By Lewis S. Teh
MONROVIA, October 2, 2026 — Seven civil society organizations and representatives of mining-affected communities have called for comprehensive reforms of Liberia’s mining sector, warning that weak enforcement and limited transparency could prevent the country’s mineral wealth from delivering broad development benefits.
The call was made during a Civil Society and Local Communities Roundtable on Mining and Inclusive Sustainable Development organized by the CSOs Consortium on Mining at D’Calabash Hotel in Congo Town.
Participating organizations included the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI), Integrity Watch Liberia (IWL), Integrated Development and Learning (IDL), Civil Society Independent Forest Monitors, Medica Liberia and Sustain Earth and Equity Defenders (SEED), among others.
Environmental advocate Silas Kpannan Ayoung Siakor of IDL said mining remains important to Liberia’s economy through revenue and employment, but has also created environmental and social challenges.
“If mining is done right, it has the potential to deliver significant benefits for Liberia. But there is a big if to that,” Siakor said.
He warned against repeating Liberia’s historical experience of “growth without development,” arguing that the current expansion of mining should translate into tangible improvements for citizens and affected communities.
CENTAL Executive Director Anderson D. Miamen said Liberia has laws and institutions governing the sector, including the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, as well as commitments under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and Kimberley Process.
However, he argued that implementation and enforcement remain weak.
Miamen identified corruption risks including procurement irregularities, under-reporting of mineral exports, opaque beneficial ownership and alleged misuse of social development funds.
He said weak mining governance could contribute to environmental degradation, loss of livelihoods and reduced government revenue, while also creating legal and reputational risks for mining companies.
The roundtable is expected to develop a preliminary civil society and community reform agenda addressing governance, community concerns and gender-responsive priorities.
The recommendations are expected to contribute to discussions ahead of the upcoming Mines and Energy Conference.
Participants said their objective is not to oppose mining, but to strengthen governance and ensure the sector delivers greater benefits to Liberia and mining-affected communities.
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