Monrovia — Mines and Energy Minister, Wilmot Paye, says his major task is to ensure that the Ministry effectively plays its actual role as a serious revenue generator for the government to service development priorities.
Speaking when he addressed his staff during the first general staff meeting on his watch as Mines and Energy Minister, Paye, former Chairman of the ruling Unity Party said his assessment thus far proved that the significant role for which the Ministry of Mines and Energy was established has shrunk and in his views, is denying the country of needed revenue to achieve development goals. Pointing out specifics, Minister Paye said the lack of ensuring that mining contracts benefit local communities, and professional monitoring of agreements enshrined in Mineral Development Agreements (MDAs), is not serving the country well but rather prioritizing the interests of foreign businesses.
He assured that his team of Ministers will not relent on reviewing all mining contracts to bring them into full compliance with the Mineral and Mining Laws. Minister Paye, expounding on the energy sector said, his team understands the real issues and when the rest of the Ministers are confirmed by the Liberian Senate, the story will change and the public will be witnesses to the results. Minister Paye emphasized that as one of the government's revenue engines, will prevail on the budget process to get the required support to properly implement its functions.
The former Chairman of the Unity Party told employees of the Ministry of Mines and Energy that his team of Ministers will not target any individual staff but the noted that where change is needed will be applied to boost the effectiveness of the Ministry. "Government job is not about residency, but efficiency and effectiveness," Minister Paye averred. Most of the Ministry of Mines and Energy employees during their interaction with their new Boss was the lack of needed working tools, and poor salaries which they described as "the least" among government ministries. Addressing this issue, Minister Paye told his staff that his administration will explore avenues aimed at ensuring that professionals working at the Mines and Energy Ministry earned justly in line with their qualifications and competence.
The Ministry's offices located in Old Road community; the Liberia Hydrological Service (LHS), and Liberia Geological Survey (LGS), are key in Minister Paye's reform agenda which he said his first approach will be to bring them to the head-office on Capitol Hill, central Monrovia. He assured that those two important components of the Ministry of Mines and Energy will be equipped for better service delivery. Paye comes to the post of Minister of Mines and Energy as a Geologist and hopes are high that he will turn the corner in putting Liberia on par with regional counterparts in the mining and energy sectors. His nine co-workers who have had confirmation hearings are awaiting decision by the Liberian Senate to receive the marching order to begin official duties as Deputy and Assistant Ministers.
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They include, William Hines, Deputy Minister designate for Operations, Eudora Blay Pritchard, Deputy Minister designate for Administration, Charles Umehai, Deputy Minister designate for Energy, and Fahnseh Mulbah, Deputy Minister designate for Planning. The Assistant Ministers designate are Cooper Paasewe - Administration, Carlos Edison Tingban - Mines, Emmanuel Vaye - Planning, and Oliver Gbegbe - Mineral Exploration. If confirmed by the Liberian Senate, they will complete Minister Wilmot Paye's team to superintend the mineral and energy sectors of Liberia.
