ON COUNTY TOUR: MINISTER TINGBAN ENTREATS ARCELORMITTAL TO BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITY RELATIONS

JUNE 4, 2026 – MONROVIA: Concluding a 5-day compliance inspection of the operations of iron ore company – ArcelorMittal-Liberia (AML), the Minister of Mines and Energy, R. Matenokay Tingban, has urged authorities of the company to increase their focus on the welfare of the people who live in and around the company’s concession areas.

Explaining further his concerns about the welfare of the people of Yekapa and surrounding towns and villages, Minister Tingban stressed the importance of jobs creation for the residents through direct employment, or contracts. The Mines and Energy Minister noted that when such economic interventions are done by ArcelorMittal, there will be peaceful co-existence and harmony in the concession areas instead of tensions.

The Minister also emphasized the need for ArcelorMittal to promote local contents and alternative livelihoods for the people of Yekepa and other towns closer to the iron ore concession company. Explaining this in clearer terms, Minister Tingban called on ArcelorMittal to prioritize buying agricultural produce and other food items from the local townspeople. The Minister termed that as “indirect employment and empowerment” which also support the local economy of Yekepa and its environs.

Nearly wrapping up his compliance enforcement tour of ArcelorMittal facilities in Yekepa, and assessing the company’s relations with the local communities, the Mines and Energy Minister expressed warm impressions that the company was purchasing furniture and other household utensils from local businesspeople in Yekepa. He commended them (AML) for such a brilliant move and further described it as a significant boost to promoting Liberian-owned businesses and economically empowering families.

During the tour on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, Minister Tingban saw first-hand, ArcelorMittal’s accomplishment of the renovation of approximately 500 staff housing units which is gradually changing the physical outlook of Yekepa, the pavement of roads, renovation and expansion of the hospital with the availability of four Medical Doctors and operating a 24-hour outpatient service.

The Minister also toured facilities of the vocational training center ArcelorMittal runs in Yekepa, and urged the company to uphold the high level standard at which they are operating the skills training center which is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment in all of the workshops.

As part of its phase to two plans, ArcelorMittal also reported to the Mines and Energy Minister that they have increased the number of local Contractors to 17 in order to fast-track their infrastructure and community development programs. The Minister also inspected the site AML has earmarked and is clearing for the construction of a modern sports complex which according to technical plans will include two football pitches, volleyball, basketball courts, and a recreation center.

Admonishing ArcelorMittal to uphold all provisions of its Mineral Development Agreement (MDA), Minister Tingban assured citizens residing in, and adjacent to the company’s concession areas that the Government of Liberia remains firmly committed to making sure concessionaires do not mal-treat the citizens. He said the government will work along with the concession companies in keeping them in full compliance.
Speaking about disputes in concession areas that sometimes spark tensions between citizens and the company, Minister R. Matenokay Tingban called on the people of Nimba County, particularly those hailing from Yekepa to desist from setting road-blocks to deny access to the train tracks.

He assured the Yekepa people that the Ministry [Mines and Energy] and the government as a unit are fully in charge of properly regulating the mining sector, and noted that alternative mechanisms have been put which now replaces protest with dialogue in resolving the concerns of local residents.

Aside from the Yekepa infrastructure and local communities tour, Ministry of Mines and Energy technical team comprising Assistant Minister for Mines, Samuel Sumo Momolu, Assistant Minister for Mineral Exploration, Sam Summerville, Director of Mines, Alwell Aloysius Carr, and Mines and Energy Ministry’s Nimba County Mine Officer, Kebbeh Leamah, inspected all three operational mines of ArcelorMittal in Yekepa. The mines inspected include Tokadeh, Yeliton, and Gangra. Results from those technical engagements will inform advanced decisions about AML’s mining practices and procedures.

Throughout the inspection exercise, Minister Tingban and Team received cooperation from the Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal, Michel van Der Merwe. The company reported to the Ministry of Mines and Energy that it has an excellent inclusion of qualified Liberian Mining Engineers, Geologists, and other professionals in top management positions including the General Manager, Jallah Selmah, Darius G. Wonyen –

Acting Plant Manager, Momo B. Moore – Senior Mining Engineer, Abdul Muliba – Senior Geologist, Lance Gbagonyon, Government Relations, and Winston Daryoue, head of public relations, among others, while the two human resource managers at Buchanan head-office, and at the Mines in Yekepa, are Liberians [females] respectively.

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