A series of leaked video footage obtained by Verity News has ignited widespread public outrage after revealing Indian nationals working as masons and carpenters at ArcelorMittal’s Tokadeh Mines in Yekepa, Nimba County, positions many say are legally reserved for Liberians.
The video footages show several foreign workers laying concrete, installing wooden structures, welding, and performing general construction tasks.
The revelations have intensified long-standing concerns over violations of Liberia’s Liberianization Policy, which mandates that certain job categories be exclusively occupied by Liberian citizens.
The leaked videos have prompted renewed scrutiny of ArcelorMittal’s hiring practices, with many Liberians asking why foreigners occupy roles for which locals are already trained and available.
“Are Liberians not qualified to do these jobs?” questioned a Yekepa resident who witnessed the activities. “We have certified carpenters, masons, welders, and skilled workers right here in Nimba County. Yet foreigners are doing the very jobs that young Liberians are desperately seeking.”
Unemployment in Liberia continues to rise while foreign workers are being hired to perform tasks that Liberians are equally or better equipped to handle.
Liberia’s Investment Act and Liberianization Law reserve several job categories strictly for Liberians, including:
Masonry
Carpentry
Car washing
Driving
Security services
Various construction-related roles
The law seeks to protect the local job market, ensure Liberians benefit from employment opportunities, and promote national economic growth.
The presence of foreign nationals in these restricted categories has raised serious concerns about regulatory enforcement and the level of compliance expected from concession companies operating in the country.
ArcelorMittal Liberia, one of Liberia’s largest and most influential concessionaires, has faced repeated criticism over its labor practices. The newly surfaced videos have heightened scrutiny and triggered demands for swift government action.
Some residents accuse the company of ignoring years of calls to prioritize local hiring, particularly for low-skill and mid-skill positions. Others say the Ministry of Labor has failed to adequately enforce its own rules.
“We cannot have foreigners doing carpentry, masonry, or washing cars at a multimillion-dollar concession while young Liberians sit home unemployed,” a youth leader in Yekepa told Verity News. “The law is the law, and it must be respected.”
Reports of foreigners working in supermarkets, garages, construction sites, and hotels have sparked national concern over the country’s ability to protect its labor market.
Critics warn that persistent non-enforcement of the Liberianization Policy could undermine Liberia’s economic sovereignty and push more young people into unemployment.
With the controversy growing, residents of Nimba County are urging the Ministry of Labor, the National Bureau of Concessions, and the House Committee on Labor to investigate ArcelorMittal’s hiring practices.
Community members are calling for:
A full review of all foreign work permits issued to ArcelorMittal
Penalties for any breach of the Liberianization Law
Replacement of foreign unskilled workers with qualified Liberians.
