Bomi County—The Mano Oil Palm Plantation, formerly known as Sime Darby Oil Palm Plantation, is embroiled in controversy over alleged exploitation and corruption.
Workers claim they are being denied nearly $5 million in deserved pay after the company, now managed by Lebanese national Asad Fadel, took over from Sime Darby.
The controversy stems from a series of demonstrations by aggrieved workers who obtained leaked documents indicating that their salaries were not to be reduced and no employees were to be made redundant.
This agreement was signed during the turnover process between the current management and Sime Darby. However, the company has reportedly reduced salaries and made several employees redundant, contrary to the turnover agreement.
Verity Newspaper investigation revealed that this crucial document, originating from Malaysia, was obtained by the workers’ union, igniting widespread unrest.
Despite multiple negotiations between the workers and the company, the situation escalated when the government intervened through the Ministries of Labor, Internal Affairs, and Justice.
Reports compiled with substantial evidence were dismissed, and government representatives falsely claimed that the company did not owe the workers any compensation.
Allegations of bribery have surfaced, suggesting that the intervention was influenced by corrupt practices, further escalating tensions and prompting workers to consider retaliatory actions.
A source from Verity disclosed that Montserrado District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah recently visited the plantations following numerous calls from the workers. Rep. Kolubah promised that the workers would receive their due compensation once the facts were established.
However, the source also indicated that no senators from the two affected counties are likely to advocate for the workers, as they are allegedly on the company’s payroll and the company manages their personal palm farms.
Internal Affairs Minister Francis Yomanley and Labor Minister Cooper Kruah, who dispatched a team of labor inspectors for fact-finding, have been accused of favoring the management behind the scenes.
Kruah’s alleged actions have particularly frustrated the workers, revealing a troubling pattern of corruption.
Verity’s investigation also uncovered that Grand Cape Mount County Senator Simon Taylor allegedly told the workers that the management owed them nothing and that he would secure his 2029 re-election regardless of their grievances.
A subsequent phone call with Kruah, proposing a two-year rather than a four-year negotiation with management, further aggravated the workers’ plight.
The turnover document submitted by Sime Darby, a copy of which is in the possession of Verity Newspaper, clearly states that Mano Oil Palm Plantation would maintain all workers along with their individual salaries and benefits, and no employee would be made redundant.
However, contrary to this agreement, the Mano Oil Palm Plantation has reduced salaries and made several employees redundant without any back pay.
Amid the massive redundancies taking place on the plantation, the Ministry of Justice wrote a communication dated July 11, 2019, to the management of Mano Oil Palm Plantation highlighting the bad labor practices at the company.
The plantations have reportedly become a recruitment base for Lebanese and Syrians without work permits or proper documentation.
The workers’ primary demand is the restitution of their slashed earnings, which were unjustly reduced without any justifiable reason.
The ongoing crisis highlights the urgent need for accountability, fair labor practices, and government intervention free from corruption.
These aggrieved workers are calling on national and international bodies to investigate the situation, ensure fair compensation, and enforce labor laws to prevent such exploitation from continuing.
The plight of the Mano Oil Palm Plantation workers is a glaring example of labor exploitation and corruption.
It outlines need for robust legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms to protect workers’ rights and ensure fair treatment.
The workers’ struggle for justice continues, and it is imperative for the authorities to address their grievances promptly and fairly.
The government must take decisive action to rectify this situation, holding Mano Oil Palm Plantation accountable for its dubious practices and ensuring that workers receive the compensation they are rightfully owed.
Only then can justice be served, and the integrity of labor practices in Liberia be restored.
Document in our possession shows that the company was not to reduce workers salaries upon taken over the company but refused to ahread resulting to owing workers $ 5M in pay
