When the war ended and Liberia was trying to get back on track, things were very hard. Roads were bad, jobs were scarce, and the country needed help to stand again. In 2005, ArcelorMittal came in as one of the first big companies to invest in Liberia. Since then, the company has played a major part in helping Liberia get better.
ArcelorMittal signed a mining agreement with the government in 2005 to start digging iron ore again. Before the war, iron ore was one of Liberia’s biggest sources of money, but the war had spoiled everything. The company started fixing the railway from Yekepa to Buchanan and repaired the port in Buchanan too. These two things had been sitting there damaged for over ten years. Now, both are working again and helping not just ArcelorMittal, but other businesses too.
Over the years, ArcelorMittal has become one of the biggest employers in Liberia. More than 7,000 people have gotten jobs either directly with the company or through contractors. The jobs have helped families in Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa to survive and send their children to school.
In 2021, ArcelorMittal signed another deal to expand its work. This new phase includes building a modern ore processing plant in Yekepa and expanding the port and railway again. The company has already started hiring more people for this. Just recently, they gave jobs to 236 young Liberians who were trained at their own school in Yekepa called the ArcelorMittal Training Academy.
The company has also given back to the communities where it works. Since 2007, ArcelorMittal has been giving US$3 million every year to Grand Bassa, Nimba, and Bong Counties. That money has been used to build schools, clinics, roads, and even market houses. In Grand Bassa, a hospital wing was built with this money. In Nimba, some of the money helped to build roads and guest houses. Some people say the money is not always managed well, but the company still pays every year.
The Training Academy in Yekepa is helping young people learn skills in areas like mechanics, electricity, and mining. Many of those who graduate from there now work with the company. ArcelorMittal also sends some Liberians to school overseas to study mining and other important fields.
The company is one of the highest taxpayers in Liberia. Every year, it pays millions of dollars in taxes, duties, and royalties to the government. That money helps to run the country, pay government workers, and build more roads and schools.
When Ebola hit Liberia in 2014 and during the COVID-19 time, ArcelorMittal helped with food, PPE, and medical supplies. They were among the first to step in and assist the health workers and the affected people.
ArcelorMittal is also doing work to protect the environment. They are planting trees on damaged land, checking on animals and plants in the mining areas, and following rules to keep the environment safe.
Looking at all the things ArcelorMittal has done since 2005—from fixing roads, giving jobs, training young people, paying taxes, to helping during emergencies—the government needs to support the company’s expansion. It will bring more jobs, more money for the country, and help Liberia grow stronger. Supporting ArcelorMittal is one way to keep Liberia moving forward.
Comments are closed.