MONROVIA, LIBERIA — Civil society organisations and representatives of communities affected by mining have called for comprehensive reforms to Liberia’s mining sector, warning that weak enforcement, limited transparency and governance gaps could prevent the country’s mineral wealth from delivering meaningful benefits to ordinary Liberians.
Seven civil society organisations and community representatives raised the concerns during a Civil Society and Local Communities Roundtable on Mining and Inclusive Sustainable Development held at D’Calabash Hotel in Congo Town, Monrovia.
The gathering was organised by the CSOs Consortium on Mining and brought together organisations including the Sustainable Development Institute, Integrity Watch Liberia, Integrated Development and Learning, Civil Society Independent Forest Monitors, Medica Liberia and Sustain Earth and Equity Defenders, according to The New Dawn.
Mining wealth versus development
Liberia has significant mineral resources, including iron ore, gold and diamonds, and the mining industry remains an important source of investment, employment and government revenue.
But campaigners say the central question is whether expansion of the sector will translate into sustainable development for communities and the wider population.
Environmental advocate Silas Kpannan Ayoung Siakor, of Integrated Development and Learning, acknowledged the economic importance of mining but warned that the industry has also generated environmental and social challenges.
He argued that Liberia should avoid repeating a historical pattern in which economic growth from natural resources fails to produce corresponding improvements in people’s living conditions.
Concerns over transparency and enforcement
The Executive Director of CENTAL, Anderson D. Miamen, said Liberia already has laws, regulatory institutions and international transparency commitments governing the extractive sector.
These include oversight responsibilities involving the Ministry of Mines and Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission, alongside Liberia’s participation in initiatives including the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative and Kimberley Process.
However, civil society representatives argued that implementation and enforcement remain significant challenges.
Concerns raised at the meeting included possible procurement irregularities, under-reporting of mineral exports, limited transparency around beneficial ownership and alleged misuse of social development funds.
Participants warned that weaknesses in mining governance could contribute to environmental damage, loss of livelihoods and reduced government revenue, while potentially creating legal and reputational risks for companies operating in the sector.
Communities want a greater voice
The groups say reforms should ensure communities hosting mining operations receive meaningful benefits from Liberia’s natural resources.
The roundtable is expected to produce a preliminary civil society and community mining reform agenda, covering governance, community concerns and gender-responsive priorities.
Those recommendations are expected to feed into discussions ahead of the upcoming Mines and Energy Conference.
Participants stressed that their campaign is not against mining itself. Instead, they say they want stronger institutions, greater accountability and a system that ensures mining contributes more directly to national development and communities affected by extraction.
Wider accountability push
The debate comes amid broader efforts to strengthen accountability within Liberia’s public institutions.
Separately, the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission announced on September 26 that it had begun an Institutional Corruption Risk Assessment at the National Lottery Authority.
The LACC says the exercise is preventive rather than an investigation into individuals. It will examine institutional policies, procedures, controls and operations to identify vulnerabilities that could create opportunities for corruption and recommend corrective measures.
For Liberia, the renewed debate over mining raises a longstanding question: how can the country turn its considerable natural resources into lasting development, jobs and tangible benefits for the communities where those resources are extracted?
Source: The New Dawn Liberia | Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission
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