The House of Representatives has passed Amendment No. 3 to the ArcelorMittal Liberia Mineral Development Agreement, saying it's in the best interest of the Liberian people.

The House took the decision late Tuesday night following a presentation of a report by the Joint Committee on Investment and Concessions, Lands, Mines, Energy, Natural Resources and Environment, and Judiciary, delivered by the Joint Chairman, Rep. Foday E. Fahnbulleh.

It can be recalled that, Plenary mandated, the Joint Committee conducted a public hearing on the third Amendment on Monday, January 19, 2026, at the Capitol Building in Monrovia. The hearing looked into the substance of the proposed amendment, its national value, and its alignment with Liberia's economic, social, and strategic interests.

The hearing was attended by members of the Inter-Ministerial Concessions Committee (IMCC), including senior officials from various ministries.

Keep up with the latest headlines on WhatsApp | LinkedIn

During the hearing, each institution presented detailed explanations of its role in negotiating the Third Amendment and outlined anticipated benefits to the country.

After deliberations in session on Tuesday, the Joint Committee concluded that the Third Amendment represents a significant improvement over the existing MDA, particularly in government revenue, infrastructure ownership, employment, Liberian participation, and regulatory clarity.

They said the amendment is the outcome of prolonged negotiations that began in 2020, following the Legislature's rejection of the 2021 version in March 2022, and that the agreement affirms the Government of Liberia's ownership of rail and port infrastructure and introduces Rail System Operating Principles to transition the rail corridor to a multi-user system.

Meanwhile, following hours of heated debate, Plenary endorsed the report and voted to pass it and forwarded it to the Liberian Senate for concurrence. -Edited by Othello B. Garblah.