The Senate has instructed its Committees on Concession and Investment, Land and Mines, and Judiciary to investigate claims that concession companies operating in Liberia are sidelining Liberian-owned businesses.
This directive followed a communication submitted during the Senate’s ninth-day sitting on Tuesday, February 18, 2025, by Bomi County Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe. In his request, Senator Snowe urged the Senate to probe reports that Liberian businesses, despite being legally protected under concession agreements, are being systematically excluded from economic participation.
As Chairman of the Senate Committee on Hydrocarbon, Energy, and Environment, Senator Snowe expressed concerns that concession companies are engaging in activities beyond their primary mandates, depriving Liberian-owned businesses of vital economic opportunities. He warned that this growing trend undermines local entrepreneurship and job creation.
He specifically cited Bi-Chico Mining Company in Gbarpolu County, which, in addition to its mining operations, has expanded into trucking iron ore—an industry he believes should be dominated by Liberian trucking firms to promote economic growth and employment.
Similarly, he pointed to Bea Mountain Mining Company in Grand Cape Mount County, which not only operates its own petroleum storage facilities and imports large quantities of petroleum products but has also ventured into transportation and mineral water production. Snowe argued that these activities place concession companies in direct competition with Liberian-owned businesses and contradict the objectives of the Liberianization Policy.
Senator Snowe emphasized that allowing concession companies to dominate key service industries such as the transportation of iron ore and petroleum products marginalizes Liberian entrepreneurs, weakens local businesses, and hampers economic growth. He warned that this practice will continue to exclude Liberians from meaningful economic participation if left unchecked.
He concluded that addressing this issue is essential for ensuring sustainable economic development, fostering job creation, and empowering Liberians to take an active role in their country’s economic progress. The Senate’s investigation aims to uncover the extent of these allegations and recommend measures to protect local businesses.
