ArcelorMittal employee goes “missing”?

Police in Sanniquellie, Nimba County are reportedly investigating the management of ArcelorMittal on the alleged disappearance of one its employees. Employee Prince Nah Brown, 48, reportedly went missing on 4th August and has not been found.

Family members explain to the New Dawn that since August 4, 2018 at 4:00 pm their brother boarded the company bus in Camp-4, Yekepa and is yet to be found, running into 10 days now since the incident transpired.

A document obtained by this paper details Prince Nah Brown is an employee of ArcelorMittal, but was accused of violating Management policy and by allegedly leading, instigating and inciting fellow employees assigned at Load and Haul mines into an illegal strike, disrupting works at the mines.

The document specifically details that between July 20 and July 24, and August 1 and 2, 2018 the victim led fellow workers on strike, demanding improvement of their health status, and explanation of a new policy introduced by the management called “Zero Week”.

Some employees, who spoke with our Nimba County Correspondent on Monday in Yekepa on condition of anonymity narrate they face dangers in the mines and some of their colleagues had become victims.

‘’We are only working by God’s mercy”, they added. On Saturday morning August 4, 2018 at 4 pm Prince Nah Brown boarded the camp bus for work, but allegedly arrested by some ERU officers and ArcelorMittal security, which was announced over the company based phone, the victim’s wife Paldar Brown, explains.

A suspension letter issued to Prince Nah Brown by the ArcelorMittal Management says he should not be allowed on the company’s premises, pending a disciplinary hearing.

Meanwhile, in an official statement to this paper last night, the Management ArcelorMittal explains that at about 11:50hrs (AM) on Saturday August 4, 2018, employee Prince Nah Brown was served a suspension letter amongst others for his alleged involvement in two separate illegal strike actions against the company that put a complete halt to mining activities.

According to the statement issued by Head of Communications Amanda Hill, the letters stated that the affected persons should stay away from all work related activities, pending the completion of a full investigation of the incidents and a final decision by the management and a disciplinary panel. However, Mr. Brown would continue to receive his pay during the suspension.

It continues that upon receiving and affixing his signature to the document, the suspended employee was asked to leave the mines. He requested to be driven to the Tokadeh security entrance/junction gate.

“Mr. Brown boarded the AML security lead investigator vehicle with the lead investigator himself driving, accompanied by two PSU officers, and was dropped off at the Tokadeh security entrance/junction. Mr. Brown was released in the presence of the entire LNP and Human Resource Team along with a Henderson Risk consultant”, the statement reads.

Iit says about an hour later while heading back to the Yekepa community along with the entire team mentioned above, the suspended employee was seen at the Tokadeh junction making phone calls when they drove by.

“ArcelorMittal has confirmed information from the LNP/CSD investigator (Officer Michael Ballah) that he saw Prince Brown in Camp – 4 where he (Mr. Brown) resides at approximately 15:00hrs on the same Saturday that he was suspended”, the statement adds.

It notes that LNP informed ArcelorMittal Liberia on August 9, 2018 that Mrs. Brown opened a case on the disappearance of her husband. LNP advised ArcelorMittal Liberia that their investigation would conclude on August 13 and that they would details at that time.

By Thomas Domah/Nimba–Editing by Jonathan Browne