By: Archie Boan
Former Minister of Mines and Energy, Wilmot J.M. Paye, has broken his silence with a sharply worded public intervention, accusing current officials at the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) of attempting to erase or downplay major policy achievements made during his tenure, particularly the Ministry’s Five-Year Strategic Plan and the long-pursued proposal to establish a National Minerals Company (NMC).
In a detailed statement titled “No Dishonesty in Professionalism,” Paye said his decision to speak out was not driven by a desire for personal recognition but by what he described as a troubling departure from the principles of good governance, institutional memory, and professional integrity.
“To rewrite the recent chapter of the Ministry of Mines and Energy means you must first destroy those who wrote that chapter,” Paye asserted, adding pointedly, “This is impossible while we are still alive.”
Paye, who served during what he described as a “most difficult period” for the Ministry, expressed concern over what he sees as a deliberate effort to present inherited initiatives as newly conceived ideas, without acknowledgment of the officials and technical teams who developed them.
One such instance, according to the former minister, was the recent launch of the Ministry’s Five-Year Strategic Plan. Paye said it was “shocking” that no reference was made to those who conceptualized and developed the document.
He clarified that the plan was the result of “intentional actions and efforts” facilitated by Cooper Mykers under the supervision of the Deputy Minister for Planning, Research and Development, later refined by the Ministry’s Procurement Director. Paye noted that the plan was formally referenced in his November 21, 2025 handover speech.
“This plan was not a product of the Big Bang Theory,” he said, dismissing any suggestion that it emerged spontaneously under the current leadership.
The former minister also took issue with recent reports suggesting that the establishment of a National Minerals Company is a newly proposed concept. According to Paye, the idea was one of the flagship priorities of his administration and was openly discussed within the Economic Management Team and the Inter-Ministerial Concession Committee (IMCC).
To substantiate his claim, Paye referenced a formal letter dated October 27, 2025, addressed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., in which he submitted a draft Executive Order proposing the establishment of the NMC.
The letter outlines the proposed company’s mandate, including managing Liberia’s exploration and mining activities, overseeing the state’s equity interests in mineral concessions, engaging in joint ventures, and safeguarding the country’s commercial interests in the mining sector.
Paye argued that the absence of such a national mechanism has forced Liberia to rely largely on the “good faith” of concession holders when declaring profits, a situation he warned could result in understated dividends and continued economic leakage.
Drawing parallels to the hydrocarbon sector, where the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) manages state interests, Paye described the NMC proposal as a “game-changer” that could help Liberia move toward economic and financial sovereignty.
While emphasizing that all achievements ultimately belong to the Republic of Liberia and are exercised “at the pleasure of the President,” Paye said it is unfair for current officials to “hide behind executive grace” while diminishing the contributions of those who served before them.
“Thinking is hard work,” he noted. “When that thinking results into measurable outcomes, it is noteworthy.”
Paye warned that nation-building suffers when public officials seek accolades for milestones they did not originate, instead of building upon existing foundations. He called on those currently in public service to “swallow their pride” and acknowledge the efforts of others, regardless of political differences or personal feelings.
