MONROVIA – Senator Nya D. Twayen of Nimba County has issued a blistering condemnation of ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML), accusing the company of gross and repeated violations of its Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) with the Government of Liberia. Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, July 10, 2025, following a public hearing by the Senate Committee on Concessions and Investment, the Senator declared that AML has failed to meet key obligations under the agreement, leaving local communities impoverished while exploiting Liberia’s resources.
Senator Twayen expressed frustration over what he described as the longstanding neglect of the Liberian people, particularly in the concession areas of Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa counties. “For too long, we’ve seen our people deprived of incentives and livelihoods by concessionaires ripping this country off,” he said. “We were born and raised to know Liberia is rich, yet we remain poor.”
The Senator cited a 2007 amendment to the original MDA, signed during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, which was intended to improve living standards in affected communities and strengthen national development. However, he said those provisions remain largely unfulfilled.
Twayen said the recent announcement of a $1.8 billion investment by AML, including $1.4 billion within the concession area, triggered concerns. “Yekepa still lies in ruins,” he said, referring to the once-thriving mining town. “The road leading to Yekepa is dilapidated, employment remains unstable, and there is no serious effort to train Liberians to take over from expatriates.”
He told reporters that despite AML’s efforts to delay its appearance before the Senate committee, the company did attend the hearing and admitted under oath to several violations of the MDA. Among them, he said, was the company’s failure to appoint a Liberian to one of its top three executive positions, a requirement since 2008. “They tried to elude us, but eventually admitted they have not done it,” Twayen said.
He also revealed that AML admitted it has not constructed a single hospital or clinic in the concession area, despite Article 8 of the MDA mandating the construction of modern health facilities equipped with advanced medical equipment. “Those facilities do not exist,” he said. “Not even in the hospital they claim to have renovated.”
The Senator further accused AML of failing to provide $100,000 annually to the Ministry of Lands, Mines, and Energy for research and development, as required under Article 22, Section 3 of the MDA. “After 22 years, they haven’t given a dime,” he said, adding that the Ministry itself confirmed it had never received the funds.
He also pointed to AML’s refusal to comply with the Bureau of Concessions and its failure to obtain construction approval for its iron ore processing plant from the Ministry of Public Works. “AML has not been audited, and they’ve been operating with blatant disregard for our institutions,” Twayen said.
Calling AML’s actions “a betrayal of trust,” the Senator warned that the company’s recent push to implement its Phase 2 investment plan, so close to the expiration of its contract in 2030, is a deliberate attempt to pressure the government into extending its agreement. “This is a tactic to tie the hands of Liberia and force the passage of a new deal,” he said. “But I say today, on the record, that we have exposed these facts, and Liberia must not be coerced.”
Senator Twayen concluded by reaffirming his commitment to defending the interests of the people of Nimba County and ensuring that concessionaires respect Liberia’s laws and deliver on their promises.
