spot_imgspot_img
Monday, December 9, 2024

LOGGING COMPANY IN CAPE MOUNT DEFAULTS ON AGREEMENT WITH COMMUNITY

Date:

By Elijah M. Boimah with Liberia Forest Media Watch (LFMW)

The idea of establishing Community Forest was to put resources at the disposal of communities in order to design and implement their own development initiatives. As a way of decentralizing national development, communities would now have the right to identify, negotiate and offer their forests to logging companies so that proceeds accrued from the contracts can be used to build hospitals, roads, schools, latrines, educate their children, etc. (2009 Community Rights Law with Respect to Forest Lands).

Communities could also choose to engage into conservation by preserving a portion of their forests while seeking alternative livelihoods.

But it seems that the blessing of the Community Forest, despite its good intention, is gradually turning into a curse for forest communities across Liberia. Some logging companies have breached the agreements with communities and have fled the country with huge financial liabilities, while others have been engaged into dubious concession activities much to the disadvantage of the communities.

Recent fact-finding mission by the Liberia Forest Media Watch (LFMW) to the Gola Konneh Community Forest in Grand Cape Mount County has uncovered how a logging company called AKEWA Group of Companies Inc. had breached its agreement with the community. Residents of Gola Konneh within the heart of the Lush Managorduah Forest had long relied on the forest for their livelihood sustainability until AKEWA Group of Companies Inc. stepped in with an elaborate but a soon to fail promise.

The AKEWA Group of Companies promised prosperity, sustainability and commitment once it secured a logging contract with the community and the people of Gola Konneh, vowing to uphold all regulations to protect the forest and its resources. In that agreement, the Chief Executive Officer of the AKEWA Group of Companies Inc., Abigail Funkle Adebunme, agreed to construct five (5) handpumps, pay US$13,000.00 per annum for Scholarship, US$33,810 per annum for land rental fee, US$4.00 per cubic meter fee. The company also agreed to construct a six-classroom building somewhere around the Jenemana area. More to that, the AKEWA Group of Companies Inc. agreed to rehabilitate one major road in the Gola Konneh District.

Despite promising to respect and uphold the agreement, evidence shows that the AKEWA Group of Companies has reneged in upholding its end of the agreement even though there have been some pitfalls on the part of the community. For instance, on Monday, January 31, 2022, the Bassa Town Warehouse of the AKEWA Group of Companies Inc. was ransacked by men believed to be from the tradition. LFMW learned that the attack on the company’s warehouse was due to the failure of the logging company to live up to the agreement its signed with the community. The matter was sent to the Lofa Bridge Police Station, and later to the Lofa Bridge Magisterial Court. LFMW later learned that the community through the Community Forest Management Body (CFMB) claimed responsibility of the attack.

Recent financial report seen by LFMW and compiled by the former Treasurer of the CFMB, Alfred Gbellay Varney now the District Commissioner of Gola Konneh, shows that in four years, the AKEWA Group of companies has not paid a penny for scholarship. The report further indicates that company’s CEO Abigail Funkle Adebunme and her AKEWA Group of Companies are indebted to the community in the sum of US$158,837.30 in various fees as highlighted below: US$87,430.00 in land rental fee, US$19,407.30 in cubic meter fee and US$52,000.00 in scholarship; all, over a period of 4yrs (2019-2023). This sums the total arrears to US$158,837.30 that AKEWA owed the community.

smartnews
Smart News Liberia is an online news outlet and a product of Smart Media Group Inc. Our website, smartnewsliberia.com, covers a broad spectrum of news content. For inquiries or information, you can reach us at 0777425285 or 0886946925, or email us at smartnewsliberia@gmail.com or info@smartnewsliberia.com.

LATEST DEVELOPMENT

DR. NYAN ISSUES URGENT HEALTH WARNING AS NPHIL ENHANCES SURVEILLANCE AGAINST VIRAL HEMORRHAGIC FEVER

MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Dr. Dougbeh Chris Nyan, the Director-General...

SUPREME COURT’S RULING IN KOFFA CASE CRITICIZED AS ‘VAGUE AND CONFLICT-FUELING’

MONROVIA, LIBERIA – Renowned activist and Master of Law...

SUPREME COURT RULING LEAVES HOUSE DISPUTE UNRESOLVED

MONROVIA, LIBERIA – The long-awaited ruling in the constitutional...

BOAKAI SIDESTEPS SPEAKER KOFFA: LOGICALITY OR PRECEDENT-SETTING BREACH?

President Joseph Boakai's decision to submit the 2025 draft...

A MILESTONE FOR LIBERIA’S HIGHER EDUCATION, BUT CHALLENGES REMAIN

The launch of Liberia’s first doctoral programs at the...

BOAKAI’S MISPLACED AMBITIONS AS LIBERIA BLEEDS AND THE PRESIDENT COURTS GLOBAL VANITY

Eight months into his presidency, Joseph Boakai’s administration is...

COMMENTARY

THE LASTING LEGACY OF PRINCE JOHNSON’S DEATH AND THE PATH FORWARD FOR LIBERIA

By Lyndon J. Ponnie, Sr. The passing of former Liberian...

PRES. BOAKAI’S LACK OF LEADERSHIP AND LIBERIA’S POLITICAL CRISIS

-A Commentary Joseph Boakai's failure to lead has once again...

THE MASS DISMISSAL OF LIBERIAN PUBLIC SERVANTS: A TROUBLING TREND UNDER THE BOAKAI ADMINISTRATION

A Commentary by Wondah L. Jah Since assuming the presidency,...

SECURITY RISKS: IS PRESIDENT BOAKAI UNKNOWINGLY SETTING THE STAGE FOR EARLY COUP D’ÉTAT?

In his commentary, Liberian political analyst Vandalerk R. Patricks...

LATEST NEWS

Share post:

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW

OPINION

LIBERIANS ARE IN AN ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE UP AND CDC

  An Opinion By Grace RK Guar Every six...

AMERICA’S NEGLECT OF LIBERIA: A CALL FOR CHANGE

An Opinion By Bishop Dr. Rudolph Q. Kwanue, Sr A...

AMID AN UNENDING WAR AGAINST POVERTY, INJUSTICES – HAS THE PROGRESSIVE STRUGGLE BECOME LOST IN TRANSLATION?

A Patriot's Diary With Ekena Wesley What manner of Liberian progressives...

HAS PRESIDENT BOAKAI’S GOVERNMENT BEGUN BEARING GOOD FRUITS? (PART1)

By Jacob N.B. Parley Following a careful reflection, I have...

ELEVATING THE AG BIBLE COLLEGE TO A UNIVERSITY: A MILESTONE ACHIEVEMENT

By Jacob N.B. Parley After many years of successful preaching...

THE GALLERY

spot_imgspot_img

MORE ARTICLES

spot_imgspot_img

MORE NEWS

LATEST DEVELOPMENT NEWS

LATEST CRIME NEWS

Share via
Copy link