Boyee, Lower Nimba County Liberia : – “Yes, the situation with West Water (Group) Liberia Inc, a logging company harvesting logs in Blinlon Administrative District and Citizens of Blinlon represented by their Community Forest Management Body (CFMB) has come to our attention as their lawmaker and we have immediately sent for the CFMB including West Water (Group) Liberia Inc to firstly understand from them separately before going to the entire citizenry of Blinlon in helping to solve whatever issues based on the Commercial Used Contract (CUC) are between both parties “ Prof. Hon Johnson N Gwaikolo, Representative Nimba County Electoral District Nine (9) comprising of five (5) administrative districts (Blinlon, Doe, Gbi&Doru, Mehnsonnoh & Zehnla) explains to a team of Independent Media Practitioners after their assessment of the situation in Blinlon few weeks back.
Over the weekend, Prof.
Hon. Johnson N. Gwaikolo, Representative of Nimba County Electoral District Nine (9), successfully hosted a meeting in Boyee, Blinlon Administrative District, to discuss issues related to the Blinlon Community Forest.
It can be recalled that in July 2020, the people of Blinlon, through the Community Forest Management Body (CFMB) and West Water (Group) Liberia Inc signed an Agreement (Commercial Used Contract) for West Water (Group) Liberia Inc to carry on logging activities through which the Community will receive certain benefits as spelled out in the CUC.
The CFMB raised concerns about the payment of land rental and other fees, road rehabilitation, and other infrastructures; and they demanded immediate action from West Water (Group) Liberia Inc.
In response, West Water (Group) Liberia Inc acknowledged delays in attending to the concerns and stated that those delays were due to a usually long time that has taken Forestry Development Authority (FDA) to approve its harvest certificate for which West Water (Group) Liberia Inc operations have stopped. However, West Water (Group) Liberia Inc promised to begin payment of the land rental fees that has not been paid for past two years in the tone USD$54,188 and USD$10,000 for scholarship respectively in one month after its harvest certificate is approved. The company also promised to resume the road works immediately when operations restarts, and the Community accepted joyous.
On the other hand, the company equally acknowledged to providing safe drinking water inclusive of improve sanitation to avoid open defection.
The CFMB and West Water (Group) Liberia Inc reaffirmed their commitment to the Contract. They both agreed to work together for the betterment of the Community. Both Parties thanked Hon. Gwaikolo for convening the meeting in a timely manner and asked his Office to continue the engagement.
By: Patrick Waylor, Nimba D-9 TV Lower Nimba County Reporter/Acting Manager Radio Voice of Yarwin Mehnsonnoh
Email: nimbad9tv2018@gmail.com
WhatsApp: +231 77 807 0604
