By Bill W. Cooper
The House of Representatives has unanimously voted to return the proposed 3rd amendment of the much talked about Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) between the ArcelorMittal and the Liberian government.
The lawmakers during an emergency session yesterday stated that its decision is as a result of the Legislature’s conference committee’s failure to resolve issues observed within in the MDA.
Rep. Ben Fofana added, “Having reviewed the Mittal Steel agreement following report from our committee which was sent to the Senate and the Senate issued another version of what was submitted to them, we have come to the point that the two House cannot resolve the issues abide.”
“And secondly, some issues are constitutional and that the Legislature does not negotiate contracts. Every negotiation of contracts is done by the Executive Branch of government, therefore, it will be prudent that this concession brought before us about Mittal Steel along with concerns drawn by our committee be sent back to the Executive Branch,” the motion added.
However, the lawmakers’ decision followed over six weeks since members of the Liberian Senate voted to block the ratification of the 3rd amendment to the mineral development agreement between ArcelorMittal and the government.
The Senate’s plenary also proposed that a conference committee, inclusive of both houses, be set up to pool together their respective recommendations on the AML deal before concurrence with the House of Representatives.
In a communication to members of the House of Representatives, on March 22, the Liberian stated that after scrutiny and deliberations on the bill, it had reserved concurrence but would like to ratify the bill with the provision of the affected matrix: “Stakeholders issues and grievances Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa County and commitment of ArcelorMittal.”
The Senate communication added that the affected matrix is an integral part of the 3rd amendment since it served as an agreement between the affected counties and ArcelorMittal.
The Senate in during its deliberations concerning the AML deal also raised serious concerns with the company’s neglect of its commitment to honoring portions of its original MDA with the Government of Liberia, especially the restoration of infrastructure in the concession area.
However, following the reading of the Senate Communication, the Plenary of the House of Representatives, through a motion from Margibi County District 2 Representative Ivar Jones, voted to receive the Senate’s communication of reserving its concurrence and mandate the Speaker to appoint the House’s members to the Conference Committee.
The Conference Committee members on the ArcelorMittal 3rd revised MDA were Rep. Clarence Massaquoi, chairperson and Rep. Rosanna Shaack, co-chair while other members included Representatives Johnson Gwaikolo, Vincent S.T. Willie, Cllr. Kanie Wesso, Matthew Zarzar, Acarous Gray, and Joseph Somwarbi as Resource Person.
It can be recalled, that in September, 2021, President George M. Weah submitted to the House of Representatives the 3rd revised agreement signed between the CDC led-administration and ArcelorMittal Holdings A.G. and ArcelorMittal Holdings Liberia Limited.
However, since the submission of the AML deal by the Liberian leader, there have been series calls for the rejection of the deal by several Liberians including several citizens of Nimba, Bong and Grand Bassa Counties on grounds that the government through its negotiation with ArcelorMittal granted exclusive rights to the Yekepa to Buchanan railroad and Port of Buchanan, as captured in Article 3 of the submitted agreement.
The citizens also cited that AML which still has over nine years remaining to the 2nd amendment of deal are yet to live up to all of the articles as agreed upon within the 2nd amendment, as well as inadequate housing, medical facility among others are reasons for the lawmakers to denied the AML deal.
But the frontiers of the deal differed on grounds that the investment will provide job opportunities for Liberians and afford other concessions the opportunity to use the railroads.