transport ores to the port of Buchanan. The former workers from Nimba, Grand Bassa and Bong Counties, claimed that they were illegally dismissed but the steel giant denied the allegation.

The Amendment to Article XII of the Mineral Development Agreement states that senior management positions should be held by Liberians with no specific tribal or ethnic group: “The CONCESSIONAIRE shall not import unskilled labor into the Republic. Subject to availability, the CONCESSIONAIRE shall employ qualified Liberian citizens for stilled, technical, administrative and managerial positions in accordance with the schedule attached hereto as Appendix G. The CONCESSIONAIRE shall ensure that, subject to availability, within five (5) years of the Amendment Effective Date, 25% of all senior management positions at the CONCESSIONAIRE are held by Liberian citizens, increasing to 50% within ten (10) years of the Amendment Effective Date. Not later than 365 days after the Amendment Effective Date, the CONCESSIONAIRE shall appoint a Liberian citizen to one of ‘the top three management positions at the CONCESSIONAIRE…”

With renewed demands coming from residents of Nimba County and the Mines Ministry initiating what some termed as “secret talks” between the company and the residents, there are fears that it might force the company in an unfavorable situation that might threaten its business amid an already turbulent business year created by the global pandemic.

MONROVIA – ArcelorMittal Liberia’s (AML) relationship with the Government of Liberia is souring up as the company appears to be protective of its concession area and claiming possession of potential mountains in the county which the Liberian government sees as an illegal move by the company to thwart its sovereignty over natural resources in that part of the country.

Report by Lennart Dodoo, ldodoo@frontpageafricaonline.com

The latest stalemate between the ArcelorMittal and the Ministry of Mines and Energy emanated from an exploration license granted to Solway Mining Inc. to explore Mount Blei in Zor Clan near Logatuo border.

But ArcelorMittal being unhappy with such exploration activities in that part of the county confronted Solway Mining Inc. through a letter informing them of the alleged encroachment on their concession area.

A copy of the June 26, 2020 ArcelorMittal’s communication to Solway in FrontPageAfrica’s possession titled “Unlawful entry and exploration activities in ArcelorMittal Liberia’s concession area” states:

“For and on behalf of ArcelorMittal Liberia Ltd. (“AML”), please be informed that Solway Mining Inc. (“Solway Mining”) has unlawfully entered upon and engaged in exploration activities in an area overlapping the concession area in Nimba County granted by the Government of Liberia (the “Government”) to AML pursuant to the Mineral Development Agreement dated August 17, 2005, as amended (“the AML MDA”).” The communication was signed by Mr. Scott Lowe, the General Manager.

The communication continues: “As you cannot possibly ignore, AML has been granted exclusive mining rights by the Government on the former LAMCO concession pursuant to the MDA. The MDA and each of its amendments, as you should be aware, have been duly ratified by the Liberian Legislature and have the force of law. The MDA includes the exclusive right for AML to conduct, among other activities, the exploration, development and production of mining products in the Concession Area, as this term is defined in the MDA.

“The granting of any concession, license, permit, authorization, consent or else to a party other than ArcelorMittal in its capacity of Concessionaire under the MDA, which would overlap with the Concession Area, would be and is in clear violation of AML’s rights under the MDA.”

The iron ore mining company then instructed Sloway to immediately cease its “unlawful activities and encroachment” in AML concession area. AML further instructed the company to rehabilitate the damage caused in the environmentally sensitive environment where it has been operating.

“Solway Mining must ensure such full rehabilitation is conducted expeditiously and it must leave AML’s Concession Area free of personnel and equipment by no later than 14 days from the date first written above. If Solway Mining were to persist and proceed with any unlawful activities, AML will have no choice but to defend its prior and prevailing rights,” AML letter ordered.

In an attempt to address AML’s concerns which were also communicated to the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Ministry informed ArcelorMittal that Sloway’s license falls outside ArcelorMittal’s Class ‘A’ license area.

However, in a response to the Minister of Mines and Energy, ArcelorMittal insisted that, “It is clear to AML, and this has been expressly confirmed through independent advice, that you have misconstrued and/or misinterpreted the provisions of both AML’s MDA, as well as the New Minerals And Mining Law of 2000 (the “Minerals & Mining Law”) regarding the Concession Area.”

“One needs not further emphasize that claims to concession rights must be matched by performance compliance. For AML to harbor the notion that “exclusive rights” means it can sit on prospective exploration grounds during the entire lifespan of its mining lease, thereby denying government its rights to explore and development mineral resources within its territorial limits is unfathomable. It is astonishingly inconceivable and regrettable that AML would pursue a route of deception and dodgy tactics apparently from compromised legal counsels to impede further development of Liberia’s mineral resources thereby depriving Liberians of enhanced socio-economic growth and development.”

– Gesler E. Murray, Minister of Mines and Energy

The company maintained that the Mineral Development Agreement granted the exclusive right and license to AML to conduct exploration, development, production and marketing of iron ore and associated products and rehabilitation of the associated infrastructure in the Concession Area.

ArcelorMittal referenced Article VI(1)(3) of its Mineral Development Agreement with the government stating it emphatically without equivocation that the Liberian Government “shall from time to time grant AML a Class A Mining License for each proposed Production Area selected by AML (Emphasis ours). Concisely, there is no time or other limitation on AML being granted mining licenses by the Government for proposed production areas within the Concession Area during the term of the MDA and any extended terms”.

Further expanding reasons behind their claim, ArcelorMittal stated “Mr. Minister, that AML is not a holder of an exploration permit. Rather, ArcelorMittal Liberia Holdings Limited is a concessionaire and holder of a concession granted by the terms of the MDA pursuant to which the Government ceded to it the Concession Area with the right to select production areas at its convenience without any obligation to surrender any portion of the Concession Area during the term of the MDA and any extended term thereof.”

ArcelorMittal Pursuing Route of Deception?

In a rather stinging response, the Mines and Energy Minister reminded the iron ore company that it has on several occasions abrogated provisions of the MDA to which it now hangs on as a reliance to challenge the Ministry’s authority.

“It should be noted that the rights granted under a concession agreement have obligations and are non-perpetual. One needs not further emphasize that claims to concession rights must be matched by performance compliance. For AML to habor the notion that “exclusive rights” means it can sit on prospective exploration grounds during the entire lifespan of its mining lease, thereby denying the government its rights to explore and develop mineral resources within its territorial limits is unfathomable. It is astonishingly inconceivable and regrettable that AML would pursue a route of deception and dodgy tactics apparently from compromised legal counsels to impede further development of Liberia’s mineral resources thereby depriving Liberians of enhanced socio-economic growth and development,” the Ministry stated in a communication to ArcelorMittal.

The Mines and Energy Minister emphasized that Liberia as a sovereign state has all the right to conduct research, exploration, development and exploitation of its minerals.

He assured ArcelorMittal that Solway Mining exploration activities would no way interfere with their smooth operations and premised on the metes and bounds of the defining Solway’s Mining exploration area.

According to the Mines and Energy Minister, ArcelorMittal, despite a myriad of default issues, has accumulated during its 15 years of export of DSO without serious efforts to improve the iron ore value chain through processes of ore blending and the production for a protracted period of Run-of-Mine has been inherent flaw in the life of mine performance.

The ministry noted that it has been exercising tremendous patience and flexibility with the hope that AML would shift the paradigm to improve standards and optimize iron ore resource development, but such realization, according to the ministry, now “seems unattainable and far-fetched as indicative of AML’s current posture and nonchalance towards constructive engagement”.

“The undesirable performance of the company has now left it in a state of low operational efficiency accompanied by an unstainable economic cash flow regime; all attributable to its refusal to infuse any further significant capital investment into a project it claims to have a degree of high confidence level,” the minister stated in his letter to the ArcelorMittal.

The Mines and Energy minister further noted that the Government’s decision to grant Solway Mining exploration license was based on the Constitution of Liberia, Mineral Policy 2010, New Mineral Law of 2000, Mineral Exploration Regulations of 2010, GOL/AML MDA of 2005 as amended, Governing Laws of General Applications and Sovereign Rights of the Republic of Liberia.

Lack of Jobs Looms Violence in Nimba

Meanwhile, a youth group in Nimba County under the banner Nimba Education Guide have written the County Attorney seeking permit to protest at the facilities of ArcelorMittal.

A communication to the County Attorney, John D. Miah, the group stated that they comprise over 1,000 youth seeking permit to demonstrate.

According to the group headed by Armstrong Goba Sekekpoh, their decision to protest is premised on their demand for jobs “based on the fact that we have gone to school, graduated and do not have the opportunity to work in the only major concession in our county”.

They noted in their letter to the seeking permit to protest:

“We have a documented evidence before us in which ArcelorMittal openly made it clear that they own all potential mountains in Nimba. Therefore, Government of Liberia does not have the right to go into concession agreement with any other company.

“In view of the above, the leadership of Nimba Education Guide has decided to mobilize its supporters to go to ArcelorMittal on the 20^th of July 2020 in demand of (500) five hundred jobs for each of the Mountains in Nimba, including community liaison heads, human resource heads, mine managers and 50% of unskilled jobs.”

Though their request to permit to protest at the facilities of ArcelorMittal was denied by the County Attorney citing, among other things, the COVID-19 pandemic, the group informed FrontPageAfrica that they remain resolute to carry out the protest as they cannot continue languishing in the county with the education attained.

“Our concern is not whether another company wants to come or not. Our concern is that ArcelorMittal should be able to give us jobs. If they own all the potential mountains, they must give us jobs to sustain ourselves. We went to school and came back to the county to contribute to the development of the county but ArcelorMittal is not helping us. We see a lot of Guineans in the employ of the company while Liberians remain jobless,” Mr. Sekekpoh lamented.

Monrovia – The Plenary of the House of Representatives has charged the House’s Standing Committees on Lands, Mines and Energy, Health, Investment and Judiciary to fully investigate the operations of Arcelor Mittal Liberia following reports of reneging on some provisions of the concession agreement signed over a decade ago.

Report by Gerald C. Koinyeneh gerald.koinyeneh@frontpageafricaonline.com

The House’s decision follows a communication to that august body by Nimba County District 3 Representative Joseph Nyan Somwarbi imploring his colleagues to cite the company’s management to provide the status of its operations with respect to provision of basic social services such as housing, system of water supply and the use of scholarship funds in the tune of US$200,000 annually.

Following a motion filed by Nimba District 9 Rep. Johnson Gwaikolo and unanimously agreed by his colleagues, Plenary ordered the Joint-Committees, with support by the Legislative Caucus of Nimba and both Chairs of Bong and Grand Bassa Legislative Caucuses to report two weeks after the Easter break.

Rep. Somwarbi also wants the management to initiate the realization of the review of the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) signed between ArcelorMittal and the government in accordance with Article 36 of the document.

He further told Plenary that he has observed that ArcelorMittal was not living by the MDA and cited its management to a discussion but the company refused his request.

Part of the agreement calls for ArcelorMittal to take over and refurbish the assets left by the defunct Liberia-American -Swedish Mining Company (LAMCO) that once mined iron ore in the Nimba range.

He, however, noted that the company among other things has deserted the properties including housing units; leaving workers to live in unfavorable conditions.

“The assets taken over by the AML, as specified in Appendix F., have been deserted from observation. Up to now, the company uses mobile portable generators in very few quarters of the area as power sources; the central workshop and warehouse are yet to be renovated while using pre-fabricated tanks at these compound, the landing strips is not even considered as a need; less than 20 percent of the housing units are rehabilitated while few of the remaining units are partially renovated by some staff for unconducive living, and the rest of the staff considered as senior or important are accommodated in important containers which cannot accommodate family. This is a major contributing factor to high rate of abandoned pregnancies within the communities,” he stated.

In addition, the Nimba lawmaker alleged that the water purification plant is deserted; resulting in the total lack of safe drinking water for employees, contractors and residents of the community.

He furthered that the company currently distributes two sacks of the big bottle of mineral water to each employed staff per week without any consideration for bathing and family size which he noted, is contributing factor to cysts or pyelonephritis, a disease that damages the kidneys.

On health care, Somwarbi, who co-chairs the House’s Committee on Health, said contrary to the provision in Article 10, Section One of the MDA for health, the company is operating a 150-bed hospital below clinic standard with only one lab technician and no pharmacist among others.

“With this very poor quality of care being provided at this facility, when sick or injured staff leaves and seeks better treatment outside, said staff is dismissed,” he intoned. 

Referencing section 9 and 11 of the agreement, the lawmaker averred that the term of private land use within the concession area as stipulated in article nine, section two of the MDA is not being adhered to due to the numerous complaints by residents.

He further told his colleagues that the provision of education is not being realized due to the current living conditions of the workers within imported containers; while the development plan for the refurbishing of the 273 kilometers of rail track from Buchanan to Yekepa is still incomplete.

He added that the company’s refusal to meet with him denied him the opportunity to get first hand information on these important issues penned in his communication.

In 2005, ArcelorMittal Liberia signed the first Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) to allow the company to begin mining iron ore in the Yekepa and Buchanan concessions.

The agreement was then renegotiated and amended in 2006.

The MDA carries stringent conditions regarding sustainable development, economic, social and environmental investments.

Its aim is to ensure that, while foreign companies can generate profit from their investment in the extraction of Liberia’s resources, the country and its citizens must benefit as well.

Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – Arcelor Mittal Liberia (AML) is expected to re-employ at least 200 workers it redundant in the past two years due to unfavorable global economic factors that affected the price of iron ore on the world market.

Report by Alpha Daffae Senkpeni /alpha.senkpeni@frontpageafricaonline.com

In June 2015, 250 workers were redundant, while 142 jobs were also sliced in 2016 leaving many frustrated about the prospects of the world’s leading iron producer presence in Liberia.

The slicing of social development funds for Grand Bassa, Nimba and Bong Counties by the company also remained a contentious issue; observers described as a ‘gloomy’ future for the company’s investment in Liberia.

When the company opted to sliced jobs the workers’ union showed stiffed resistance prompting a deal which specified that redundant workers would be rehired once the production and market condition improved.

“The promising future for those that were redundant and those that intent to comeback, because the union did not just agree with management to redundant those workers,” explained Michael Tobloun, Secretary General of the AML worker union.

“We agreed that if things subside [improved], if the financial situation improves, if the price of iron ore will appreciate, some of those redundant will be rehired.”

There are various prices of iron ore on the world market, but there are reports of significant raise in the price as Market Index on January 3, 2017 reported that the price is US$74.37 per ton. This is a significant improvement in the price considering that the price slumped to as low as US$37.50 per ton.

Additionally, sources say the move to re-employ the redundant workers comes from a decision by the company to start mining another mountain within the Mount Nimba range.

Our source says the current mine the company operates is producing low grade iron ore which is putting cost constraint on its operations.

But with the new mine, production is expected to increase which will also require the hiring of additional work force.

FrontPageAfrica made efforts to verify the report, and contacted the company’s Public Relations Manager, Hester Pearson Baker but there were no response.

Despite the prospect the sector is showing following the improved in price, industry experts fear that the price might fluctuate and this uncertainty has prompted the workers union to relax some of its demands.

“We will look at the average price although iron ore price has increased,” Tobloun said.  

Already, Mittal is producing 90 tons per month which is 250 tons per quarter – this is a significant drop in the 750 tons the company earlier produced quarterly.

A company insider who prefers anonymity told FrontPage Africa although prices have improved, production is still low and this continues to hamper the company’s operations in Liberia.

“Prices are appreciating but production has reduced because the mine does not have the value of iron ore we need,” the source said.

However, the workers union is confident that opening of the new mine which reportedly has high grade ore would influence the rehiring of these workers. Operations on the new mine is expected July this year, our source confirmed.

“We’ve been negotiating with management, if you need people to work on the mine – whether temporary or permanent workers – you will first of all call those redundant workers before you can call any other worker,” the union secretary general said.

Toublon said many redundant AML workers were unsure about the implementation of the agreement when it was signed, but they are now hopeful considering the latest unfolding.

“From the beginning they taught it was a rhetoric the union was saying, but now they are seeing the reality,” he added.

Arcelor Mittal and the Liberian government signed the first Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) in 2005 and amended it in 2006, making many Liberians optimistic about the country’s investment potential after years of economic deprivation.

The MDA was expected to enhance development and economic, social and environmental investments with an objective of ensuring Liberians benefit from the extraction of their natural resources.

The MDA specified that the steel giant is to pay US$73 million to three counties: Nimba, Bong and Grand Bassa as well as cater to other corporate social responsibilities.

But the company has also fall short of paying the social development funds to the three counties.

It is now 10 years since the MDA was signed and the company has over the last couple of years struggle, showing serious decline in its potential although the company forecast in 2006 that by 2012 it would have shipped four million tons of iron ore each year and increase the world’s iron ore production to 100 million ton by this 2015.

It is unclear whether the mining of a new mountain will improve the company operations and bring back the jobs and development it promised Liberians.

Buchanan, Grand Bassa County – World steel giant, Arcelor Mittal (AML) is slowly winding down operations in Liberia.  

The company has come short in recent years due to what the company continues to call “unfavorable market condition”. AML has sliced jobs and slowed down on its projects, leaving many Liberians frustrated in what was once a promising investment venture.

The steel company argues that the mining industry is experiencing major challenges as a result of the significantly lower iron ore price.

The price of Iron is significantly improving in 2016

But the latest has sparked concerns about a possible breach of the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA), signed in 2005 and amended in 2006.

Among other things, MDA specifies that ArcelorMittal contributes US$3 million a year to the County Social Development Fund for three counties – Nimba, Bong and Grand Bassa Counties – intended for the enhancement of community development in the counties

Economists and politicians have debated the possibilities of giving the company a ‘tax holiday’ to ensure that jobs are protected for Liberians amid these “unfavorable market conditions”.

Back in 2015, former Finance and Development Planning Minister, Amara Konneh revealed that the company requested that the government waived some of the fiscal provisions in the MDA. Konneh later admitted that since the MDA was a legal tool, any decision reached must go through the legislative process.

Liberia’s 2016/2017 Fiscal Budget shows that AML will only pay half of its SDF to each of the three counties.

Grand Bassa will received US$519,250 out of US$1 million  for the current budget year, with the same figure projected for the next two fiscal years – 2017/18 and 2018/19.

Nimba and Bong Counties suffer similar fate. Nimba has been allotted US$775,000 out of US$1 million in the 2016/ 2017 budget, and Bong County allotted US$255,750 out of US$500,000.

The counties will also experience similar cut for the next three years as projected in this year’s budget.

It is unclear whether the legal or legislative process was exhausted before these counties SDFs were sliced by AML.

Grand Bassa Superintendent Flip-Flop 

In October 2016, Grand Bassa Superintendent Levi Demmah announced at a press conference in Buchanan that the company sliced the SDF, citing the draft budget as a source.

 “Our only partner that is now contributing, Arcelol Mittal, we realized from the draft budget, that our allotment or allocation from AML was sliced about half a million dollar,” Supt Demmah said.

But when FrontPageAfrica recently asked the Grand Bassa Superintendent, he somersaulted, saying “the company did not slice the SDF but will rather delay the SDF payment to the county.”

Job cuts Affecting Grand Bassa economy

The reduction in the SDF has sparked concerns, and some residents in Buchanan have expressed dissatisfaction. The steel company is already facing criticisms following its job cuts that heavily affected the county’s local economy, and now the SDF slicing is even receiving more disapproval from locals.

“If there should be a reduction in that money, it should be on the bases of negotiation and the citizens must be aware,” argues Victor Flomo, Secretary General of the Civil Society Chapter in Buchanan.

“Our fear is: what if Arcelor Mittal decides not to pay the SDF again? That means Bassa will benefit nothing.”

“We think it is illegal,” added Solomon Kollie, Chair of an intellectual forum in the port city.”

“Because the MDA is a legislation that must be revised by legislature before anything happens.”

A local business man based in Buchanan said the cut will weaken the capacity of the county’s development projects and also gravely impede local businesses that offer service during the implementation of projects in the county.

 “It will affect the entire business climate in Buchanan, because it has weakened and lessen the capacity of the Grand Bassa project management committee (PMC),” explains Kafee Williams. “Whenever they are advertising contracts some of our local businesses participate and this helps our economy to grow.”

Williams describes the decision to ignore the MDA without the citizens input as “criminal and deceptive”, saying the decision was a misstep by the county lawmakers.

“The MDA is a legal contract that we (the county) and Mittal signed, anything to the contrary should have gone for re-visitation and nothing of such was done. Infact, our lawmakers refuse to tell us the detail,” Williams said.

Bassa Legislature; Mittal Tightlipped

Both the steel company and the county legislative caucus have failed to respond to FrontPage Africa inquiry of the decision to cut-into half the county Social Development Funds (SDF).

Representative Gabriel Smith recently told an intellectual forum that the county is opting for the balance of the US$1 million to be deferred since the company is in financial troubles. But he was unclear about whether the reduction met legislative approval.

Grand Bassa Legislative caucus has not commented on the issue, and efforts by FPA to speak to Senator Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence failed as we were told she’s out of the country.

Efforts by FPA to get response from the company also failed. Text messages, calls and emails to the company’s public relations office headed by Hester Pearson Barker yield no fruit after Barker made promises to response to the inquiry but to no avail.

Mittal continues to assure Liberians that it is committed to its part of the bargain, however; the unfolding in recent years suggest otherwise.

Iron Ore is mined in around 50 countries worldwide and used to make steel for construction of buildings and the making of cars and others.

Experts say global economic growth is the primary factor that drives iron ore supply and demand, and analysis shows that when economies are growing, the need for steel in construction increases, thereby inflating the price on the world market.

Growth in China – the world’s largest consumer of metals has affected the price of iron ore recently. The price slumped to a low of US$38.00 per ton in early December 2015.

It has gradually been climbing since 2016, according to Market Index, in August price was at US$60.47 but dropped again in October at US$58.2.

December has shown significant improvements with the price now at US$79.58, according to Market Index while the Australian Business Review is reporting that the price has surged 4 per cent to $US82.80 a ton on December 13.

But Reuters reported on Thursday, December 15 that “the average price of 62-percent iron ore will be $54.7 per ton CFR China in 2017, while the average forecast price for 2018 is $51.1 per ton.”

Reuters reported: “Analysts raised their forecasts for the next four years but many of them asked not to publish their forecasts because they are under review due to the recent global rise in prices for steel raw materials and semi-finished and finished products.

Monrovia – The Supreme Court of Liberia has sentenced 11 defendants to 15 years detention, adding an additional five to the 10 years given previously by a court in Grand Bassa County.

Report by Bettie K. Johnson-Mbayo/ betty.johnson@frontpageafricaonline.com

The judgment by the high court followed an appeal filed by defense lawyers who took exception to the ruling by the lower court to the Supreme Court’s sitting in its October Term 2015, which was granted by Judge Yusiff Kaba.

Those sentenced were Fred Saye, Yei Dokie, Prince Zeaduah, Jerome Zuweh, Wilson Gono, Wuo Gballah, Peter Zuweh, Orande Kortor, William Gbanda, Saye Jebolo, and Oretha Gono.

On April 13 2015, presiding Judge Kaba said court records showed that the crimes committed by the defendants were more or less crimes of obsession and since the purpose of a criminal trial was to serve as a deterrent to future commission of similar offenses, the court shall take due cognizance of the peculiar nature of the crimes for which the defendants were adjudged guilty.

Judge Kaba said it did not appear from court records of the proceedings that any of the defendants was a habitual criminal.

According to him, the jury returned with a unanimous verdict holding the defendants guilty of multiple crimes and there being no motion for a new trial, therefore, the defendants were adjudged guilty.

Under the law, a defendant charged with multiple offenses for which a verdict of guilty is rendered, shall be sentenced to the highest crime charged, said Judge Kaba.

“A perusal of the indictment shows that the highest crime charged is armed robbery and a review of the record in these proceedings shows that no death ensued as a consequence of the commission of the crime,” he said.

During the trial, the State produced 11 witnesses, while the defense produced seven.

The defendants were arrested 2014 following riots that paralyzed operations at ArcelorMittal site near Mount Takadeh in Nimba County. The case was transferred to Grand Bassa County for fear that it could spark further violence.

The multiple crimes included arson, armed robbery, and theft of property, physical obstruction of government function, criminal mischief, riot, and failure to disperse. Others were disorderly conduct, obstruction of highway and other public passage and criminal conspiracy.

During the commission of the crimes, the accused disturbed, damaged and carried away properties of ArcelorMittal, Afcons and SEGAL, valued at US$5,000,000 and physically obstructed the enforcement of the law at Banlaw (TNF) junction near Gbarpa, felled trees and created roadblocks.

They also restricted free movement of traffic, violated, exhibited cutlasses, sticks, stones and other lethal instruments, and chanted threatening slogans.

The ruling the Supreme Court said that the state produced evidence to warrant the conviction of the accused.

“However, the sentence of indefinite period of detention not exceeding 10 years, with the possibility of parole in the instance of good behavior, hereby modified to 15 calendar years, this being the minimum detention stipulated under Chapter 15 Section 15.34.2 of the Penal Law of Liberia,” said the court.

The court further said that the state did not provide evidence to link one of the co-appellants, Saye Garteh, to the conspiracy and the commission of the offenses charged in the indictment thereby he was ordered released.

Monrovia – Hastily addressing the media, Lands Mines and Energy Minister Patrick Sendolo rubbished news reports about his alleged role in extorting US$3 Million from ArcelorMittal.

“Over the past two weeks, some media institutions and individuals, for purpose best known to themselves, have launched a campaign to defame me and tarnish my good reputation,” Minister Sendolo said.

The Lands Mines and Energy Minister added that some media institutions have concocted stories based on what he is terming as diabolic lies and malicious untruths, about a recording of meeting in which he allegedly demanded payment from ArcelorMittal in return for to perform his statutory duties.

“Let me state unequivocally and without reservation that I, Patrick Sendolo, have never, did not and will never request any sum, much less US$ 3million, from ArcelorMittal in return for me not performing my statutory duties,” Sendolo said.

Sendolo continued: “I challenge the publishers and broadcasters of these stories, the rest of the national media and International media to produce the evidence- the recording and a picture of the meeting which are supposedly the basis of these scurrilous allegations.”

The Lands Mines and Energy Minister threw out an open challenge to anyone who will present the alleged recording adding that an offer of US$ 5,000 cash price will be given to the person who will present the alleged recording.

“My friends, who have unqualified confidence in me and what I stand for, are offering a US$ 5,000 price, payable on demand, for any person who present this alleged recording and photograph,” Sendolo added.

Sendolo explained: “I have worked professionally for a good number of years, including the last nine years, during which I have served, I believe, with distinction and honesty, in positions of exceptionally high trust and responsibility in this administration. There will, therefore, be consequences for any attempt by anyone to destroy what I have worked so hard for over the years.”

Minister Sendolo noted that despite bad media reports on his person there are many good, responsible and ethical journalists in Liberia.

“Let’s be clear, there are many good, responsible and ethical journalists in this country. Unfortunately, however, there are some who intend to impose a tyranny of the media. We, patriotic, peace-loving Liberians will not accept this and will resist it with deliberate ruthlessness that the law allows,” Sendolo added.

The Energy Minister furthered that his legal counsel has formally written the New Democrat Newspaper demanding an apology and seven publications approved by the legal team.

“To demonstrate our seriousness in this regard, my legal counsel and my legal team are already mobilized and fully engaged in respect of taking all measures deemed necessary and appropriate to demolish this tower of lies which they have erected and correct the injustice, which I have suffered as a consequence of their malicious and irresponsible publications and broadcasts lies,” he said.

Sendolo added: “My legal counsel and team have already sent out letters to several offending media institutions, including the New Democrat, which I will now read, in relevant parts, as it sets forth the stance that we are taking on this matter.”