By Henry B. Gboluma, Jr. | Liberia Forest Media Watch
The leadership of the Korninga ‘A’ Authorized Forest Community is demanding a US$4 million settlement from Coveiyalah Investment Enterprises, Inc. for unfulfilled contractual obligations before considering the renewal of a 15-year logging agreement.
“If the company meets the community’s demands regarding the unfilled projects from the first five years, we can move ahead with a renewed agreement that includes additional social responsibilities and a clear timeline,” said Chief Officer Emery Ciapha during a contract review meeting held on September 18, 2025.
In May 2019, Korninga ‘A’ signed a third-party agreement with Coveiyalah Investment Enterprises, granting the company rights to harvest timber across 48,296 hectares of forestland in Bopolu District. The contract outlined several development commitments, including: Installation of 20 hand pumps in each of the 15 affected communities, construction of latrines, establishment of a modern health center, construction of a high school, building of three concrete bridges and creation of a Wood Science College.
However, community leaders say none of these projects were implemented during the initial five-year term, which ended in 2024. The renewal process was delayed due to internal disputes within the investor group.
The community is demanding the following compensation for unfulfilled obligations: US$2 million for the 300 hand pumps, US$750,000 for 20 latrines, US$500,000 for the health center, and US$102,204.75 in unpaid land rental fees.
Additional grievances include the company’s failure to upgrade three government elementary schools to junior high level, construct a high school, and build the promised Wood Science College.
“We will protect the investor to do the right thing, and if not, we’ll bring in a committed third party to benefit our people,” Ciapha warned. “This time around, we will not let them take advantage of us.”
Community Assembly member Junior McGill added, “The company’s activities did not prove to us that they are responsible. We will no longer work with them unless they make things right.”
Another resident, Bolowolo Somo, emphasized, “We want development, not empty promises.”
In addition to the settlement, the community is proposing revisions to the agreement, including; increasing the annual education fund from US$15,000 to US$25,000, allocating US$50,000 for forest monitoring and guides, raising the cubic meter fee from US$2.50 to US$10.00.
Anthony A. Urey, President of Coveiyalah Investment Enterprises, acknowledged the company’s failure to meet its obligations, attributing the lapse to internal conflicts with its Chinese partner.
“There have been misunderstandings within our house that caused us to pause,” Urey told community members. “We stopped logging activities and did not fulfill some promises on paper. I am begging the community to settle this matter so we can revisit and revise the agreement to start work again.”
Urey confirmed that a legal dispute between himself and Lu Li, a Chinese national holding 90 percent of the company’s shares, led to a court injunction that halted operations in 2022. The injunction was lifted earlier this year.
The company also reported incidents where its workers were chased out of the forest and called on the Forestry Development Authority (FDA) to intervene and facilitate a resolution.
The contract review meeting brought together representatives from 15 forest governance communities, including members of the Community Assembly, Executive Committee, and the Community Forest Management Body (CFMB).
