MONROVIA – ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) is scheduled to appear before the Joint Committee on Investment and Concessions of the House of Representatives on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at 2:00 p.m., to answer questions concerning its compliance with the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) signed with the Government of Liberia. The hearing will take place in the 1st Floor Conference Room of the Capitol Building and will include the participation of the House Committees on Lands, Mines, Energy, Natural Resources, Environment, and Labor.
The House, in a formal communication to AML’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Michiel Van Der Merwe, demanded a full financial disclosure detailing the company’s operational activities over the past five years. AML has also been instructed to present documentation covering iron ore production, corporate social responsibility initiatives, scholarship disbursements, and support to the University of Liberia’s Geological Department. A current list of Liberian senior and managerial staff, along with community impact reports, must be submitted before or on the day of the hearing.
The hearing comes at a time of heightened scrutiny from lawmakers and civil society actors who are demanding transparency, accountability, and fair distribution of benefits in the management of Liberia’s natural resources. Central to the inquiry is AML’s adherence to the controversial 30 percent government share provision within its MDA.
This session was initially set for an earlier date but was rescheduled and publicly announced by the House on Saturday, June 21. The renewed push for accountability follows the June 5 commissioning of AML’s US$1.4 billion concentrator plant in Yekepa, Nimba County, a ceremony meant to signal investment and job creation but which drew sharp criticism from residents and lawmakers alike.
At the event, Nimba County Senator Nya D. Twayen warned AML against expecting any renewal of its concession without first addressing the demands of the Nimba Legislative Caucus. “AML? You can dedicate another billion-dollar plant, but if the conditions laid down by the Nimba Caucus are not met, we will resist renewal,” Senator Twayen declared.
Frustrations continue to grow in host communities across Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa Counties, where residents complain of deteriorating infrastructure, neglected promises, and economic marginalization. Yekepa, once a bustling mining town, now struggles with crumbling roads, inadequate services, and widespread discontent. Prior to President Boakai’s visit to the newly launched concentrator, residents staged protests under the slogan “AML Must Go,” signaling growing resistance against the company’s operations.
Despite exporting over 6.4 million metric tons of iron ore and earning an estimated US$477.2 million in revenue between 2021 and 2022, AML faces allegations of labor exploitation, wage disparity, and hazardous working conditions. Labor unions have long demanded improved safety standards and equitable treatment of Liberian workers.
Since entering Liberia in 2005, ArcelorMittal has pledged to rehabilitate critical infrastructure, including the Yekepa-Buchanan railway and port. A 2011 amendment to the MDA expanded the company’s concession area to over 500,000 hectares. However, many Liberians continue to question whether the promises tied to AML’s presence have been fulfilled.
