By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County
Maryland, Liberia: June 12, 2025 – As the National Bureau of Concessions (NBC’s) team began assessment and compliance of companies in Maryland County, the President of the Cavalla Rubber Corporation Workers Union has lamented deplorable condition of housing facilities for workers, calling on management to address the situation.
The National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) arrived in Maryland County, southeast Liberia, over weekend with high-level team of Monitoring and Evaluation compliance officers to carry out a comprehensive review of operations at the Maryland Oil Palm Plantation (MOPP) and the Cavalla Rubber Corporation (CRC).
The team is tasked with assessing the companies’ compliance with concession agreements and evaluating their impact on affected communities
Speaking to reporters, Mr. Paul W. Dweh, President of the Cavalla Rubber Corporation Workers Union, expressed concern over the deplorable conditions of housing facilities.
He alleged that workers and their families are uncomfortably residing in homes with leaking roofs, broken sewage systems and lack of electricity, among others.
Mr. Dweh named deplorable camps at CRC, including Division 10, Yancyville, Hospital Camp and Division 5 that need urgent renovation.
“As we enter the rainy season, if you visit any of these camps, you will feel hurt; and it’s quite unfortunate that managers live comfortably in their homes, while employees live in open air houses. We don’t want to use aggressive approach; that’s why we are calling on management to address it in time, “he emphasized.
He further lamented that the deplorable conditions of employees’ homes have compelled several employees to vacate Division 10 in pursuit of a better living in Pleebo, resulting to forced closure of the company’s elementary school in the area for more than a year now.
He indicated that these housing facilities were built by Firestone before the Liberian Civil War, so they need major renovation to suit 21st century standard.
He said the union made multiple attempts in recent years to engage management on the matter, but their concerns have been met with silence, prompting him to come public.
He believes this is no longer just a labor issue but a humanitarian crisis that needs attention of all stakeholders, such as the Ministry of Labour, and the entire government. “These are people who the company depends on for production,” Dweh stressed.
He also expressed disappointment in the Ministry of Labor local office in Maryland and the county legislative caucus for failing to recognize the unacceptable and dehumanizing conditions employees are faced with.
Besides qualms about bad labor practices and low wages, the disgraceful, squalid living conditions of employees, especially those below managerial level and their dependents, constantly remind them that their welfare is the least thing on the mind of their employers.
New Dawn made efforts to contact CRC Public Relations Officer, Mr. Martin Nyenka, via mobile phone, but was unsuccessful. Editing by Jonathan Browne
