The Ministry of Public Works has backtracked on its decision to suspend the road user permit of Western Cluster Limited (WCL), opting instead to grant the company a three-day reprieve.
This move comes just days after the Ministry initially suspended WCL’s permit and threatened to revoke it entirely.
Citing a commitment to unwavering enforcement, the Ministry emphasized that this temporary respite serves as a warning to WCL to rectify the violations that led to the suspension.
Key among these violations were the company’s failure to maintain the road corridor and establish required weighbridges, breaching the terms of its permit.
After careful consideration of the legal and financial implications for both Western Cluster and the Liberian government, the Public Works Ministry decided to allow the company a brief window from May 10th to May 12th, 2024, to facilitate the export of ores already prepared for shipment via a designated vessel.
However, the Ministry reassured stakeholders affected by WCL’s infractions that it would ensure full compliance and resolution of issues before lifting the suspension.
The suspension saga began earlier in May, with President Joseph Nyumah Boakai himself threatening to shut down WCL over allegations of resource extraction without adequate road maintenance or community benefits.
Western Cluster Limited, a subsidiary of Elenilto Minerals & Mining, holds licenses for various iron ore deposits in Liberia, boasting significant production potential and mineral reserves comprising quartz, hematite, magnetite, martite, and limonite.
Despite the temporary respite, the Ministry has made it clear that the reprieve expires promptly at midnight on Sunday, May 12th, 2024, reinstating the suspension thereafter.
The unfolding drama underscores the complexities and challenges surrounding resource extraction and regulatory oversight in Liberia’s mining sector.
This serves as a reminder for the government to thoroughly examine any agreement presented to it before consideration.
