By Tophic Degleh
Kakata, Margibi County — A Liberian contractor working for International Consolidated Contractors SAL (Offshore) (ICC), the company constructing the World Bank-funded Kakata Model School, has alleged that he was physically assaulted on the job by his Syrian supervisor.
George Harmon, the said that the incident occurred in late February when his supervisor, Abu Ali, intentionally dumped a half-bag of high-grade cement (R42.5) into his face without provocation.
“While we were working, my boss shoved the man handling the cement. He opened the bag, and the remaining cement was dumped on my head,” Harmon recounted.
The cement allegedly splashed into Harmon’s eyes, causing severe burns. He was rushed to a local clinic, first treated at the Kakata Health Center with only eye drops, and later transferred to the Water Field Primary Health Center. There, his eyes were flushed with a cleaning solution, and he was provided sunglasses after reporting sensitivity to light and wind.
Harmon described a pattern of harassment by Ali even before the incident, saying he often endured physical strikes from his supervisor.
“He was always hitting me on the job. I don’t know what I did to him,” he added.
Despite the severity of the injury, Harmon claims the company initially begged him not to report the incident and failed to pay his one-month salary during his recovery. He was forced to return to work and eventually brought the case to the regional Labor Commissioner in May.
When contacted, ICC Country Manager Daniel Mhanna confirmed the incident but downplayed it as an “occupational injury.” He stated the company had met with Harmon’s family and agreed to cover medical expenses pending a full medical evaluation to determine the next course of action. Mhanna also said Harmon would be compensated for days missed due to treatment.
Regional Labor Commissioner Isaac Kamara confirmed the Ministry of Labor’s intervention, noting that ICC had been reluctant to pay Harmon’s one-month salary but has now agreed to do so.
Harmon has since been transferred to the Tappita Hospital at the request of his family, with ICC expected to cover all related medical expenses.
Investigation confirmed that Harmon and several other local contractors had been working without formal contracts. Harmon was reportedly only given a contract to sign after he began raising health concerns.
Several co-workers, speaking on condition of anonymity, also described Supervisor Abu Ali as having a “hostile and aggressive” attitude toward Liberian workers on site.
ICC, a subsidiary of ISSA Holding, is headquartered in Beirut, Lebanon, with operations across the Middle East and parts of Africa. The company began operating in Liberia in December 2022, registered as an offshore business with limited public details about its local operations.
