MONROVIA — Former Minister of Mines and Energy Wilmot J.M. Paye has accused current officials at the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) of rebranding key policy initiatives from his tenure, especially the Ministry's Five-Year Strategic Plan and the proposed creation of a National Minerals Company (NMC).
In a strongly worded statement titled "No Dishonesty in Professionalism," Paye said he was not speaking out for personal credit, but because he believes the ministry is drifting away from good governance, institutional memory, and professional integrity.
"To rewrite the recent chapter of the Ministry of Mines and Energy means you must first destroy those who wrote that chapter," Paye said. "This is impossible while we are still alive."
Paye, who served during what he called one of the ministry's most difficult periods, said he is concerned about what he described as a deliberate attempt to present inherited initiatives as newly conceived ideas--without acknowledging the officials and technical teams responsible for developing them.
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He pointed to the recent launch of the ministry's Five-Year Strategic Plan, saying he was "shocked" that no reference was made to those who conceptualized and developed the document.
According to Paye, the plan was produced through "intentional actions and efforts," facilitated by Cooper Mykers under the supervision of the Deputy Minister for Planning, Research and Development, and later refined by the ministry's Procurement Director. He noted that the plan was formally referenced in his Nov. 21, 2025, handover speech.
"This plan was not a product of the Big Bang Theory," Paye said, rejecting any suggestion that it emerged spontaneously under current leadership.
The former minister also challenged reports portraying the proposed establishment of a National Minerals Company as a new policy direction. He said the NMC was one of the flagship priorities of his administration and was discussed within the Economic Management Team and the Inter-Ministerial Concession Committee (IMCC).
To support his claim, Paye cited a formal letter dated Oct. 27, 2025, addressed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr., in which he submitted a draft Executive Order proposing the creation of the NMC.
Paye said the proposed company would be mandated to manage Liberia's exploration and mining activities, oversee the state's equity interests in mineral concessions, engage in joint ventures, and protect the country's commercial interests in the mining sector.
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He argued that the absence of a national mechanism such as the NMC has left Liberia largely dependent on the "good faith" of concession holders when profits are declared--an arrangement he warned could lead to understated dividends and continued economic leakage.
Drawing a comparison with the petroleum sector, where the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) protects state interests, Paye described the NMC as a "game-changer" capable of advancing Liberia's economic and financial sovereignty.
While stressing that national achievements ultimately belong to the Republic of Liberia and are exercised "at the pleasure of the President," Paye said it is unfair for current officials to claim credit under executive authority while downplaying those who laid the groundwork.
"Thinking is hard work," he said. "When that thinking results into measurable outcomes, it is noteworthy."
Paye warned that nation-building suffers when public officials focus on securing praise for work they did not originate, rather than building on existing foundations. He urged current officials to "swallow their pride" and recognize past contributions, regardless of political differences.
