GVL, Butaw smoke peace pipe

Following more than four years of discussions, Golden Veroleum Liberia and the  people of Butaw District in Sinoe County have signed a Memorandum of Understanding or MoU this month, incorporating social agreement. A GVL press release says the signing brought together more than 400 citizens from Butaw and Monrovia including youth, women leaders, elders, traditional  leaders, paramount chiefs and clan chiefs, among others.

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According to the agreement, Golden Veroleum Liberia has agreed to construct an annex of eight classrooms for the Butaw Elementary and Junior High School, an  auditorium for Grgsby Farm School, an eight – room teachers’ quarters in Butaw,  a 2.25 kilometer road linking Tugbeh Village to Ceedor Township, and a 13.23
kilometer road linking Plouh community to Ceekloh, Butaw Seaside, respectively.

Additionally, the agreement says two palaver huts to host community meetings  will be constructed in Butaw District, while to promote healthy water supply and
better sanitation, it also seeks to construct seven hand pumps and two sets of pit latrines with in the district.  The Superintendent of Sinoe County Prosper Browne, and Senators Joseph  Nagbe and Milton Teahjay, reportedly thanked the people of Butaw and GVL for  the agreement.

Superintendent Browne promised to work with the people of Butaw and GVL to  make sure the MoU is fully implemented according to expectations. Benedict Manewah, Chairman of the Butaw A-Bloteh Committee praised GVL for  the level of cooperation received and for the MOU signed. Mr. Manewah  believes, with GVL, the benefits of development for the district are now much clearer.

The GVL Assistant Manager for Community Affairs and Social Sustainability in  Butaw Dixon Patten, said GVL is committed to implementing the MOU. Mr. Patten said it is important to GVL to maintain excellent community relations as it will be working with the community for a long time.

He said Relations between the people of Butaw and GVL have improved and “we  will continue to keep it this way.” According to GVL Communications Coordinator, Leroy Kanmoh, the company has a strengthened communications strategy with communities and other  stakeholders in Liberia.

Mr. Kanmoh said that, in 2012, the people of Butaw complained to the governing  body for responsible oil palm companies, the Round table on Sustainable Palm
Oil (RSPO). Golden Veroleum Liberia is a Liberia registered long term business initiated  Company which seeks to work with Liberians to bring real industries and
factories to Liberia especially in rural communities.

GVL currently employs approximately 3,800 Liberians heavily based in Sinoe and  Grand Kru counties.n GVL donates annually to the Government of Liberia through
the Ministry of Agriculture a scholarship grant of US$100,000 for deserving  Liberian students studying agriculture and engineering. Up to date, US$700,000 has been donated to the Ministry of Agriculture. The  company has deposited into six community accounts at least US$92,000 dollars  in community development fund across Sinoe and Grand Kru counties. The construction of three bed rooms Butaw Clinic staff quarter is the first  community development fund project by GVL. – Press Release