–As Company Secretly Evacuates Int’l Staff & Equipment
–Over 600 Liberian Employees, Contractors’ Jobs At Stake
IPNEWS: It all started early Saturday morning, November 26, when news broke out that MNG Gold Liberia, was planning an exit from the gold-rich Sayewheh Town, Bong County.
According to sources, the decision to exit comes over an alleged row between the Government of Liberia, and the Turkish gold mining company over consistent refusal to rectify the Mineral Development Agreement signed between the government of Liberia and the company in 2018.
Sources also informed IPNEWS that authorities of MGN Gold had consistently persuaded officials of the Mines and Energy Ministry in allowing it to continue its operations in the ‘Class A’ Mining License, category but to no avail.
Some workers who prefer anonymity told IPNEWS that there had been an influx of some senior government officials at the Mines demanding huge sums before its ratification. Those claims could not be independently verified as both officials of MNG Gold and Mines and Energy Ministry officials have refused to speak on the anticipated closure of MNG Gold in Bong County.
An insider of MNG Gold told IPNEWS, that a mass exodus of its nonessential international staff was expected to begin on November 30, 2022. True to this report, IPNEWS later gathered that MNG Gold Liberia, in collaboration with its close Turkish associate, Bea Mountain began making preparation for the deployment of prefabricated housing units and clearing a portion of its concession areas to make way for MNG Gold Liberia equipment as early as Sunday MORNING, November 27, 2022. Some of the already washed, packed, and cleaned MGN Gold equipment picked up by IPNEWS hidden cameras were seen at packed Bea Mountain.
Amidst the reported shutdown, IPNEWS understands that at least 600 Liberian workers and contractors will be laid off during this closure exercise, including automatic termination of contracts.
As the news spread over the planned exit and coordinating contracts termination by MNG Gold Liberia, fear gripped contractors and newly hired laborers that they might just lose their severance benefits and salaries for the last three months owed them by authorities of MGN Gold Liberia, even though the claims could not also be verified as IPNEWS was informed that its government relations officer would have addressed the Media within the next 72 hours which expired Wednesday, November 30, 2022.
As fear gripped contractors and other Liberian employees, the President of MNG Gold Workers’ Union Obediah Diggs, told IPNEWS that the Worker’s Union and MNG Gold management were scheduled for Monday, November 28 to have a clearer understanding before officially speaking to the media, however, the planned meeting failed to take place.
Now, the chairperson of a mediating committee called “Concerned Citizens” has announced a non-violent sit-in protest at MNG Gold Liberia if their concerns aren’t satisfactorily addressed in a scheduled meeting.
The meeting is expected this Friday, December 2 in Sayewheh Town, Nickson Kpehe told journalists.
According to him, the meeting will enable the citizens to have a clearer understanding of the company’s pending exit including its benefits as a concession area.
Kpebe told journalists that, the company has consistently promised infrastructure development, but none has been fulfilled or dedicated.
He named vocational training center, clinic facility, and proper road connectivity, among others as promises not fully fulfilled; although the clinic and vocational training center projects are ongoing in the Boinsen district.
Nickson Kpehe further announced that if their plans aren’t addressed, a non-violent sit-in protest will be held on Friday, December 2, 2022.
He expressed dismay over the company’s reported action of shunning the media with information.
The disenchanted citizens are also seeking the attention of the county leadership including its Legislative Caucus.
There has been mounting speculation of MNG Gold Liberia’s exit from Bong County, although its Public Relations Officer, Mr. Mark Gbarken has consistently denied the lingering information.
He stressed that such information has not reached his office.
Meanwhile, IPNEWS has gathered that MNG Gold Liberia, the previous meeting scheduled with the company and the worker’s Union did not go ahead due to contending issues over settlement packages.
There has been no official response from the government, regardless of many calls and SMS messages to the Deputy Minister for Operations, and Assistant Minister of Mines, at the Ministry of Mines and Energy over this latest report of MNG Gold exit from Bong County.
In 2018, a reservoir facility containing chemicals belonging to MNG-Gold overflowed with rainwater and later spilled into the nearby Sein Creek-a major water source for residents in a district that has now over-spilled into other water sources in the Saywehta Town, Kokoyah Statutory District in Bong County.
In a phone conversation with Conteh Yallah, Kokoyah Statutory District Superintendent, since the chemical spillage, some of the citizens have complained of suffering from persistent stomach pain, running stomach, skin disease, rash, and bloody stool.
Yallah said residents heavily depend on the creek for livelihood.
He narrated that authorities of MNG-Gold have failed to provide proper medical treatment to those poisonous chemicals that had allegedly made him sick.
It can be recalled on September 29, 2017, about 30 persons were admitted at the Phebe Hospital for exposure to a chemical spillover from the MNG-Gold reservoir in Saywehta Town. The incident took place at one of the mining sites of MNG-Gold in the Kokoyah Statutory District after a heavy downpour. Investigations continue. By: J. Peter S. Dennis
