Grand Bassa County’s district #4 Representative, Vincent S.T Willie, has written the plenary of the House of Representatives on issues of national concern, particularly on the review and ratification processes of the Liberian Agricultural Company’s 1959 Concession Agreement. The lawmaker craved the indulgence of plenary of the House of Representatives to invite before its plenary the heads of the National Investment Commission (NIC) and the Liberia Land Authority (LLA) to provide status updates and next-steps on the LAC concession review and ratification processes; Mercy M. Kpaingbay writes.
According to the Wee Statutory District lawmaker, the concession is located in electoral districts #4 and #5 of Grand Bassa County.
Representative Willie’s communication to the plenary of the House of Representatives asserted that the company was granted concession to produce natural rubber, and for over sixty years it has existed as the second largest rubber plantation in Liberia. He said its concession agreement is yet to be ratified.
The Grand Bassa County district #4 lawmaker’s letter further stated that as Representative of the people of Wee Statutory District and Grand Bassa at large he has been concerned about the ratification of the LAC concession in terms of meeting current-day realities.
“I have made efforts to meet the relevant authorities responsible to ratify concessions, but this is yet to actualize. This communication is to buttress previous strides made by my office to the offices of the President of Liberia and the honorable House of Representatives on the issue indicated above,” Representative Willie’s communication stated.
In furtherance, the lawmaker’s communication noted that it can be recalled two years ago that the President of Liberia, George Manneh Weah, mandated the Head of the National Investment Commission (NIC) and the Inter-Ministerial Committee on Concessions (IMCC) to look into the issue of the LAC’s concession review and other concessions.
“The President’s decision to mandate the NIC and the IMCC was predicated on our constant engagement with his offices on the matter, and also concerns raised by citizens and residents of the concession area during his nationwide tour in 2021,” the Grand Bassa County lawmaker’s communication underscored.
The letter further noted that, based on the IMCC’s initial attempt toward the process as mandated by President Weah, two meetings were held: the meetings brought together few members of Grand Bassa and Rivercess counties’ legislative caucus, the management of LAC and other stakeholders.
“As we speak, we remain unaware of updates from IMCC since the two meetings were held. An update on the issue will help to inform our next steps,” the communication noted.
According to the communication, there is no doubt to believe that the review and ratification processes of LAC’s 1959 concession agreement is important for the social and economic benefits of the people of Grand Bassa County and the Government of Liberia (GOL).
A motion was entertained by Grand Bassa County’s district #5 Representative, Thomas A. Goshua, that the heads of NIC and Land Authority, upon their return from the voter registration exercise, appear before the plenary.
