Jendema Citizens Provide 61.3 Acres of Land to Relocate Bangorma Citizens; As BMMC and GoL Finalized All Legal Documents

The citizens of Jendema through a memorandum of understanding between the Government of Liberia and BMMC agreed to provide 61.3 acres of land to relocate citizens of Bangorma. The new location will ow be called New Bangorma. The MOU was signed on Wednesday, November 2, 2023; in Jendema Town.

Bangorma is a license area of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation in Grand Cape Mount County, where the company is expected to begin its mining operations. 

Speaking during the presentation of the Land Deed to the people of Bangorma, the Liberia Land Authority County Offices Coordinator, Augustus Zobombo said Jendema case has been a special one to his office as a result of the relocation of the people of Bangorma to a suitable site within the catchment area. Mr. Zobombo stressed that it was a tough and challenging adventure but Bea Mountain Mining Corporation and the Liberia Land Authority went through lots of discussions with the citizens of Jendema and Bangorma to ensure that the land is secured for the citizens of Bangorma as their new home land.

He added that they were successful in identifying a place in Jendema which was provided by the people of Jendema for the relocation of Bangorma. The Liberia Land Authority County Offices Coordinator further disclosed that the presentation program was intended to officially turn over the Titled Deed to the citizens of New Bangorma.  

At the same time, Mr. Zobombo indicated that land issue is everybody's business and the Liberia Land Authority has been given the task to manage all land related activities in the country and they at the level of LLA are holding that responsibility strongly to ensure that it works to the letter across the country.

For his part, the Health and Safety Manager of Bea Mountain Mining Corporation and Relocation Project Manager of Bangorma Shadrach Fahnbulleh said in the past the people of Bangorma saw it necessary to have a voluntary relocation. He noted that it was not because they do not have a piece of land but it’s due to their own security and safety that’s why they are relocating voluntarily. Mr. Fahnbulleh further said that the Bea Mountain Mining Corporation and the citizens of Bangorma went into consultations to see how the relocation can be done safely.  

He said “the Bangorma People suggested various areas of relocation, and I think one of the areas was the area that is connected to Jendema and there were a lot of discussions and to know the history and why they deemed it necessary to be relocated near the Jendema Community. We got to understand that there is an inter marriage relationship between them and this has existed years and years ago. If they will be relocated anywhere besides their Bangorma Land then they will prefer to be relocated beside Jendema” Mr. Fahnbulleh explained during the program.

The Health and Safety Manager of BMMC concluded by stating that it was at that point the Liberia Land Authority got involved into the process and today all parties have come to witness the presentation of the Land Deed for Citizens of New Bangorma as legitimate owners of the 61.3 acres of land purchased by Bea Mountain Mining Corporation.

Also making remarks at the program, was the Statutory Superintendent of Porkpa and Gola Konneh Statutory District Frank Sheriff who informed the citizens that the Land Rights Act has been established and signed into law and it gives all the local people and citizens to always engage with companies that will come into their communities to do any major investment; stressing that it is where they can now be engaged with companies to negotiate whenever they want to do mining, logging among others in their respective communities.
He noted “this tells us that the freedom we spoke about and the independence we got years back is now working. Where local authorities and the community people are sitting to negotiate with investors how to mine and work around their communities.
This is being supported hugely by the Bea Mountain that has always, since the passage of this law, lived within the confines of the law; and we want to say to you Bea Mountain thank you for that” Superintendent Sheriff narrated.
Meanwhile, the Statutory Superintendent has also disclosed that their interest in working together is something that has cut his attention and respect for one another as citizens in Grand Cape Mount County.
He emphasized that leadership is about consultations, detailing that whenever there are consultations among local leaders, they stand to benefit hugely in the midst of managing their citizens. In so doing, Hon. Sheriff added that they as leaders are to directly manage the citizens and the rest of it comes as benefits as to the function that one performs while managing your citizens.