Africa-Press – Liberia. Vice President Jeremiah Kpan Koung has warned residents of the affected communities around the ArcelorMittal Concession areas in Yekepa to stop harassing the company and charged the government to speak on their behalf.
Speaking during his Thanksgiving tour of some parts of Nimba, he said, “don’t take the law into your own hands by obstructing the operation of Mittal.”
Although he did not suggest any penalty for such action, the VP cautioned them that if they have any dissatisfaction over the company’s operation, they should take it to the government through the superintendent, who will take it to the central government for immediate action.
“Protect the property of AML, because if you continue with demonstrations by obstructing their activity, it will also deter other investment from Liberia,” he told residents in Zolowee, a town near Mount Takadeh.
“Don’t stop their work, when you have your children up there to speak on your behalf,” he said.
“Don’t stop the train, don’t go up the mine anymore, come with your concern to us and we will take it to the President,” he added.
Over a recent week, the operations of ArcelorMittal Liberia came to a halt when traditional devils seized the mount in demand for improvement of the affected community, provision of safe drinking water, the protection of the environment, especially the issue surrounding the sewage dumped in a nearby creek.
Internal Affairs Minister Francis Nyumalin earlier warned the community against taking devils up the mine during his intervention into the protest. Vice President Koung and his entourage began what was described as a thanksgiving trip to Nimba for the level of support given the Unity Party, and his political party, MDR, during the course of the 2023 election.
He said he was in Nimba as John the Baptist to pave the way for the coming of President Boakai, who will actually deliver the ‘thank you message’ to the people.
“I only came as John the Baptist, but President Boakai is coming to thank the people of Nimba for overwhelmingly voting him to win the election,” he said.
However, the residents of Yekepa continue to plead for more improvements of Yekepa in terms of provision of safe drinking water, electricity and the alleys.
“How can we live in a place without the benefits of our resources — no electricity, no safe drinking water in the Yekepa Area? We are willing to pay bills for these services, if provided,” the spokesman of Yekepa Christian Fellowship said.
Labor Minister Cooper Kruah also joined the Yekepa Community, calling for the improvement of the dilipitated alleys in Yekepa and also to build a modern town hall for the benefit of the citizens.
“When I used to visit Yekepa those days, all the streets were intact, there was water and electricity everywhere, but now look at the street; it is now dilipitated. The state-of-the-art hospital is being run at almost clinical level,” he said.
AML and the government signed a Mineral Development Agreement in 2004 for 25 years. In the MDA, the facilities left by the defunct LAMCO, excluding the railroad, were turned over to AML. However, after 20 years of operation, most of the estates remained in ruin, some completely covered with bushes.
Even a portion of the railroad from around Mount Tokadeh to Yekepa is yet to be rehabilitated, where all rail metals are believed to have been looted. Meanwhile, Vice President Koung has urged the citizens to remain patient and channel their plights within the confines of the law.
He urged AML’s CEO during his tour to priorities the local community in the recruitment process, especially for the unskilled population, as doing so will commit the community to serve as the company’s first line of security.
“If you recruit the men from the affected community to do side brushing of the railroad or holding flags to direct traffic in the road construction, it will ease the tension and those recruited will protect the facility and would allow anything to obstruct the work,” he said.
Vice President Kpan Koung, who was born and bred in Yekepa, had always expressed his disappointment over AML’s failure to improve the concession to its pre-war status.
As Senator, he toured the facility and expressed disappointment in the company’s inability to do its best to the expectation of the citizens, similar to what LAMCO.
Alongside his tour, on Thursday, May 16, 2024, it was alleged that small group traditional people seized the rail again around the Garr Chiefdom near Ganta, demanding AML should priorities the youth the side brushing of the rail, but they soon abandoned their protest.
“Why should AML bring people from outside of our community to do side brushing in our community, when we have several boys here doing nothing?” said Billy Dokie, youth leader in Garr Chiefdom.
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