Nimba County Senator Nya D. Twayen has raised fresh concerns over what he describes as ArcelorMittal Liberia’s (AML) attempts to sway lawmakers with luxury tours while ignoring long-standing violations of its Mineral Development Agreement (MDA).
In a statement, Senator Twayen warned that no amount of lobbying or entertainment will overshadow what he called “egregious breaches” of the 2007 amended MDA. He maintained that the people of Nimba and Liberia have yet to see the full benefits promised under the agreement.
“Taking some Senators and Representatives on a luxury tour of the concession does not erase the fact that AML is in gross violation of the MDA,” he wrote. “Until the people benefit as per the terms and conditions, the company is doomed to face either legal action or non-renewal.”
The senator cautioned his colleagues in the Legislature against turning a blind eye to what he described as years of neglect. He also issued a warning to the Executive Branch, particularly the Inter-Ministerial Concessions Committee (IMCC), against presenting any renewal of AML’s agreement for legislative approval without addressing compliance issues.
“We dare any lawmaker to ignore these violations and vote for renewal,” he stressed. “We dare any member of the Executive to bring such an agreement for ratification amidst all the noncompliant clauses since the 2007 review.”
Senator Twayen further revealed that AML admitted under oath that its processing plant is valued at $250 million, contrary to the company’s earlier public claim of a $1.4 billion investment. He described this as misleading and an example of how the company exaggerates figures while the affected communities remain underdeveloped.
The senator concluded that AML must stop “wasting time” and instead fulfill its obligations to the people of Nimba and Liberia, or face the consequences of non-renewal when the current MDA expires.
