By: Edmund C. Gbarwee/Nimba D-9 TV Public Health Reporter/nimbad9tv2018@gmail.com
Photo Credit: Caleb ZK Gbangan/Nimba D-9 TV
Gompa City Nimba Liberia: – The Mayor of the City of Gompa Amos G. Suah has thanked ArcelorMittal-Liberia for its support to information sharing the commitment to development initiatives in the affected counties.
Speaking Monday at the launch of a month-long community awareness on ArcelorMittal’s Phase-II Expansion, Mayor Amos G. Suah said the decision to support such a platform that provides the opportunity for information sharing was laudable.
Women Empowerment Forum Liberia-WEFL, a local rights group based in Nimba County is disseminating information about ArcelorMittal-Liberia (AML) and, gauging citizen’s perspectives on the company operation across the county as it relates to activities and benefits of AML Phase-II Expansion.
Mayor Suah told the participants for too long; many people have suggested the company was doing anything due to acute lacked of Information sharing.
According to him, “it was just of recent that we are getting to know more about what the company is doing”
“I am very appreciative of Women Empowerment Forum Liberia-WEFL for taking the lead on this and thanks to AML for buying this unique idea” he added.
“This is happening under the leadership of His Excellency President George M. Weah and for me as Mayor of this great city’’.
The Ganta Major encouraged participants to take advantage of the information supplied by the local civil society group especially the activities and benefits associated with the ArcelorMittal Phase-II Expansion.
He further thanked AML of its recent provision of substantial financial and material support to Nimba County Team,Nimba County’s 2022 inter district sports tournament and appealed for increasement.
Early Monday, the Gompa Youth Center was filled with cross section of Stakeholders, Students, Youth Groups, Women Leaders, the Disabled Community, Civil Society Organizations who formed part of the first set of community awareness drive by Women Empowerment Forum Liberia about the activities and benefits of AML Phase-II Expansion project.
Madame Laura Bee Kiekpo Executive Director of WEFL and team provided detail information about AML Phase-II Expansion projects and what communities stand to benefit when Phase-II is fully rolled out.
Over 200 participants turned out for Monday event in the commercial city of Gompa, compelling the team to hold two separate sessions.
WEFL said this community engagement will be extended to Sanniquellie, Karnplay, Yekepa and Gbapa respectively for the next one-month period beginning November 1 -30, 2022 and will witness a campaign that targets explanation on the activities and benefits of ArcelorMittal’s Phase-II Expansion.
The CSO in a statement issued last weekend said it is seeking “to supply community dwellers especially those directly affected by the company’s mining activities with the much-needed information concerning the obligations of the concession to its host communities and people of Nimba and Liberia at large”.
