Rep. Domah against ArcelorMittal deal

By Thomas Domah, Nimba County

Nimba County District#7 Representative Roger Domah says there should be no extension given to ArcelorMittal to carry out operations in Nimba County because the company failed to live up to commitments made.

He laments over conditions of affected communities including lack of housing facilities, schools, roads and poor health facilities, among others.

The Nimba County district#7 notes that some lawmakers are short-sighted and their actions are damaging the country.

He says the passage of the Mineral Development Agreement between the government and Arcelor Mittal is in question and might not be passed by the Liberian Senate.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives where he works, ratified the agreement in December 2021, pending concurrence by the Senate.

Also speaking to this paper, River Cess County district#2 Representative Byron Zahn Wea thinks the Arcelor Mittal agreement is a very sticky matter and they are not in support of some requests made in the document, particularly provisions bordering on ownership of railway and the Port of Buchanan in Grand Bassa County, but cautions that Liberians employed with the mining company may be out of a job if Arcelor Mittal should leave the country.

Commenting on the distribution of brown envelopes in the process, Rep. ZahnWea says he does not think cash will interplay in the process to induce Lawmakers.

For his part, Nimba County District#3 Representative Joseph Nyan Somwarbi is one of two representatives out of nine lawmakers from the county, who are in support of granting Arcelor Mittal additional years to operate in Liberia.

Representative Somwarbi in whose district Arcelor Mittal operates, prior to his election, was against the mining company and had called on Nimbaians to join him to pressurize the company to implement the agreement it signed with the Government of Liberia.

ArcelorMittal Liberia, a subsidiary of world steel giant Mittal Steel, currently has a 25-year mining agreement with the government but is seeking an additional 9 years thru a US$800 million Mineral Development Agreement that is currently before the Legislature for ratification.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/senator-koung-arcelormittal-not-operating-in-good-faith/ Editing by Jonathan Browne