Grand Cape Mount County Senior Senator, Simeon Boima Taylor, has called for a reform in the Mining Sector of Liberia.
He said the reform will help to improve the capacity of small skills miners in the country, which, according to him, will also strengthen and improve the Liberian economy.
Senator Taylor made these remarks when he returned to the country after a short working visit to the Republic of Ghana along with the Minister of Mines and Energy, Wilmot Paye.
He stated that the visit to Ghana was for them to understand how Ghana has been able to achieve so much over the years with small skills miners and to bring back home (Liberia) with a similar approach to empower more Liberians.
“We need to encourage more Liberians to get involved in small skills mining, but this can only be achieved when the government, through the Central Bank of Liberia, can make loans available to the miners. It’s time to stop foreign nationals from doing class ‘B’ and ‘C’ mining and set it aside for Liberians,” he narrated.
He further stated that the Ghanaian Government invested US$1.5 million in the sector to help empower small skills miners, and five years later, the Senator said the sector has grown and generated over US$1.5 billion today.
“We too can also achieve this and even do more than the Ghanaians if we attach seriousness to invest in the sector. If there will be changes in the mining laws, we have to do it to help our people,” the Senator explained.
He concluded by stating that he will work with the Minister of Mines, Wilmot Paye, and President Joseph N. Boakai, to improve the capacity of small skills miners.
Meanwhile, Senator Taylor is calling on the Government of Liberia to swiftly intervene in the Cape Mount Bea Mountain Mining Company issues with the citizens.
He said the company should be prevailed upon to implement all clauses stipulated in the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA).
Senator Taylor refuted claims that he is the mastermind behind the continuous protest in the county.
He is the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Mines, Energy, and Natural Resources at the Liberian Senate.
