Liberia-An opposition lawmaker of the Congress for Democratic Change, Sinoe County Senator, Cllr. Augustine Chea, has welcomed President Joesph Boakai’s developmental vision for citizens of Sinoe, Grand Kru, and Rivercess Counties.
Sen. Chea asserted, “I’m initiating a conversation, and I want you to take that up in your communities, that the Government has asked GVL to expand and to build a factory to manufacture products from palm oil, but GVL needs land to expand and more palm oil to build the factory,” Sen. Cha said.
On his official social media page, the CDC lawmaker indicated that the government’s delegation, led by President Boakai recently in Indonesia on the sideline of the Indonesia-Africa Forum, the Liberian leader requested a meeting with the senior management of GVL on its operations which currently covers 20,000 hectares of land in Sinoe and Grand Kru.
He said of the 220,000 hectares of land, the government committed to in the Concession Agreement, GVL has not expanded due to the incessant land disputes in the county, including Grand Kru.
According to him, the government wants to change that to grow the local and national economies and create much-needed jobs for jobless young people. He said the expansion will come with infrastructure development by the government, including the development of the S. A. Ross Port and the pavement of the main road corridor.
Senator Chea asserted that GVL is willing, indicating, “but ours is to ensure that they get the remainder of 200,000 hectares of land; that’s the conversation I want you to have-and urgently so-communities to communities and districts to districts about giving GVL the land and doing away with all the land conflicts.”
He said such land expansion is good for the people of that region stressing that it is time for them to seize the opportunity. He said GVL’s expansion will also take place in Grand Kru with the provision of land.
“There were discussions also about GVL going to next door Rivercess County, We are working on the strategy for community and stakeholder engagements, and once that is concluded, meetings with county leaders (Caucuses, local government officials, opinion and traditional leaders, ) about their respective roles,” he indicated.
The CDC lawmaker was clear on the government’s developmental vision. ”Imagine how many jobs would be created if GVL had 220,000 hectares of land under cultivation and a palm oil product factory with 20,000 hectares of land, GVL employs over 3,000 persons, direct jobs. Indirect jobs added this number could increase to 5,000. So, do the math for 200,000 more hectares of land and see how many persons would be employed.”
