Protest Turns Violent: WBHO Aggrieved Workers Set ArcelorMittal Train Track Ablaze

Grand Bassa County: Aggrieved workers of Wilson Bayly Holmes-Ovcon (WBHO) on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, intensified their ongoing protest by dismantling ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) train tracks and setting the railway ablaze around the Kilometer 10 area in Grand Bassa County.

The incident marks the latest and most disruptive action in a labor dispute that has been unfolding over several weeks.

The workers, mostly contractors and casual laborers, are demanding two years' unpaid benefits and improved working conditions. They claim to have exhausted all peaceful means of engagement without any meaningful response from the company or authorities of Grand Bassa County.

Tensions first escalated on May 15, when angry workers reportedly seized WBHO's Human Resource Officer at the company’s operational site in Grand Bassa. The action was intended to draw urgent attention to what the workers described as gross labor rights violations, including salary delays and lack of job security.

After the incident, the workers temporarily suspended their action after the intervention of local security forces and some county officials.

However, they threatened that further inaction from the company or government would trigger stronger demonstrations.

Their threat came to fruition on Monday, June 9, 2025, when the aggrieved workers stormed the Grand Bassa County Administrative Building in Buchanan. There, they staged a protest demanding the payment of benefits they claim have been owed for over two years. The protest lasted for several hours and attracted the attention of residents and local media.

During the June 9 protest, the workers submitted a formal complaint to the county’s authorities, urging them to intervene and hold WBHO accountable. However, they say the response from the administration was slow, vague, and failed to offer a clear resolution.

Feeling ignored and increasingly desperate, the workers took their most drastic action yet on Wednesday, June 11, 2025, blocking ArcelorMittal Liberia’s rail line and setting ablaze the train track.

The railway is a vital part of AML’s transport network, used primarily for transporting iron ore from Nimba to the Buchanan Port. The disruption has raised serious concerns about regional logistics and safety.

Foday P. Weah, spokesperson for the protesting workers, said their actions were as a result of continuous neglect and broken promises.

Weah outlined long-standing grievances, including unpaid overtime, illegal wage deductions, lack of employment contracts, and persistent violations of Liberia’s labor laws.

According to Weah, they will not back down until their demands are met, vowing to continue their protest, even if it means facing arrests or other consequences.

Despite previous interventions by the government and law enforcement, the group maintains that no substantial solution has yet been presented, and they are now prepared to intensify the pressure until justice is served.