By Solomon T. Gaye
About US$1 million worth of fuel was reportedly stolen from Arcelormittal operational site by suspected criminals in Yekepa, Nimba County. The disclosure was made by board member, Thomas Grupee, when he spoke to the media in Ganta, and was later confirmed by the Chief Executive Officer of the company, in a release issued to the effect.
Speaking on the issue Grupee explained that the recent board meeting discussion was centered on cooperative relationship with community leaders, fuel theft worth US$1 million, community dwellers’ cooperation with the company, and the review of the MDA, among other things.
Reports of road blocks by contracted Afcons workers working with Arcelormittal, demands of salary arrears, salary increment, fuel theft, as well as some other acts of lawlessness, are getting rampant in Yekepa, Nimba County.
Since the coming into power of the CDC government in 2018, the working relationship between Arcelormittal Liberia and Nimba lawmakers has been deteriorating by the day, over alleged failure of the company to build housing units for the workers, in line with MDA signed with the Government of Liberia and the people of Nimba.
Former lawmaker, Thomas Grupee, and former Chief Justice of Liberia, Francis Korkpor, are two sons of Nimba representing the county’s interest as members assigned with Arcelormittal Liberia by the Government.
When this paper contacted the Liberia National Police in Sanniquellie over the weekend, County Police Commander, Dixon Kemokai, confirmed that fuel theft is on the increase, along the Yekepa belt in various towns.
“Arcelormittal Liberia’s complaint about the fuel theft was documented and sent to the Ministry of Justice in Monrovia,” Police Superintendent Dixon disclosed.
However, the Solicitor General, Nyantee Tuan, was in Nimba over the weekend to meet with the citizens in the towns of Gbapa and Zorgowe, but the purpose of his visit is yet to be determined, as speculations grow surrounding the theft.
