—Warns Liberian Road Contactors, As Minister Giddings Gives Site Update On Road Conditions Around Liberia
IPNEWS: Signals are becoming clear that the Government of Liberia is headed to close Western Cluster Mining Company in Liberia, over its reluctance to repair damage and other infrastructures, especially Roads and bridges in its concession area homed to thousands of citizens.
President Joseph N. Boakai speaking Tuesday when he visited ongoing road rehabilitation works along the Brewerville and Gbarpolu corridors, stated that Western Cluster Mining Company has failed to honor its Mineral Development Agreement and he had personally informed the company through its legal team of an imminent closure.
President Boakai warned that if the government does not close Western Cluster Mining Company down, Liberia will lose major bridges and it might be disastrous for the country.
The Liberian leader said he will not tolerate such insensitivity by Western Cluster Mining Company that part of the country.
“Too many cars ply this road. I personally when up this road the last time, Western Cluster is not mining but just taking our resources, and we get no reward for it. I told their Lawyer this morning and we’re going to close them down. I’m serious about this.”
“We are not going to sit here, and people take our resources and leave. If they want to invest further let them build a railway. They cannot damage our roads and just leave us stringent. I’m serious!” President Boakai directed.
In early January 2023, several citizens of Bomi County protested the movement of Western Cluster trucks moving iron ore through Tubmanburg City to the Freeport of Monrovia.
The citizens were provoked by what they said a complete breach of the terms of the agreement between Western Cluster and the Government of Liberia, specifically the aspect that deals with the movement of iron ore by trucks, as well as the environmental risks, and the dangers posed by WC trucks moving unrestrictedly at any hour on the highway, thus making the Bomi-Montserrado corridor vulnerable to road accidents.
The citizens especially decried the company’s complete disregard for rehabilitating the damaged road while their trucks continued to move iron ore uninterruptedly. They blamed Senator Edwin Snowe for presenting Western Cluster as angels, a protester told IPNEWS in 2023.
The citizens further alleged contractual breaches by Western Cluste.
Speaking earlier, President Joseph N. Boakai frowned on the carelessness of Liberian road contractors in the completion of major road contracts awarded them.
President Boakai stated that it is disheartening for Liberians to complain of foreigners taking jobs when they were careless in the handling of various contracts awarded them.
“This is serious business. The Foreigners come here and go to the Banks get the same loans and do these jobs and we watch them. We cannot be complaining of foreigners taking our jobs when we ourselves are not doing anything to help ourselves. This is a source of employment. Everybody cannot get a government job. This time around, there’s no shortcut.” President Boakai warned.
The Liberian leader reiterated that there’s no need to have the people shock in the mud. The government remains committed to ensuring the road remain pliable when during the rainy season to allow children go to school, market women carry their produce and people are engage daily on the road.
He recounted the terrible nature of the Breweverville- Gbarpolu road during the heat of the campaign and lauded the Ministry of Public Works team for a job well done, stressing that Liberia belongs to all and the government is under obligation to make the people live as other are living in the urban areas and even better.
“I want to take you and when you do well, you are trying to gradually take over your country and when you do that you are providing jobs for your fellow countrymen. When foreigners come and get the contracts, you are the same Liberians that do it, so why don’t you take it and do it properly yourselves? “
“I want to thank you and thank the Minister. We’ve discussed this even long before the elections. We appreciate the team work and we need to encourage that for the good of our country. No one person can do it. As politicians we make the promises and you keep them. We appreciate this and we can assure you that once you’re doing this, we will look for the support. That our job to look for the resources and the better you do them, the more resources we will get. It will be out of place to give the contracts to foreigners when you can do it even better.” President Boakai stated.
Currently there are two Liberian contractors namely BK and Joes-hope, working on the road.
