The unfolding situation surrounding Liberia’s apparent decision to grant HPX access to its rail and port infrastructure without clear confirmation from Guinea is raising serious concerns. The matter is not just a simple bureaucratic delay; it is a glaring question of national interest, sovereignty, and whether Liberia is about to enter into an arrangement that could ultimately be detrimental to its people.
As it stands, the Guinean authorities have not granted HPX permission to transport Guinean iron ore through Liberia—a fact that cannot and should not be ignored. Despite the Inter-Ministerial Concession Commission (IMCC) formally writing to the Guinean government to seek clarity on this matter, there has been no response. The silence from Conakry is deafening, and diplomatic interpretation suggests one thing: Guinea has not given HPX the right to move its ore through Liberia, and has no interest in doing so.
Yet, despite this obvious fact, the Government of Liberia (GOL) appears to be moving forward as if everything is in order. Why? What possible justification can there be for advancing a deal when the most crucial requirement—approval from Guinea—is glaringly absent? This is not just an oversight; it is a reckless gamble with Liberia’s future.
The lack of response from Guinea is not something that can be brushed aside or treated as a minor procedural delay; it is a clear indication that the Guinean government is unwilling to give HPX the access it desires. The diplomatic world does not operate in a vacuum—when a government is formally asked a question of such magnitude and chooses to remain silent, it is sending a clear message. And the message here is unmistakable: Guinea has no intention of allowing HPX to transport Guinean iron ore through Liberia.
Liberia must ask itself why it is rushing ahead when the very foundation of this entire arrangement is missing. Why should Liberia grant HPX access when there is no guarantee that the iron ore in question will even be allowed to pass through Liberian territory? It is a decision that defies logic and common sense, raising serious suspicions about whose interests are truly being served in this process. However, it has been rumored that executives of HPX recently held a secret meeting with Ministers Sylvester Grigsby and Mamaka Bility, in which these two officials that are behind this HPX’s scandalous deal programmed HPX’s executives what to say when they officially meet with President Joseph Nyuma Boakai.
Unimpeachable sources confirmed to us that these two officials (Min. Grigsby & Mamaka Bility) and the executives of HPX misled President Boakai that the company has got an approval from the Guinean authorities, and President Boakai should go ahead to grant HPX access to Liberia’s rail and port infrastructure.
The Liberian government, under President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, must remember the promises made to the people. During the campaign that led to his election, President Boakai vowed to end the culture of bad deals, corruption, and decisions that mortgage Liberia’s resources to foreign interests without regard for national benefit. When thousands of Liberians stood in the pouring rain on September 17, 2023, to show their support, they were making a statement. They were tired of seeing their country’s wealth squandered, tired of seeing deals signed that enriched a few while leaving the majority of the population in poverty. They were tired of business as usual.
Now is the moment for President Boakai to honor those commitments. If the government proceeds with granting access to HPX despite Guinea’s lack of approval, it would not only be a scandalous betrayal of Liberia’s interests but also a direct contradiction of the very principles upon which President Boakai was elected. This is not a technical issue—it is a test of leadership, integrity, and commitment to doing what is right for Liberia.
Liberians deserve transparency. They deserve to know why their government is considering a deal that lacks the most fundamental requirement—approval from the country that controls the iron ore in question. They deserve to know who is pushing for this deal and why it is being aggressively pursued in the absence of clear assurances from Guinea. And most importantly, they deserve to know how this benefits Liberia.
The government must immediately halt any further engagements with HPX until Guinea explicitly confirms that it has granted the necessary permissions. Anything less would be an insult to the intelligence of the Liberian people and a reckless disregard for the nation’s economic and strategic interests. Liberia cannot afford to enter into arrangements that lack clarity, legitimacy, and assurance of benefit to its people.
If there was ever a time to Think Liberia, Love Liberia, and Build Liberia, it is now.