MONROVIA – The Joint Committee on the Compliance Review of Concessions of the House of Representatives has formally invited the Chief Executive Officer and senior management of ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) to appear before a public hearing on Monday, June 16, 2025. Scheduled for 11:00 a.m. in the 1st Floor Conference Room, House Wing, at the Capitol Building, the hearing represents a critical step by the Legislature to ensure transparency and accountability in Liberia’s concession agreements.
Comprised of the Committees on Investment & Concessions, Lands, Mines, Energy, Natural Resources and Environment, and Labor, the Joint Committee will focus its review on ArcelorMittal’s Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) with the government. Of particular interest is the compliance surrounding the controversial 30 percent share provision within the agreement. To facilitate a thorough assessment, the Committee has requested AML to present detailed financial reports from the past five years, data on iron ore production, documentation of social corporate responsibility projects, and a full report on scholarship funds and support to the University of Liberia’s Geological Department. Additionally, an updated roster of Liberian senior and managerial staff and comprehensive community resource activity reports are required.
The call for this public hearing comes on the heels of the high-profile commissioning of AML’s US$1.4 billion concentrator plant in Yekepa, Nimba County, on June 5, 2025. The event, which was attended by President Joseph Boakai, was intended to showcase renewed industrial growth and job creation opportunities, promising over 6,000 new jobs. Yet, what should have been a celebration quickly turned into a flashpoint of protest and dissatisfaction.
Senator Nya D. Twayen of Nimba County delivered a sharp critique of the company’s operations, warning that any renewal of AML’s concession would face resistance unless demands from the Nimba Caucus were met. “AML? You can dedicate another 1 billion dollar plant, but if the conditions laid down by the Nimba Caucus are not met, we will resist renewal,” declared Senator Twayen. His remarks underscored long-standing frustrations over a billion-dollar project that, despite its scale, has not translated into meaningful development or improved living conditions for many locals.
The mood in Nimba is bleak. Once a thriving mining town, Yekepa now struggles with crumbling infrastructure, muddy roads, and widespread neglect. Community members and local activists have voiced their anger, chanting “AML Must Go” in the days leading up to the President’s visit. The protests reflect a broader dissatisfaction among residents of Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa Counties, where AML operates, who accuse the company of failing to deliver tangible benefits despite its vast revenues.
Between 2021 and 2022 alone, AML exported over 6.4 million metric tons of iron ore, generating approximately US$477.2 million in revenue according to Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) reports. Yet for the people living alongside the mines, the impact is more neglect than prosperity. Claims of unequal pay between Liberian and expatriate workers, poor working conditions, and unsafe environments have persisted for years. Labor unions continue to press for fair wages and better protections, while incidents of workplace accidents, some fatal, have raised concerns about AML’s commitment to safety.
Since its entry into Liberia in 2005, ArcelorMittal’s presence has been marked by promises of rehabilitation, including upgrading the Yekepa-Buchanan railway and port facilities. The 2011 amendments to the Mineral Development Agreement expanded the company’s operational footprint to over 500,000 hectares. Despite these developments, many Liberians remain skeptical about the true benefits of the arrangement, pointing to a widening gap between official rhetoric and the harsh realities on the ground.
The upcoming public hearing will be a pivotal moment for ArcelorMittal and the Liberian government. It provides a platform for legislators to demand accountability and for the company to demonstrate its compliance and contributions to national development. The Legislature’s insistence on transparency and proper documentation signals a renewed commitment to safeguarding Liberia’s natural resources and ensuring that foreign investments genuinely benefit the people.
As the country watches closely, the outcome of this hearing may set the tone for future negotiations and concessions with multinational corporations. For many Liberians in mining communities, it is no longer enough to see ribbon-cuttings and grand inaugurations. They seek real development, clean water, decent roads, good jobs, and respect for their rights. The question now is whether ArcelorMittal and the government are ready to meet those demands or risk further alienation and resistance.
