MONROVIA – The dismissal of Liberia’s Minister of Mines and Energy, Hon. Wilmot J.M. Paye, by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has ignited fierce debate among political observers, civil society actors, and mining industry stakeholders. Critics argue that Paye’s removal, announced on Monday, October 27, 2025, was not due to corruption or incompetence, but rather his refusal to compromise the interests of Liberians, particularly Nimbaians, in ongoing negotiations with ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML).
Journalist Abraham Godsent Wheon, a long-time critic of the Unity Party administration, described Paye as a principled leader willing to “go jobless and hungry” rather than betray his people. According to Wheon, Paye’s stance in renegotiating ArcelorMittal’s Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) placed him at odds with powerful interests within and outside the presidency.
“President Joseph Boakai’s dismissal of Mines and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye was not based on corruption allegations,” Wheon wrote. “It stemmed from Paye’s refusal to compromise the interests of his people, particularly Nimbaians, in the ongoing renegotiation of ArcelorMittal’s mining deal.”
The core of the dispute involves licensing fees and national equity. Under the current MDA, ArcelorMittal pays only US$500,000 for a 25-year agreement, a structure critics describe as heavily favoring the company. Paye reportedly proposed a revised framework requiring Class A mining companies to pay US$1 million annually. He also advocated establishing a National Minerals Company to manage Liberia’s equity shares in major concessions and insisted that Nimba’s Mt. Blei and Mt. Detton iron ore deposits be negotiated separately from AML’s existing agreements.
However, insiders claim that both President Boakai and ArcelorMittal rejected these proposals, citing convenience for entrenched interests rather than the national good. Wheon suggests the Minister’s principles conflicted with the ambitions of Samuel A. Stevquoah, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, who maintains close ties to ArcelorMittal and is alleged to act as the company’s voice within the Executive Mansion.
According to Wheon, Stevquoah worked at ArcelorMittal Liberia from 2018 to 2024 as Head of Government Affairs and Head of Corporate Services before his confirmation as Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in September 2025. “ArcelorMittal now has an extended office inside the Office of the President, while ordinary Liberians continue to suffer,” Wheon said.
Concerns about the dismissal were echoed in formal communications sent to President Boakai. In a letter dated September 2, 2025, addressed to the President by “Concerned Mining Agents,” officials outlined allegations of corruption involving Deputy Minister for Operations Williams S. Hines, Assistant Minister for Mines Carlos Tingban Edison, and Director of Mines Alwell A. Carr. The letter implored Boakai to take decisive action to preserve transparency, accountability, and public trust in the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
The letter read in part: “Mr. President, we are doing this to protect your leadership and help you succeed in making Liberia great, but it seems Minister Wilmot J.M. Paye has told you that we are lying or it is political… The people of Liberia are counting on your leadership to uphold justice, transparency, and integrity in all sectors of government.”
Representative Musa H. Bility of Nimba County and political leader of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC) criticized the dismissal as a breach of transparency and fairness. “Over the last several months, the Ministry of Mines and Energy has stood out as one of the few institutions that operated without major controversy, scandal, or public accusation of corruption,” Bility said.
Bility continued: “Reports indicate that the removal of Minister Paye may be linked to his resistance against attempts to turn over the Kitoma iron ore deposit in Nimba County to ArcelorMittal. If true, this sets a troubling precedent that places private interests above the national interest.” He urged President Boakai to provide a full and honest explanation to the Liberian people.
The family of Minister Paye also expressed pride in his principled stance. Mrs. Comfort Boog-Paye wrote: “Thank you for making me a very proud wife! Your children are equally proud of you. Of course, your God is happy to have a child like you. Choosing integrity over wealth is the best decision any true Christian can make. You are a great statesman, and posterity will judge you kindly.”
Despite widespread criticism, Deputy Minister for Administration at MICAT, Johnny Tarkpah, defended President Boakai’s constitutional authority to appoint and dismiss officials. Speaking during a press briefing on October 28, Tarkpah emphasized that critics’ claims of retaliatory dismissals were unfounded. “Some people are saying the President is dismissing officials because they refused to be corrupt,” Tarkpah said. “But this is the same President who has been removing people for corruption-related issues.”
The dismissal announcement came via Executive Mansion statement from Presidential Press Secretary Atty. Kula Bonah Nyei Fofana, who named former Nimba County District #9 Representative R. Matenokay Tingban as Paye’s replacement, pending Senate confirmation.
