|
...'AMPLIFYING OUR Voices'
Recently, a three man LEITI team led by Deputy Head of Secretariat Myer W. Saye Sr. left Monrovia for Nimba and Bong Counties to again disseminate the abridged contract matrix. The contract matrix as it is called is a summarized and simplified version of major concession agreements signed between the Government of Liberia and the extractive companies. Other members of the team were Sector Analyst Elijah Kai and Finance Assistant George Dennis. This dissemination was comprehensive of the Social Development Fund as previously requested by the locals during phase two of the dissemination exercise in both Counties in March 2017.
|
Sanniquellie and Ganta cities were the dissemination sites for Nimba while Gbarnga and John Hill Town in Bong Mines, were the two sites visited in Bong County. Unlike the previous meetings, the participation by stakeholder groups increased from 20 to 80 persons per gathering though the number of sites decreased from three to two.
At all four 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 as well disclosure of Special Development Funds payments received by Government from relevant companies in the extractive sector relative to the two Counties from 2009 to 2015.
Two concessions agreements took the center stage of interest from the people of both Counties: Mittal steel concession for the people in Nimba, and China Union for the people of Bong County, with SDF disclosure also covering BHP Billiton that already left
Citizens were overwhelmed with excitement to see that companies were consistently meeting their obligations when it comes to their respective Mineral Development Agreements and promised to civilly engage the relevant authorities on the utilization of the funds.
They however, challenged the LEITI to regularly update them on matters surrounding the sectors so that they can continue to make informed choices. A youth representative at the Ganta Meeting remarked “Why has the LEITI waited so long to get these very important documents and information to us, this should be done on a regular basis so that we can use them to ask our leaders. The action by the LEITI is actually amplifying our voice, we can speak with facts and our leaders must listen.”
A total of 324 participants including women, youth, disabled, elders, local County authorities and representatives of relevant concessions attended the events at the separate locations mentioned above.
Margibi, Grand Bassa, Cape Mount and Bomi Counties follow sequentially. The initiative funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Liberia Accountability and Voice Initiative (LAVI), is intended to promote natural resource transparency through information sharing.Below are photos from the Gbarnga and Sanniquellie meetings. Go home
At all four 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 as well disclosure of Special Development Funds payments received by Government from relevant companies in the extractive sector relative to the two Counties from 2009 to 2015.
Two concessions agreements took the center stage of interest from the people of both Counties: Mittal steel concession for the people in Nimba, and China Union for the people of Bong County, with SDF disclosure also covering BHP Billiton that already left
Citizens were overwhelmed with excitement to see that companies were consistently meeting their obligations when it comes to their respective Mineral Development Agreements and promised to civilly engage the relevant authorities on the utilization of the funds.
They however, challenged the LEITI to regularly update them on matters surrounding the sectors so that they can continue to make informed choices. A youth representative at the Ganta Meeting remarked “Why has the LEITI waited so long to get these very important documents and information to us, this should be done on a regular basis so that we can use them to ask our leaders. The action by the LEITI is actually amplifying our voice, we can speak with facts and our leaders must listen.”
A total of 324 participants including women, youth, disabled, elders, local County authorities and representatives of relevant concessions attended the events at the separate locations mentioned above.
Margibi, Grand Bassa, Cape Mount and Bomi Counties follow sequentially. The initiative funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) through the Liberia Accountability and Voice Initiative (LAVI), is intended to promote natural resource transparency through information sharing.Below are photos from the Gbarnga and Sanniquellie meetings. Go home
