By D. Damo Nyanquoi 0778400095 /0886926004
Gongbeyah Chiefdom, Gbarpolu County: The citizens of Gongbeyah chiefdom in Gbarpolu County have denounced the iron ore mining operations of Boa Chico Resources Liberia Limited in their affected community, and have called on their lawmakers to halt Bao Chico operations for two weeks, to allow the citizens access to the mineral development agreement that brought the company into their community for which the citizens are not reaping any social development benefits.
Speaking on behalf of the citizens of Gongbeyah chiefdom during the County Sitting, dean elder Morris Howard said Bao Chico has started blasting the hill to take away the iron ore when the citizens do not know the agreement signed between the government and the company.
Dean Elder Howard further accused superintendent J. Keyah Sarah of employing his nephew Forkpa Karmo as liaison officer for Bao Chici, something that the citizens of the affected community have frowned on.
Elder Howard is meanwhile requesting members of the Gbarpolu Legislative Caucus to stop Bao Chico from operating in the county for two weeks, to allow citizens access the documents that ushered the company into their forest to carry out mining and to know what will be their social benefits.
The citizens through Dean Elder Howard also requested for the employment of a citizen from the affected community as liaison officer before Bao Chico can be allowed to operate.
For his part, Bopolu District lawmaker Alfred Koiwood said as a representative, he has to protect the citizens, the investors and the interest of the government. Representative Koiwood therefore pleaded for the citizens to give government three weeks to discuss and come back and provide clarity on the way Bao Chico is operating in the county.
Superintendent Keyah Sarah for his part denied knowing the manner and procedure in which his nephew Forkpa Karmo was employed by the company, and challenged anyone who will prove him wrong, stating that he is prepared to resign as Superintendent of Gbarpolu is he is proven wrong.
Addressing the citizens’ concerns, Gbarpolu County Senator Botoe Kanneh noted that it is disgraceful for a county to have all of the natural resources and still remain undeveloped. Senator Kanneh cautioned the citizens of Gbarpolu to be mindful as their county has too many development needs, yet has abundance of natural resources, that if not managed properly, the county be left undeveloped.
She also mentioned that the agreement that ushered Bao Chico Resources Liberia Limited to mine iron ore in Gbarpolu County has yet to be disclosed to the Gbarpolu Legislative Caucus for review of the social benefits that are contained in the mineral development agreement so that when the resources are extracted, the people will benefit through development.
The statement from Senator Botoe Kanneh comes as a result of a mass meeting held in Gongbeyah chiefdom, Gbarpolu County, when the citizens took issues with their lawmakers and county authorities for allowing Bao Chico to mine illegally without the knowledge of citizens in the affected community.
Despite the statement from Senator Kanneh that the Gbarpolu Legislative Caucus is yet to the review the Bao Chico Mineral Development Agreement, it can be recalled that in early 2022 majority of members of the Liberian Senate voted to ratify the 25-year Bao Chico iron Ore Concession agreement for Gbarpolu County.
The next Gbarpolu Counting Sitting is scheduled for February 11, 2023 in Gokarla town, Bopolu District, Gbarpolu County.
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Damo Nyanquoi, is a former correspondent for LBS in Gbarpolu County, 2014 to 2023. He also served as former station manager of the Voice of Gbarpolu from 2017 to 2019. Damo is a senior student reading Journalism at the Lincoln College of Professional Studies, School of Journalism.
