Africa-Press – Liberia. The recent tension and protests surrounding ArcelorMittal Liberia’s (AML) operations in Yekepa, Nimba County, have subsided, as the company has resumed activities following negotiations with the local community.
Internal Affairs Minister Francis Sakila Nyumalin revealed that AML has made a few commitments to the local communities, including the rehabilitation of feeder roads.
“The company has agreed to address the demands put forth by protesters and community members,” the minister revealed at the induction ceremony of Nimba Superintendent Kou Meapeh Gono and her officers on May 23. “ArcelorMittal Liberia has agreed to rehabilitate all the feeder roads in the Yekepa community and has already begun the work as we speak.”
The recent dispute arose when the local ‘country devils’ disrupted operations at Torkadeh Mines and other sites, leading to a temporary halt in AML’s activities within the concession areas. Residents voiced concerns about AML’s impact on the local community and environmental issues, including allegations of water pollution due to waste disposal practices.
The citizens have since called on AML to leave their area as the company has reportedly failed to improve the livelihood of the local communities.
Prior to the protest that brought the operations of the company to a halt, a group of angry citizens seized AML’s sewage tanker at the Sanniquellie Checkpoint.
The tanker was headed to Yekepa to deposit the waste into a sewage treatment plant from Buchanan, something the citizens said contaminates the nearby creek, their only source of water in the absence of safe drinking water.
The company was swift to clarify that it does not pollute the community water source; rather, it takes the waste to the standardized sewage treatment plant, where all the waste goes through all purifications and chlorination before it can be disposed of.
However, a week after this incident, the community went on the rampage, staging protests in Monrovia, while at the same time traditional devils halted the company’s operations.
Amid the tensions and protests, the intervention of lawmakers and local authorities, particularly Representatives Nyan Flomo and Nenkeh Gaye, facilitated discussions between AML and the affected communities.
Minister Nyumalin commended the efforts of the lawmakers in resolving the dispute and bringing about a peaceful resolution.
The situation in Yekepa reflects long standing challenges within the concession area, including inadequate infrastructure, dilapidated housing facilities, and disputes over land and resettlement issues dating back to the days of Liberia America Mining Company (LAMCO).
AML’s efforts to address social responsibility and community development have been met with various challenges and complexities, including delays in infrastructure improvements and tensions with longstanding occupants.
As AML recommences operations following the resolution of the dispute, ongoing efforts to address community concerns and enhance corporate social responsibility remain essential to fostering harmonious relationships and sustainable development in the area.
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