Liberia: Controversy Erupts Over MOU Signing for Gold-Rich Town of Bangroma

26 June 2024
The Liberian Investigator (Monrovia)

Bangorma — Division has erupted among leaders of the Community Land Management and Development Committee in Bangroma, Tewor District, Grand Cape Mount County, following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the community and Bea Mining Company. The MOU was prompted by the discovery of a significant gold deposit in the town.

The Chairman of the Bangroma Community recently signed the MOU with Bea Mining Company, agreeing to relocate the town due to the discovery within its midst. This decision followed nearly six months of negotiations regarding residents' relocation, housing construction, and the settlement of a $60,000 debt owed to the community.

However, Sheikh Abdulai Massarey, Co-Chairman of the Community Land Management and Development Committee in Monrovia, opposed the MOU. He alleged that local leaders were coerced by Grand Cape Mount County Representative Gbesay Faika. Massarey claimed there was no prior agreement reached between the community and the company before the MOU was signed. He criticized Representative Faika for allegedly taking advantage of the elders' lack of literacy, without ensuring their owed benefits were secured.

In response, Representative Faika denied these allegations, stating she had merely witnessed the discussions and signed the MOU to promote mutual benefits for the company and town residents. She mentioned delays in her travels to the United States due to requests from town elders.

Secretary of the Bangroma Community Committee in Tewor District, Seidu Swaray, defended the MOU, asserting that residents had demanded its signing during a mass meeting. Swaray presented a video recording of this meeting as evidence, refuting claims of misrepresentation by Representative Faika.

The MOU includes provisions for housing units, a school, clinic, and employment opportunities for residents. The value of the gold deposit remains undisclosed pending an environmental assessment by the Environmental Protection Agency, which awaits the MOU's formalization before commencing mining activities in Bangroma.

Read the original article on Liberian Investigator.

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