By Mack Rogers
Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County – Workers of the Bea Mountain Mining Corporation (BMMC) are expected to shortly lay down their tools in a massive strike action, against the backdrop of an ultimatum that the BMMC Workers Union issued the company two weeks ago. Punch FM/TV Online Service has reliably gathered that the pending go-slow action is intended to pressure the Company and the Government of Liberia to address key concerns of the workers, especially regarding the reported huge influx of Turkish nationals that are employed in positions which Liberians are required by law to occupy.
Speaking recently with our Grand Cape Mount County correspondent, the Company’s Government Relations Manager, Mr. Joseph N. Wonnah, decried what he termed as the mass importation of Turkish nationals at the Bea Mountain Mining Company’s Kinjor mine in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County. Mr. Wonnah further asserted that at present, there are more Turkish nationals than Liberians at both Kinjor and Nablama mines.
The Company’s Government Relations Manager expressed shock over the situation which he alarmed as “troubling to the country’s economy”, which he said also undermines President George Manneh Weah’s Inauguration Message when he promised that Liberians will not be spectators to their own economy.
Wonnah informed that he has written a formal complaint to both the Ministries of Labour and Presidential Affairs for redress, noting that he is not against the employment of the Turkish citizens, but is appalled over their usurpation of jobs that qualified Liberians are supposed to do.
“Government Must Step In” – BMMC Community Relations Superintendent
Mr. Henry Vincent who is the Community Relations Superintendent of Bea Mountain has also added his voice to the outcry against the infiltration of Turkish nationals within the company, doing jobs that are required by law for only Liberian citizens.
Alarming over the issue, Vincent confirmed the pending strike action and expressed his support over the statement made by the Bea Mountain Government Relations Manager.
“Yes, there is a huge influx of foreigners in Bea Mountain. The Bea Mountain Workers Union has already written the Liberia Federation of Labor Union. The workers have given the Company two weeks ultimatum. One week has elapsed, but management has failed to address anything. Even the Labor Ministry has a whole of counts against Bea Mountain. I myself have started engaging the media to see how we can flag some of those things out,” Mr. Vincent stated emphatically.
He said, one of the main issues that the Bea Mountain Workers Union flagged in their ultimatum is that Liberians should take over as senior managers. “The issue of overtime is also a major concern for the workers because overtime has been cut by management. Other issues include transportation for the workers and the provision of housing facilities for the workers. Up till present management has not addressed any of those issues. So the workers are planning a massive go-slow by the 7th of August if nothing is done to address their concerns,” he said.
The government, especially the Labor Ministry, Vincent averred, needs to see reason to step in and address the workers concerns.
“Jobs that belong to Liberians are not prioritized, which is not supposed to be so. The influx of the Turkish nationals in Bea Mountain is also of serious concern. In as much as the Government Relations Manager said it, I cannot come and rebut his statement, as he supersedes all of the Liberian staff including myself. What Mr. Wonah said is true and he doing his job. That is what the government sent him to the company for, to seek the interests of the workers, management and the host communities, and to ensure that the company is working in line with contracts and the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA),” Vincent said.
According to Section 13.1a of the September 7, 2013 Restated and Amended Mineral Development Agreement originally entered into on November 28, 2001 between the Government of Liberia and the Bea Mountain Mining Corporation, as it relates to Employment, Secondment and Training, “employment practices of the Company shall conform to applicable labor practices Law and applicable Law. The Company shall not hire individuals who are not citizens of Liberia for unskilled labor positions. The Company shall employ and given preference to the employment of qualified citizens of Liberia for financial, accounting, technical administrative, supervisory, managerial, executive and other skill positions, as and when they become available, it being the objectives of the Parties as soon as is practicable that the activities of the Operations should be conducted and managed primarily by citizens of Liberia. In furtherance of the Company’s obligations under the preceding sentence, the Parties shall agree prior to the approval of the Feasibility Report on progressive implementation of an employment schedule with the aim that citizens of Liberia will hold at least 30% of all management positions including 30% of its ten most senior positions within 8 years of the initial grant to the Company of a Mining License, and at least 70% of all management positions including 70% of its ten most senior positions with fifteen years of such date.”
When Punch FM/TV Online Service contacted some of the Bea Mountain Mining Corporation employees to confirm the issue of the pending strike action, a BMMC worker who asked not to be named for fear of losing his job, confirmed the information.
“These people are taking advantage over our citizens only because our government has failed to take the necessary steps. Why should Bea Mountain employ Turkish citizens to do work that Liberians are supposed to do? Our local leaders too are silent because they are in the pocket of the company. Many of the town chiefs are employed by the company so they keep quiet on these things,” she stated.
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Mack Rogers is a Liberian Journalist with 24 years of practice. A Graduate from the Jireh School of Journalism, Mack worked for the Independent Star Radio, and currently serves as the Station Manager for Radio Cape Mount in Sinje, Grand Cape Mount County.
