Africa-Press – Liberia. A team of inspectors from the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) is in Maryland County, southeast Liberia, to carry out a comprehensive review of operations of Maryland Oil Palm Plantation (MOPP) and Cavalla Rubber Corporation (CRC).
Amid the House of Representatives calls for revisitation of all concession companies operating across the country, the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) has dispatched a high-level team of Monitoring and Evaluation compliance officers to Maryland County, southeast Liberia, to carry out a comprehensive review of operations at the Maryland Oil Palm Plantation (MOPP) and the Cavalla Rubber Corporation (CRC).
Maryland Oil Palm Plantation operates a plantation of oil palms that was granted under a concession agreement signed on 4th March 2011, while Golden SIFCA INCORPORATED (GSI) is involved with processing of Oil Palm, and Cavalla Rubber Corporation is one of Liberia’s largest rubber plantations within the southeast
In previous years, the Maryland Legislative Caucus had accused the companies of alleged failure to comply with contents of their respective Concession Agreements signed with the Government of Liberia and service delivery capacities in consonance with the laws and Constitution of Liberia.
The Caucus then wrote the plenary of the House of Representatives to bring to the attention of members of the House willful failure of the three companies to honor invitations that were extended to the companies in (June 8, 2023, and June 27, 2023).
The situation has not been addressed, but is now being evaluated by a team led by NBC Director General, Theodore Momo, Jr.
The team has been tasked with assessing the companies’ compliance with concession agreements and evaluating their impact on affected communities
Addressing reporters in a press briefing in Pleebo over the weekend, Director Momo emphasized the importance of cooperation from both concession companies and local communities.
He emphasized that there are several areas where the companies delayed in compliance, but they are hopeful that MOPP and CRC will cooperated.
He added that affected communities should engage the process honestly, noting that the ongoing monitoring represents an opportunity for “a new dawn” in government-community-corporate relations.
Director Momo further disclosed that the NBC team is working in collaboration with county representatives from the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ministry of Labour, and the Liberian National Police, among others to access the current status of the companies.
“These institutions are represented locally and have firsthand knowledge of the operations of these concessions. Their insights are critical to the success of our assessment,” Momo explained.
He pointed out that the compliance evaluation process includes; meetings with concession company management, workers’ unions, and affected residents.
He stressed that the team is also actively engaging stakeholders to gather environmental data related to the operations of both MOPP and CRC.
Though the NBC team does not have enforcement authority, it will compile and submit recommendations based on findings.
“Our job is to gather facts and provide a full report. Where necessary, recommendations will be made for appropriate government actions,” said Momo.
He clarified that the current review focuses on the period from 2020 to 2025, adding that in cases of serious financial, environmental, or legal violations, the Bureau may extend its evaluation back to the original 2011 concession agreements.
Director Momo confirmed that the team has already held initial meetings with stakeholders and has since been deployed to various field sites.
“Our experts are actively engaging community members, reviewing company financial records, assessing environmental impacts, and evaluating human resource practices. We are covering every key area of concern,” he added.
The NBC’s ongoing review is part of a broader national effort to ensure that concession agreements serve the best interests of both the government and the Liberian people.
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