The Executive Director of a local civil society organization Nimba Education Guide in Nimba County has threatened to stage a mass demonstration against Arcelor Mittal Liberia Ltd.
Making the disclosure recently in a press conference in Sanniquellie, Armstrong Gobac Selekpoh disclosed that his decision to stage the protest against the world giant steel company is from the background of communication written by the company to the Government through the Lands Mines and Energy complaining Sloway Mining Company about illegal entry into its AML operations area in Nimba.
Sloway Investment Group Limited or Sloway Group is a private international Group mining and metals group located in Switzerland with main areas of expertise in industrial project development that has entered into an agreement with the Government of Liberia to do an Exploration in the Zor region on Mount Blehlay.
Selekpoh explained that the complaint written by AML to the Ministry of Lands and Mines is “counter-productive” to the wellbeing of young citizens in Nimba who have graduated from higher institutions of learning and are not getting jobs.
The NEG Executive Director who said a copy of the AML communication is in his possession, said that he will mobilize about 10,000 young people to demand jobs from AML.
He narrated that the AML complaint claimed to have absolute control over all potential mountains in Nimba, something he has is very much “counter-productive” to the livelihood of young people in the county.
Selekpoh is demanding AML to employ twenty thousand Nimbains since they claimed to have absolute control over all potential mountains in the county.
“We can’t be living in our own county and have over five thousand young people who have Bachelors and Masters and can’t get jobs, but one company here saying they have all the mountains in the county”, he told LPR National correspondent in Sanniquellie.
Gobac Selekoph further explained that some of the top local managerial positions at AML including the Human Resource Manager, Communication Liaison Officer should be occupied by Nimbains.
Permit not granted for protest
On June 6, 2020, Armstrong Gobac Selekpoh and his Nimba Education Guide wrote a communication to the County Attorney of Nimba John Miah requesting the Ministry of Justice to grant them permission to protest on July 20, 2020 at AML’s Mount Gangra operations.
Following his communication to the office of the Attorney, Mr Selekpoh was warmed to “disengage” from the planned demonstration.
According to a return communication from the county attorney, the planned action will contraven chapter 17 section 17.1 (3), (4), (7) an (8) of the penal code of Liberia.
The communication from the Attorney further stated that there is a state of emergency declared by the President of the Republic of Liberia, which according to the county Attorney should not be violated by any mass gathering, something Armstrong has maintained that he will go as planned.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Justice chief prosecutor in Nimba has threatened the enforcement of the existing laws should the Nimba Education Guide Executive Director choose to disrespect the Ministry and go ahead with the planned demonstration.
Appearing on a local Radio Station Radio Nimba in Sanniquellie, Selekpoh reiretiatated that his plan will be executed on July 20, 2020 adding that he is not afraid of going to jail.
It can be recalled on July 3, 2014 a group of citizens of Nimba staged a protest against ArcelorMIttal in the Town of Zolowee over the operations of the world giant steel company in demand of recounting of crops as a means of receiving compensation from Mittal for stopping them from farming and carrying on other daily activities in certain locations in the area.
The protesters blocked the main road leading to Yekepa at the time according to the report. It was also reported that members of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) of the Liberia National Police fired shots in the air to break up protesters at the time during the regime of former president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
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