PUTU, Grand Gedeh County – As logging trucks continue to haul timber from the forests of Putu, residents of the community say they are left behind in worsening poverty, with little to show for years of financial commitments linked to the region’s natural resources.
By Esther Natelia Scott (Smile FM, Grand Gedeh) & Emmanuel Weedee-Conway (FPA)
At the center of their growing frustration is an unanswered question: Where is the development money meant for the community?
Residents point to a recent controversy surrounding US$111,000 allegedly disbursed by the Euro Logging Company for community development. Locals say the funds have failed to produce meaningful improvements in education, health, clean water, or livelihoods.
“We don’t have safe drinking water. Our schools are in poor condition. The only water source we had was damaged by the logging company. Our community is suffering while others are benefiting from what belongs to us,” said women’s advocate Evelyn Shaka.
Shaka criticized what she described as a broken promise, one that reflects a wider pattern across Liberia where foreign companies profit from natural resources while communities receive little benefit. She attributed the problem to poor leadership and a lack of oversight.
Amid growing discontent, former Chairman of the Community Forest Development Committee (CFDC), Samuel Waylee, has come under scrutiny. However, Waylee defended his leadership when contacted by FrontPage Africa.
“Yes, money was received and money was used,” Waylee said. “We spent on peacebuilding efforts, scholarships, agriculture, and helping the needy. Reports were made to the FDA, lawmakers, and the Union.”
Waylee, who served as CFDC chairman from February 2022 until mid-2023, acknowledged that his tenure was marked by internal disputes, which eventually led to calls from the Grand Gedeh Legislative Caucus and residents for a change in leadership. A new CFDC leadership has now been in place for the past three months.
“There was conflict – claims and counterclaims. But we did what we could to maintain peace and help the people,” he added.
Despite these explanations, many residents say they have yet to see the tangible development they were promised. They continue to call for basic necessities including piped water, improved schools, better healthcare, and road access to their farmlands.
Observers say the Putu situation underscores deeper problems in Liberia’s community forest governance system. Although laws require companies to negotiate social agreements and share profits with host communities, weak accountability, overlapping oversight, and poor communication often derail the process.
Calls for an independent investigation into the Euro Logging funds are intensifying. Civil society organizations and residents have urged authorities to conduct a full audit of CFDC’s financial records and reassess the company’s compliance with its social agreements.
In the meantime, the forests of Putu continue to be cleared. But for the people who live there, the economic benefits remain elusive. As one resident put it, “The trees are gone, but our suffering stays.”
Attempts by FrontPageAfrica to get to the company up to press time proved futile.
