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Liberia: Residents Of Yekepa Want Gov't To Revoke Mittal Steel Contract
Jul 6, 2006
by J. Cholo Brooks / Senior Staff Writer
 

Hundreds of residents of the mining town of Yekepa in Nimba County have expressed their frustration over what they called "MITTAL STEEL Liberia's false impression to the Liberian people that it has massively renovated several damaged structures, and also providing sound health care to the people of that area", and are calling on the Liberian Government to immediately revoke the pending agreement between the GOL and the company.

Speaking to the Liberian Times in the area early this week, the residents said they were disappointed in the performance of the company, "MITTAL STEEL lied to us that they were coming to improve our livelihood; providing us with job opportunities. But to our utmost surprise everything that was said by the company has proven fruitless. Even the hospital we taught would have catered to our health needs has turned to a diamond mine for the company", Madam Kou Paye a spokeswomen of the frustrated residents said.

Madam Paye who also displayed a letter addressed to the Liberian Parliament to look into their plight in tears said, MITTAL STEEL Liberia is playing with the intelligence of the people of Nimba County, especially those who thought the coming in of this company would have saved them from the ashes of the war are now regretting, due to the ill-treatment from MITTAL.

According to the letter sent to the Liberian Parliament from the disappointed workforce of the company and people of Yekepa, a copy which was served the Liberian Times, said, "the activities of Mittal Steel in our area (Yekepa) should be revisited. The taken over of our schools and hospital by Mittal Steel without legal agreement or contract between it and us should be addressed. The high cost of medical services, which has made several to die due to the lack of funds being requested by Mittal Steel and the privatization of the hospital pharmacy to an Indian and also the eviction of residents in Yekepa by the Mittal Steel are some of our concerns", the workers letter of complain to the lawmakers said.

During a tour of the entire Yekepa industrial center, several of the dilapidated houses, which were earlier reported in a sponsored media clique were still in ruins; bushes have swallowed the entire city, while the only referrer hospital which was catering to citizens of the area and nearby countries like Guinea and the Ivory Coast has also been dragged into a lion dent due to the lack of doctors, nurses and other staff to cater to patients.

The hospital which prior to MITTAL STEEL take over had over 75 staff, has now been cut down to 23 by the management of the company, "We who are braving the storm to keep the hospital running are not even been looked at by the MITTAL STEEL management", Mrs. Annie D. Goll, head of the Nurses Department at the deserted hospital told the Liberian Times.

Madam Goll also said the management of the company has refused to realize that the hospital is loosing its name as the only referrer hospital in the area, "MITTAL STEEL has made many of the patients to go away due to the high cost of drugs and services here. The management also has employed the services of an Indian national to run a pharmacy named and styled as Luck Pharmacy which is now charging patients sky racked cost", she said.


Speaking further, another nurse at the hospital who appeared frustrated, Josephine Nyopeuel said the hospital was been operated through the mercy of God, "my brother we are happy that you came all the way here to tell the Liberian people about the plight of us here. Up to now some of us do not have I.D. cards as hospital nurses, we are working here because we love this profession and to help our brothers and sisters who will be in need of health care" Josephine said.

When the Liberian Times contacted the head office of MITTAL STEEL Liberia, in Monrovia to explain it side of the story from Yekepa, an office Assistant said the management was not in the position to address itself to the report from Nimba, "let them do what they want to do" the office assistant said.

For the past months MITTAL STEEL has been running numbers of publications in local media that it activities in Yekepa were moving smoothly with the renovation of several of the area's damaged structures and the improvement of the residents of the area livelihood, including a modern hospital catering to the well-being of thousands of patients.

But instead, this information by the MITTAL STEEL has proven to the contrary following the visit of the Liberian Times staff in the area, as our investigation continues.

 

About the Author:
J. Cholo Brooks is a Liberian journalist. As a former correspondent for the BBC African Service and currently the manager of local news agency the Global News Network, Brooks brings an intelligent and compassionate view to the latest in Liberian news. Brooks writes exclusively for TheLiberianTimes.com, for which he serves as Senior Staff Writer.

J. Cholo Brooks may be contacted at jcholobrooks@theliberiantimes.com.