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LEITI HOLDS DIALOGUE MEETINGS WITH CONCESSION STAKEHOLDERS
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The Liberian adage that 'anything you don't know is older than you' was recently manifested in Sinoe and Maryland Counties when the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) with support from the Liberia Accountability Voice Initiative (LAVI), a USAID funded project disseminated the simplified version of over twenty six extractive based concession agreements in Liberia.
The dissemination took place in Greenville City, and Butaw in Sinoe County; and Tubman University, Pleebo and Karwayken in Maryland County with about 141 participants including women, youth, traditional leaders, disabled, County authorities and representatives from concessionaires in attendance.
The daylong event at each site stimulated as well as unveiled challenges faced by both affected communities and concessionaires in the execution of the various agreements accordingly. In Butaw, in Sinoe County, the dissemination exercise brought together the local community and the Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL), a palm producing concession in Liberia.
During the dialogue, citizens understood for the first time, what their rights and benefits are according to the agreement, to that of the Company's.
Golden Veroleum’ s Community Relation Officer in Butaw, Dixon Patten extolled the LEITI for the exercise noting that it was healthy for the smooth operation of his company especially in Sinoe. He told the local community members that the company henceforth will engage meaningfully with them for the smooth acquisition of land and the preservation of sacred shrines and wildlife.
One intriguing moment in Butaw was when an elderly man believed to be a septuagenarian Old man Benedict Teah accused the GVL of engulfing his house with palm plants leaving him with absolutely no space for latrine or playground for his kids.
In response, Mr. Patten of the GVL promised to intervene by building a modern pit latrine for Mr. Benedict Teah and his family. This pronouncement plunged the entire gathering into ecstasy singing the famous Christian hym ‘The more we are together, the happier we will be.’
Meanwhile, earlier in Greenville city, the youth representative, Benny Williams with excitement stated that the dissemination of the matrix was an eye opener for him and his organization to further monitor concession activities in his county. “We are glad that you have armed us with such an important instrument, we will serve as ambassadors of our people to monitor the various agreements and where necessary, ask the hard questions in a peaceful manner” He noted.
Similarly at Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County, students hailed the exercise and promised to use it as a guide to monitor the process. However, in Karwayken, citizens called on the government to allow them form part of any and every concession agreement that will affect them. They believe that this will help them better negotiate the terms relative to sacred shrines and traditions that are usually hampered by these agreements.
In 2015, the LEITI with funding from the German government through GIZ reduced over 26 concession agreements relative to the extractive sector into an easy to read guide for multi-stakeholders taking into account, four key areas of concern-Main development issues that includes local content concern; Fiscal and financial issues relative to affected communities; Community programs and social development issues and Health care, employee safety and modernization/updating concerns.
The matrix was among two other documents that were disseminated along with the 6th EITI report on Liberia in January 2016. However, the January did not detail the discussion as is been done now.
LEITI’s determination of natural resource transparency in Liberia led to it receiving funding of a little over twenty seven thousand United States from the United States Agency for International Development, USAID through its Liberia Accountability and Voice Initiative (LAVI) project to pilot the dissemination of the matrix in “hot spot” zones across Bong, Nimba, Sinoe, Maryland and Montserrado Counties. Go back to read more
‘OPEN THE PROCESS TO US’
-BONG AND NIMBA CITIZENS CHALLENGE GOVERNMENT
Liberians in Bong and Nimba Counties are calling for transparency in the distribution of social contributions from concession companies operating in their respective Counties.
On March 6, 2017 until March 20, 2017 a team from the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) lead by its Deputy Head of Secretariat, Mr. Myer W. Saye Sr. visited six concession affected communities in Nimba and Bong Counties for the dissemination of simplified concession agreements signed with the Liberian government over the years. The agreements are all extractive related-mining, agriculture, oil and forestry.
Zolowee, Zuluyee and Duo towns which are all concession affected communities in Nimba were recipients of the matrix while Gbarnga, John Hill Town and Heindii in Bong County were visited by the team.
At all six town hall meetings which brought together elders, youths, women group as well disabled people, relevant concession agreements were discussed in terms of companies’ information, economic features, social responsibilities and environmental controls.
Two concessions agreements took the center stage of interest from the people of both Counties- Mittal steel agreement for the people in Nimba and China Union for the people of Bong County.
Under the Social responsibilities, after confirmation from the LEITI team that the two companies named in this report were in full compliance with payment of social contributions, the locals in all six communities want a transparent process in the utilization of these moneys paid to government by these companies. According to them, the companies are paying so much in social contributions but little or nothing is been felt across the affected communities. “If you are telling us that Mittal steel pays all these money to government as social contributions, then the problem is the release of the funds from government to us.” Joseph Cole Nyahn, an elder of Zolowee town remarked during the exercise.
In John Hill Town however, the locals called on the LEITI to assist them with its reports that capture that contributions from the companies so that they can be able to track and engage the relevant local authorities for their share of the pie.
A total of 103 persons participated in the dissemination exercises across the six locations in both Counties. Go back to read more
-BONG AND NIMBA CITIZENS CHALLENGE GOVERNMENT
Liberians in Bong and Nimba Counties are calling for transparency in the distribution of social contributions from concession companies operating in their respective Counties.
On March 6, 2017 until March 20, 2017 a team from the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) lead by its Deputy Head of Secretariat, Mr. Myer W. Saye Sr. visited six concession affected communities in Nimba and Bong Counties for the dissemination of simplified concession agreements signed with the Liberian government over the years. The agreements are all extractive related-mining, agriculture, oil and forestry.
Zolowee, Zuluyee and Duo towns which are all concession affected communities in Nimba were recipients of the matrix while Gbarnga, John Hill Town and Heindii in Bong County were visited by the team.
At all six town hall meetings which brought together elders, youths, women group as well disabled people, relevant concession agreements were discussed in terms of companies’ information, economic features, social responsibilities and environmental controls.
Two concessions agreements took the center stage of interest from the people of both Counties- Mittal steel agreement for the people in Nimba and China Union for the people of Bong County.
Under the Social responsibilities, after confirmation from the LEITI team that the two companies named in this report were in full compliance with payment of social contributions, the locals in all six communities want a transparent process in the utilization of these moneys paid to government by these companies. According to them, the companies are paying so much in social contributions but little or nothing is been felt across the affected communities. “If you are telling us that Mittal steel pays all these money to government as social contributions, then the problem is the release of the funds from government to us.” Joseph Cole Nyahn, an elder of Zolowee town remarked during the exercise.
In John Hill Town however, the locals called on the LEITI to assist them with its reports that capture that contributions from the companies so that they can be able to track and engage the relevant local authorities for their share of the pie.
A total of 103 persons participated in the dissemination exercises across the six locations in both Counties. Go back to read more
LIBERIA DEVELOPS LAND MARK DOCUMENT
Liberia has now documented the Beneficial Ownership Disclosure (BOD) Roadmap, following a rigorous review with the International EITI Secretariat and other local partners.
The BOD was developed via cooperation between LEITI and a Multi-stakeholder Steering Group, following two workshops held in Abuja, Nigeria and Liberia 1-3 and 9-10, November 2016 respectively. The LEITI Secretariat was represented at the workshop by the Head of Secretariat, Mr. Konah D. Karmo and Sector Analyst Sarnyenneh Dickson.
Nine Anglophone and Lusophone countries attended. The agreed Roadmap paves the way for Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI)- a key requirement under the new standards released by the International body in February 2016. Among others, the feats of the Beneficial Ownership Disclosures help to further enhance transparency in the extractive sector.
By 2020, EITI member countries will publish the identity of companies in oil, gas and mining that bid for, operate or invest in extractive projects in their country. It further requires public officials – also known as Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) to be transparent about their ownership of share in oil, gas and mining companies.
This information will be publicly available and will be published in EITI Reports and/or public registries. EITI requirements have sparked reform in 20 countries now working on establishing public registers. Go back to read more
Liberia has now documented the Beneficial Ownership Disclosure (BOD) Roadmap, following a rigorous review with the International EITI Secretariat and other local partners.
The BOD was developed via cooperation between LEITI and a Multi-stakeholder Steering Group, following two workshops held in Abuja, Nigeria and Liberia 1-3 and 9-10, November 2016 respectively. The LEITI Secretariat was represented at the workshop by the Head of Secretariat, Mr. Konah D. Karmo and Sector Analyst Sarnyenneh Dickson.
Nine Anglophone and Lusophone countries attended. The agreed Roadmap paves the way for Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI)- a key requirement under the new standards released by the International body in February 2016. Among others, the feats of the Beneficial Ownership Disclosures help to further enhance transparency in the extractive sector.
By 2020, EITI member countries will publish the identity of companies in oil, gas and mining that bid for, operate or invest in extractive projects in their country. It further requires public officials – also known as Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) to be transparent about their ownership of share in oil, gas and mining companies.
This information will be publicly available and will be published in EITI Reports and/or public registries. EITI requirements have sparked reform in 20 countries now working on establishing public registers. Go back to read more
‘ACCOUNTABILITY IS KEY’
-LEITI FINANCE DIRECTOR ASSERTS
The head of finance at the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) says accountability is a key factor to test of integrity in any society.
Speaking recently to a gathering of E-Club Coordinators at the Secretariat’s office, Jeffery Yates asserted that accountability brings trust and is a recipe for maintaining peace anywhere.
He noted that proper documentation and transparent spending of entrusted funds are fundamental to achieving accountability and thus gaining the trust of a given people or society.
He told the gathering that the act of accountability encompasses the provision of documentary evidence as one must be willing to be answerable to the resulting consequences that may as well arrive.
The one day gathering of the E-Club coordinators across the fifteen secondary schools under the LEITI partnership was aimed at strengthening the capacities of the schools to adequately account for funds that will be disbursed for the subsequent implementation of the 2016 On Campus Speaker Series on the various campuses of the schools.
At the end of the program, the coordinators promised to work in line with the guidelines set by LEITI for the smooth execution of the activities.
The Extractive Club (E-Club) is intended to broaden the minds of the young people on issues relative to developments in the extractive sector. It currently has 15 High schools in Montserrado and Margibi Counties with plans to further decentralize across Liberia. Go back to read more
-LEITI FINANCE DIRECTOR ASSERTS
The head of finance at the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) says accountability is a key factor to test of integrity in any society.
Speaking recently to a gathering of E-Club Coordinators at the Secretariat’s office, Jeffery Yates asserted that accountability brings trust and is a recipe for maintaining peace anywhere.
He noted that proper documentation and transparent spending of entrusted funds are fundamental to achieving accountability and thus gaining the trust of a given people or society.
He told the gathering that the act of accountability encompasses the provision of documentary evidence as one must be willing to be answerable to the resulting consequences that may as well arrive.
The one day gathering of the E-Club coordinators across the fifteen secondary schools under the LEITI partnership was aimed at strengthening the capacities of the schools to adequately account for funds that will be disbursed for the subsequent implementation of the 2016 On Campus Speaker Series on the various campuses of the schools.
At the end of the program, the coordinators promised to work in line with the guidelines set by LEITI for the smooth execution of the activities.
The Extractive Club (E-Club) is intended to broaden the minds of the young people on issues relative to developments in the extractive sector. It currently has 15 High schools in Montserrado and Margibi Counties with plans to further decentralize across Liberia. Go back to read more