Senator Koung: ArcelorMittal not operating in good faith

By Lincoln G. Peters 

Nimba County Senator Jeremiah Koung has threatened to solicit support from his colleagues in the Senate not to ratify the ArcelorMittal Mineral Development Agreement if the clause that gives the company exclusive right over the railway and the Port of Buchanan is not removed.

According to Senator Koung, since Arcelor Mittal began operation in 2006, it has had total control of the railway and the port, adding that past documents give them that right.

Speaking on Spoon Talk recently, the Nimba County Senator said they will not make a similar mistake in the current amended Mineral Development Agreement that is before the Senate for concurrence.

“The railway and the port are assets of government. In 2007 and 2013 we made mistake to give them such control over the port and railway.  Mittal has not been operating in good faith in terms of the agreement”, Senator Koung argued.

He said the current agreement states that Arcelor Mittal can develop and use the port and railway, but the Government of Liberia has the right to grant a license to a third party to use the facility provided there is access to space or such operation will not hinder ArcelorMittal’s operation.

However, he noted that the agreement also indicates that Arcelor Mittal will have to consent before anybody uses the rail and the Port of Buchanan something, he insists needs to be removed before the ratification of the amended agreement or else, there will be no deal.

“I’m excited now that Montserrado County Senator Saah Joseph upon his return from assessment of Arcelor Mittal’s operational site told me in a telephone that he concurs with me that the deal should not be ratified because of what he saw. We will not give Mittal another 9 years with complete access to the port and railway”, Senator Koung vowed.

He said there is a need for the Government of Liberia to have control of the railway and port in order to create additional job opportunities for citizens by allowing Arcelor Mittal to share those facilities with other companies that government wants to bring in.

“We thank the Lower House for the recommendation concerning the railway and the port to revert it to the government for other interested companies to operate. We at the Upper House (Senate) will make sure that there is no deal if that can’t be handled and removed. Arcelor Mittal is now mining their second mountain in Nimba County after they got through with the first mountain. They have identified the third mountain to operate in and have started paying farmers around that area. I don’t need anything from them but the right things should be done is my quest.” The Senator reemphasized.

Sen Koung said he doesn’t see Arcelor Mittal as a multi-million dollar company due to its poor performance, adding that Mittal has failed to construct one thousand eight homes and other facilities at its operational areas in Yekepa, Nimba County that will restore the area to pre-war status.

Koung said in its 16 years of operation, Arcelor Mittal has done just 10 percent of the agreement signed with the government.

“The government will have no deal if those things are not addressed because our citizens need a better life and job opportunities. In 2007, 2013 we made the mistake of ratifying those agreements because we came from war and needed means to better things. However, now we will not make this mistake in this 2022 ratification agreement because we will live with it for years”, he concluded.

ArcelorMittal Liberia is a subsidiary of the world’s steel giant Mittal Steel. It has signed an US$800 million Mineral Development Agreement with the Government of Liberia, seeking additional nine years to its previous 25 years for mineral exploration here.

At the same time, Liberia and neighboring Guinea also have an agreement that will allow Guinean ores transported via Liberian rail and port currently operated by ArcelorMittal.https://thenewdawnliberia.com/senate-disappointed-in-arcelormittal/