By Archie Boan
BONG COUNTY, LIBERIA – Bong County District #5 Representative Hon. Eugine J.M. Kollie has urged the House of Representatives to urgently review the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) of MNG Gold Liberia Inc., warning that mining operations should be suspended if the deal is not renegotiated to protect affected communities.
In a letter dated January 15, 2026, addressed to House Speaker Richard N. Koon, Rep. Kollie requested that MNG Gold Liberia, the Ministry of Lands, Mines and Energy, and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) appear before Plenary to explain why the MDA—originally signed in 2002 and later inherited by MNG Gold—has never been renegotiated despite years of commercial mining activity.
Rep. Kollie criticized the agreement as centralized and unfair, providing minimal direct benefits to communities in Bong County, particularly those in the concession areas.
He noted that residents have had to rely on a separate Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the company for basic social services—an arrangement he described as weak and poorly implemented.
With the MDA set to expire in March 2027, the lawmaker warned that urgent action is needed to address what he called “long-standing injustice.”
He called for a full renegotiation to ensure fair revenue sharing, stronger environmental protections, proper community relocation where necessary, increased employment opportunities for Liberians, and meaningful social benefits for host communities.
“If renegotiation is delayed, underground mining operations should be halted until a new and fair agreement is in place,” Rep. Kollie stated.
The House of Representatives has forwarded the communication to the Committee on Concessions and Investment, which is expected to review the matter and report back to Plenary in upcoming sessions
