Africa-Press – Liberia. On his recent visit to ArcelorMittal Liberia’s concession area, Kleber Silva, Executive Vice President at ArcelorMittal and Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal Mining, expressed deep satisfaction with the progress of ongoing community and health infrastructure projects in Yekepa.
After touring the company’s modernized hospital facilities in Yekepa, Silva described the improvements as both impressive and meaningful for the well-being of workers and surrounding communities.
“I’m impressed. I’m very happy with the improvement that we did,” Silva said after inspecting the surgery room, emergency unit, and other expanded sections of the Yekepa Hospital. “I just see the surgery room, the emergency facilities, all the improvements that we did in the infrastructure. I’m really happy with the progress we’ve made so far and the progress that will come.”
The expansion of the Yekepa and AML Buchanan Hospitals, which now boast new operating rooms and medicine units, forms part of ArcelorMittal Liberia’s broader commitment to improve healthcare delivery for its employees and nearby residents. Silva stressed that such investment is essential for both the company and the community.
“This is very important for us because we care about the community, we care about our own improvement,” he explained. “We have to have good health infrastructure, the hospital, to take care of the people that we value. And this is extremely important for us and extremely important that we continue to progress.”
During his visit, Silva also dedicated new water kiosk facilities designed to provide safe drinking water to fenceline communities in Yekepa. The project features modern boreholes, solar-powered pumps, and distribution kiosks, providing hundreds of residents with access to clean water daily.
“This facility is marvelous because water is so important,” he remarked. “Now we are having the water kiosk for the population, for the community, that has proper water to drink, and we value the community as we are together. We would like to have the best infrastructure for the population here. Therefore, much appreciated, and we are delighted to do it.”
Earlier, ArcelorMittal’s Global Mining CEO, Kleber Silva, toured the company’s Buchanan rail facility and other major installations to gain a firsthand impression of progress on the Phase II Expansion upgrades.
During his visit, Mr. Silva was briefed by Marco Miranda, General Manager for Rail, who outlined key achievements in the ongoing rail infrastructure program. These included the upgraded Rail Traffic Control System, improvements at the Rail Workshop, and enhanced housekeeping standards. Other milestones highlighted were the reduction in the total train cycle time, the increase in the average number of wagons per train, and the completion of a full railway inspection.
The Global Mining CEO commended the rail team for their dedication and emphasized the importance of these advances for both the company and nearby residents.
One of the most inspiring developments linked to the rail program is the story of twenty-one young people from fence line communities across Bong, Nimba, and Grand Bassa Counties, who have taken a bold step into their future as the latest beneficiaries of ArcelorMittal Liberia’s investment in youth empowerment and skills development.
The group, which includes two females, has been employed as Train Assistants. They recently completed a four-week theoretical training program at the company’s Training Academy annex in Buchanan.
The training provided them with essential skills, including General Operating Instruction, ArcelorMittal Rail Operational Rules, the responsibilities of a Train Assistant, air brake systems, and shunting duties.
They are now undergoing an additional twelve weeks of practical training designed to transform classroom knowledge into real-world expertise. This hands-on training prepares them to contribute effectively to rail operations and the company’s broader Phase II Expansion.
Silva’s frequent visits to Liberia have seen him push for tangible investments in training, healthcare, water, housing, and other community facilities, initiatives he views as essential to building trust and shared progress. Reflecting on the hospital expansion and dedication of new facilities, he said:
“I feel really, really good, really warm because of all this progress. We need to have this hospital, as I said, at the highest level in the country, and we are getting there. Therefore, I go back with a feeling of warmth, accomplishment, and more progress to come.”
With more than 35 years of experience in the mining and metallurgical industries, Silva rejoined ArcelorMittal in 2024 after serving as Deputy CEO and Chief Operating Officer at Eramet. His return has been marked by renewed focus on safety, environmental and social responsibility, and community development in host countries like Liberia.
From hospital upgrades and water systems to investments in housing and training, Silva’s leadership signals ArcelorMittal’s determination to not only drive Liberia’s mining sector but also improve the living standards of the communities most affected by its operations.
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