Liberia: -Foreign Direct Investment like the one provided by ArcelorMittal-Liberia serves as engine for growth transfer of capital and technology to Liberia.
ArcelorMittal-Liberia since it entered in Liberia nearly 17 years ago, continues to provide jobs and economic substantiality for thousands of Liberians and at the same time contributing to government revenue in significant amounts.
But despite the steady growth in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) flow into Liberia facilitated by the United Nations “2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development Goals”, economic activities in Liberia remains relatively weak.
Factors such as violent protests, political variability continue to undermine macroeconomic stability, growth, infrastructure, and often lead to poor Foreign Direct Investment.
Frequent attacks on leading concessions in Liberia couple with violent protests at multinational companies hinder prospective investors from coming to the cash trap West African Nation.
ArcelorMittal in Liberia for example has been at the disadvantage end of repeatedly ferocious attacks that could send a signal to other companies desirous of doing business in the country.
From deliberate removal of wagons to seizure of heavy-duty equipment, forceful protests at its Buchanan concession area have resulted to weeks of disruption of normal activities and threat to workers.
However, this repetitive wave of violence mostly perpetuated by the unskilled youths goes unchecked in many cases as if Liberians have not understood that these acts in themselves are vices that tend to bring more suffering on the masses of the people.
Violent protestation at a concession that serves as the biggest government revenue contributor does not say anything good about respect for the rule of law and peaceful resolution of differences.
Liberians must learn from the 14 years of civil upheaval and bring to themselves the lessons that are most needed to unite the country and support development.
Like Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf remarked a few days ago at a citizen’s meeting with ArcelorMittal-Liberia in Buchanan City, “violence is, has never and will not solve nor resolve displeasure”
With no doubt, that the people of Nimba, Bassa and Bong counties have benefited from ArcelorMittal-Liberia (AML) most in terms of direct support to education, infrastructure, health, and community development.
These counties receive a combined $3 million or more in County Social Development Fund (CSDF) from ArcelorMittal on an annual basis.
Aside from this, road, schools, hospitals, and clinics in these counties are regularly upgraded with various kinds of support that directly comes from ArcelorMittal.
For Example, early this year, ArcelorMittal-Liberia from its Phase-II Expansion Project donated a brand new two doors pickup to the Liberian National Police in Buchanan, Grand Bassa.
Together with county leaders, the company recently dedicated about six new projects across Grand Bassa from its 20% Community Development Fund (CDF) for directly affected communities.
Early this year, AML began the construction of three children’s playgrounds in Bong, Bassa and Nimba all of which all have been dedicated and in use.
Dozens of towns and villages in Grand Bassa, Nimba, and Bong continue to benefit from diverse social development programs funded by ArcelorMittal as scores of young people get trained either through scholarship or technical vocational education.
It falls upon these counties to promote and protect ArcelorMittal investment by engaging into peaceful dialogue as a way of resolving contentions.
