Nimba County Senator, Jeremiah K. Koung, has expressed dismay over ArcelorMittal’s failure to maintain inherited structures following the signing of the MDA. The structures, including the housing facilities, rail, workshops, vocational training center, street lights, existing pave street roads and hospital, have all been abandoned.
Senator Koung expressed complete frustration during the recent legislative tour at the company operation site as to why those structures left by the Swedish Mining Company (LAMCO) have not been maintained by ArcelorMittal Liberia. LAMCO, which operated the mountains from 1960 up to the civil war, did not use containers to host its staff; instead, ArcelorMittal is acting contrarily, which is causing dissatisfaction among affected community dwellers.
The MDA calls for the company’s commitment to improving and rehabilitating existing infrastructures, environmental protection and an overall guiding principle of uplifting Liberia and its people.
As per the MDA, the company is to seek the welfare of citizens living in the affected communities through its corporate social responsibility. Such social corporate responsibilities include the improvement of medical and education facilities and safe drinking water. The company, as part of the agreement, needs to prioritize the employment of Liberians, with a specific emphasis on Nimba citizens.
Some of the lawmakers who visited the company’s operation site said nothing much has changed since the coming of ArcelorMittal. Senator Koung revealed that he was familiar with Yekepa prior to the civil war, and can say that nothing has changed since the departure of LAMCO. Instead of rehabilitating the existing structures, the company has chosen to use containers as shelters and offices for staff. In some of containers, workers and family members are living in container apartments with no sitting place and no cooking place. The size of the bed, according to report, is comparable to the hospital bed.
“When LAMCO was here, if you came here you would know that a company was here. With ArcelorMittal, see what is here…and this is the biggest steel company in the world. What we see here is what we take to our friends at the Capitol to share with them,” said Senator Koung.
He added, “We want them to be in the country, but equally so we don’t want them to exploit us. What we are doing here today is to do a pictorial document to share with those who do not have the chance to come on the ground.”