IN RECENT TIME, the Indian giant steel company ArcelorMittal launched what it called ‘Concentrator Plant’ in its concession area in Nimba County. The ceremony was great as it captured both the attention and attendance of the Liberian Government, evidenced by the presence of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr, as well as other officials of the regime to grace the launch.
THE US$1.4B ARCELORMITTAL Concentrator Plant was officially launched by President Boakai at Mt. Katodeh Mining Site, as one of the largest private investments in Liberia’s postwar history; as a sign of renewing industrial development, job creation, and economic transformation in the country.
PRESIDENT BOAKAI TERMED the launch as a strong vote of confidence in Liberia’s stability and future, of course, a plus to his regime which any sitting president would beam with smiles over as a milestone in steering the affairs of the country at the investment front.
HE ALSO EMPHASIZED the importance of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and encouraged the company to expand its support in areas such as education, healthcare, and local commerce, reinforcing the mutually beneficial nature of sustainable development.
IN THE PRESIDENT’S words, a project of this magnitude must enrich the corporate social responsibility envelope, stressing that “Our communities must feel the impact not just in employment, but in schools, clinics, and markets.”
INDEED, WE WELCOME the President’s comments in such direction because iron ore is one of the non renewable natural resources which, once extracted, would never be replaced for future exploration and benefits to the country and its citizenry.
NOTWITHSTANDING, WE ARE taken aback that the Nimba Legislative Caucus reportedly boycotted the much publicized investment breakthrough in the county when the lawmakers were expected to be in attendance in appreciation of over such one billion investment initiative.
AS DIRECT REPRESENTATIVES of Nimba County, boycotting the event signals non cooperation between ArcelorMittal and the County Caucus over some portion of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) which the company may not be willing to fulfill.
HOWBEIT, WE EXPECTED the Caucus to have been invited for participation but if such invitation was never extended to the lawmakers, raising the red flag to compel the company to respect the County Caucus was the most appropriate thing to do.
IN OUR MIND, the caucus would have raised such red flag with a threat of boycott, if it were in the case of fallen Senator Prince Yormie Johnson, rather than allowing the damage to be done before seeking public sentiment.
WE THEREFORE CALL on the Nimba Legislative Caucus to take cue from how the ArcelorMittal Concentrator Plant event nullified their power of oversight, lawmaking and representation, and work together as a team, void of personal or party’s interest.
NOTE, THE PUBLIC outcry from members of the Caucus simply because they were not invited to attend the Concentrator Plant launch only reminds us of the need for better teamwork to showcase their ability to prove oversight, representation and lawmaking in the supreme interest of the people of Nimba County.