Bong Mines Tensions Eased Amidst Lawmakers Intervention

LOWER BONG COUNTY: Tensions have subsided at the Bong Mines Iron Ore concession Company following a high-level intervention by the House of Representatives Committee on Concession Investment.

By:  Emmanuel George

The Committee headed by Bong County Disrict #7 Representative Foday Fahnbulleh, took the swift move amid mounting complaints from host communities and concession workers over alleged violations of the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA).

The House's Committee on Concession Investment intervention followed days of unrest in Fumah District, where aggrieved residents blocked the movement of iron ore trains in protest against what they described as years of unfulfilled promises and limited development benefits from the concession.

The action drew national attention and prompted an official visit by lawmakers and the relevent government authorities to assess the situation and engage stakeholders.

During the visit, members of the House Committee on concession and investment, along with senior government officials, held extensive consultations with community members, traditional leaders, youth representatives, legal advisers, and officials of the Chinese-owned concession company, China Union.

The discussions focused on addressing longstanding grievances, rebuilding trust among stakeholders, and charting a sustainable path toward development in the concession area.

At the conclusion of the engagement, China Union made a formal commitment to commence major community-focused projects within sixty (60) days, in line with its obligations under the MDA.

These commitments include the construction and rehabilitation of access roads, improvements to local health facilities, and the implementation of additional social and infrastructure projects intended to directly benefit host communities.

Community leaders welcomed the dialogue but remained cautious, emphasizing that previous assurances had not translated into action. “We have heard promises before. What we want now is implementation,” a community representative stressed, adding that progress must be visible and measurable.

Government officials assured residents that the commitments reached during the visit would be closely monitored. They pledged that relevant authorities would ensure China Union complies with the agreed timelines to sustain peace and stability in the area.

Workers Raise Separate Labor Concerns

While calm has reportedly returned to Bong Mines, with normal community activities gradually resuming, the concession has in recent times also been a center of labor-related tension.

Earlier, operations at the China Union concession were brought to a standstill when workers staged a peaceful protest, blocking roads leading to the mining site and demanding that all activities be halted until their concerns were addressed. The workers accused the company of failing to meet key labor provisions of the MDA.

Speaking on behalf of the aggrieved workers, Edward Neboe alleged that China Union has refused to provide medical benefits, educational support for workers’ children, and access to safe drinking water. He further claimed that the company has neglected MDA provisions that prioritize the employment of qualified Liberians over foreign workers.

According to Neboe, Liberians have been sidelined from jobs such as driving and heavy-duty equipment operation—roles he said Liberians are capable of performing. He also accused the company of disregarding worker safety and expressed frustration over what he described as government inaction.

“We feel betrayed. We have taken these concerns repeatedly to the Ministries of Labor and of Lands, Mines and Energy, but nothing has come from it,” Neboe said.

Following the protest, the Ministries of Labor and of Lands, Mines and Energy intervened to resolve the dispute. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was subsequently crafted and signed between the workers and China Union.

Assistant Minister of Labor for Trade Union and Social Dialogue, Rufus Saylee, urged workers to remain calm and maintain industrial harmony. He assured them that their grievances would not be ignored and that the Ministry of Labor was making every effort to ensure a lasting resolution.

However, residents later alleged that shortly after the signing of the MOU, China Union began secretly transporting iron ore out of the concession area at night. The allegation sparked renewed tension, prompting residents to once again block sections of the railway in protest.

As residents and workers await concrete action this time, the situation at Bong Mines remains under close watch, with many hoping that the latest government intervention will finally translate into meaningful change and full compliance with the Mineral Development Agreement.