BUCHANAN, GRAND BASSA COUNTY – The National Program Coordinator of the Grassroots Agency for Social Services (GRASS), Barley Togba, has called on lawmakers representing Grand Bassa County to reject ArcelorMittal Liberia’s Phase II mining expansion until the company fully honors its existing obligations under the current Mineral Development Agreement (MDA).
Speaking on Friday, July 11, 2025, in Buchanan during a multi-stakeholder forum titled “ArcelorMittal Engages Bassa Legislators and Communities Affected by Mining Operations,” Togba insisted that the company must first deliver on promises made in the original MDA before any new deal is considered.
He emphasized that affected communities must be granted full authority to manage their 20 percent share of ArcelorMittal’s social development contributions, free from external interference.
“The 20 percent belongs to the community, not to ArcelorMittal or any elected official,” Togba said. “The people should determine how that money is governed and spent.”
Expressing frustration over what he described as decades of empty dialogue, Togba stated, “We have been talking about the same issues since 2005. It’s disheartening that 25 years on, nothing has changed.” He further accused the company of operating without transparency and consistently sidelining local voices in decisions concerning development funds.
Togba argued that these practices violate the Global Governance Act, which mandates community participation through town hall meetings and inclusive processes. He warned lawmakers against circumventing the Act, saying that any such move would betray the trust of their constituents.
“Representatives and senators must remember they were elected by the people and should prioritize the interests of their districts,” he added. “The current MDA must be fulfilled to the letter before any new signing takes place.”
Frustration has also been mounting among local residents. On May 9, 2025, communities impacted by ArcelorMittal’s operations issued a 72-hour ultimatum to county authorities, demanding a formal response to their petition. During a community gathering at Moore Town Hall, citizens blocked the company’s Community Liaison, Madam Maurer L. Hutcheson, from entering, chanting, “AML is not invited, we don’t need your presence.”
Led by Chairman Dixon Dugbe and Secretary Augustine Geegbe, residents presented a petition calling for greater employment opportunities, independent management of the community’s development funds, urgent action on flooding and environmental damage, the implementation of sustainable livelihood programs, and transparency in the management of the company’s USD $200,000 annual international scholarship fund.
The petition was presented to several dignitaries, including the proxy of Superintendent Karyou Johnson, the proxy of Representative Matthew Joe, Buchanan City Mayor George Gaybueh, Civil Society Council Secretary Mr. Bunty Lee, and GRASS’s National Program Coordinator Barley Togba.
Togba applauded the communities for asserting their rights. “Our work at GRASS is to teach people to advocate for themselves. We’re happy to see that awakening happening here in Bassa,” he said, urging communities to continue leading the push for accountability.
One of the most pointed comments came from the Secretary of the Grand Bassa Civil Society Council, who remarked, “If the house does not sell you, the street will not buy,” blaming local officials for enabling ArcelorMittal’s dominance. He also criticized the dual role the company plays in contributing and managing community funds, and accused certain actors of secretly selling off scrap metal that was meant to support education initiatives.
Buchanan Mayor George Gaybueh pledged to collaborate with other leaders to find lasting solutions. However, controversy flared when Augustus Greaves, proxy for a sitting lawmaker, openly blamed his boss and other county leaders for the communities’ suffering under ArcelorMittal. His comments were met with backlash from the Civil Society Council, which promised an official response and rejected any effort to implicate civil society as part of the problem.
The event concluded with a commitment from the proxy of the Superintendent to present the petition to Superintendent Johnson for immediate consideration.
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