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Liberia: ArcelorMittal Empowers Make-Shift Wagons Operators in Buchanan
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The NEWS (Monrovia)
18 March 2008
Posted to the web 18 March 2008
Monrovia
World steel giant, ArcelorMittal, has provided dozens of wheelbarrows to operators of make-shift rail wagons commonly known as "make-a-way" in Upper Harlandsville, outside Buchanan in Grand Bassa County.
The make-shift wagons are used to commute along villages as the major means of transportation by inhabitants to convey their produce to market in Buchanan.
About 250 local inhabitants along the 260 kilometers stretch of railroad linking Yekepa in Nimba County with Buchanan are involved in the commercial operations of make-shift rail-wagons as a means of their livelihood.
Speaking at a colorful ceremony in Harlandsville at the weekend, ArcelorMittal's Liberia Chief Executive Officer, Joseph Mathews said his company took the decision to empower operators of the make-shift rail wagons with wheelbarrows and employment opportunity for a probational period of three months so as to change their lifestyle.
He said ArcelorMittal has begun the process of rehabilitating its railroad in preparation for the exploration of the Mount Nimba iron ore reserve, reiterating that by June 2009, rehabilitation of the rail track should be completed and the first shipment of iron ore is expected to leave Liberia in july, 2009.
Mr. Mathews indicated that similar gesture would be extended to operators of make-shift rail wagons as the rehabilitation of the railroad progresses upcountry.
The ArcelorMittal CEO also disclosed plans for the massive recruitment of workers in April this year. He disclosed that presently ArcelorMittal has a workforce of about 300, while its international and local contractors have hired the services of at least another 300 persons.
Also speaking at the program, the Representative of Odebrecht Construction Company, Richard Price called on the citizens of Grand Bassa to cooperate during the speedy implementation of the rehabilitation of the railroad.
He said ArcelorMittal has contracted the services of Odebrecht Construction Company to complete rehabilitation of the railroad within a specified timeframe not exceeding June 2009, and as such, this could only be accomplished through the cooperation of all citizens.
In brief remarks, the Superintendent of Grand Bassa County, Julia Duncan Cassell lauded the executives of ArcelorMittal for the gesture and for restoring hope to the citizens of her County.
She disclosed that the company's gesture was the result of consultative meetings between the wagons' operators and executives of the company at which time the operators, themselves, opted for this package.
She then appealed to the company to set up a vocational training center in Buchanan to help her people with marketable skills.
Speaking on behalf of operators of the make-shift rail wagons, Mr. Abraham Dardoe thanked ArcelorMittal for the gesture especially the employment opportunity provided them.
He promised that they would work assiduously so as to encourage the company retain their services beyond the three months.
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The first batch of 50 wagons operators out of the 250 who operate between kilometer 6 and 18 were recipients of the wheelbarrows and job opportunity.
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