MONROVIA — Representative Nathan Biah of Rhode Island has issued an appeal to Liberians to reject the renewal of the ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) unless the company fulfills its longstanding commitments. In a statement addressed to his fellow Liberians, Biah condemned AML’s failure to improve living conditions, honor employment mandates, and invest meaningfully in the concession communities after nearly two decades of operations.
Biah reminded Liberians that the amended 2007 MDA requires that by 2012, Liberians should have held 25 percent of senior management positions at AML, rising to 50 percent by 2017, and that by 2008 at least one top executive position (CEO, CFO or COO) be occupied by a Liberian. “Yet today, not one of these roles is held by a Liberian,” Biah said. “This is a blatant betrayal of Liberian talent and a violation of our national law. It sends a clear message that Liberians are good enough to dig the soil, but not good enough to lead.”
The lawmaker also criticized AML for failing to meet its scholarship funding obligations. Article 9 of the amended MDA mandates AML to provide $200,000 annually toward scholarships supporting Liberians studying abroad. “By now, Liberia should have received at least $3.5 million,” Biah stated, “but AML’s own 2022 report admits payments only began in 2012, five years late. We demand the full $3.6 million balance be accounted for and redirected to empower our future leaders.”
Beyond broken promises on leadership and education, Biah painted a grim picture of stagnant poverty and unemployment in communities such as Yekepa. Despite a $1.4 billion infrastructure expansion announced by AML, the people living on the land where the company operates continue to endure hardship. “Foreign workers are flown in to do basic labor Liberians are more than capable of doing. Where is the justice in that?” he asked.
Housing conditions are equally dismal. “Rather than renovating existing homes, AML has imported containers for their senior staff to live in, containers,” Biah noted with indignation. “Meanwhile, Liberian families live in crumbling structures surrounded by dust and disappointment. This betrays the hope of a community that expected dignity and decent living conditions.”
Calling for urgent action, Biah urged the Government of Liberia to refuse renewal of AML’s contract until all contractual obligations are met. He listed clear conditions for any renewal: completion of the Sanniquellie–Yekepa road, renovation of housing units, construction of a public hospital in Yekepa accessible to all citizens, halting the outsourcing of basic labor to foreigners, and transparency on the real value and community impact of AML’s $1.4 billion investment.
Biah, a Liberian-born U.S. lawmaker, further weighed in on the controversy, stating: “This is not just about corporate responsibility; it is about national sovereignty and the rule of law. Liberians must demand accountability from companies exploiting our resources. The contract is a binding agreement, and all its terms must be fulfilled before any renewal is considered.”
Representative Biah’s plea strikes a chord with many Liberians who have long felt marginalized by extractive companies operating within their borders. As the AML agreement approaches its 2030 expiration, voices like his are rallying the nation to insist on justice, equity, and dignity for all Liberians, especially those whose land and lives are directly affected.
“Let us stand together,” Biah concluded, “and demand better not only from AML but from every concession company operating on our soil. Our people deserve more than empty promises. They deserve action.”
