Leaked documents and government statements have raised fresh questions about the manner in which a controversial third amendment to ArcelorMittal Liberia’s (AML) Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) was executed, with two senior ministers reportedly having proxies sign on their behalf.
The leaked copy of the amendment shows the signatures for the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Justice marked with the abbreviation “PP” — the Latin per pro, meaning “on behalf of.”
The proxies who signed are not identified by name on the document, nor are they described as acting officials, prompting concerns about transparency and accountability ahead of the Legislature’s expected review.
Justice Minister Oswald Tweh said in a brief statement that he was abroad when the signing took place and had authorized his deputy to sign in his stead. He added he intends to personally review the Rail Standard Operating Procedures (RSOP) attached to the amendment, which he described as “the more contentious” element of the agreement. Finance Minister Augustine Ngafuan has not publicly commented.
The revelation adds to mounting criticism of the opaque circumstances surrounding the deal, which sources say was finalized on October 31, 2025.
Officials close to the Inter-Ministerial Concessions Committee (IMCC) allege the signing was conducted behind closed doors and under pressure from the Office of the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, a claim that, if substantiated, would challenge statutory roles in concessions negotiations.
Former Mines and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye reportedly refused to sign the amendment, citing substantive objections, and was dismissed shortly afterward.
Deputy Minister for Administration Eudora Blay Pritchard subsequently signed on behalf of the Mines and Energy Ministry. Pritchard confirmed her signature to the Liberian Observer by phone but declined to discuss the ministry’s role. IMCC insiders said she had not been involved in negotiations and was summoned at the last minute to sign.
Under Liberian law, the National Investment Commission (NIC) chairs the IMCC and is responsible for leading negotiations on such amendments.
Multiple current and former officials, however, allege that the Ministry of State assumed a leading role in the talks. Minister of State Sam Stevquoah — a former senior employee of ArcelorMittal Liberia is reported to have been heavily involved, though he has previously insisted the NIC remained in charge and described the process as ongoing.
Observers warn the absence of direct signatures from key ministers and the use of officials who did not participate in negotiations could complicate the amendment’s path to ratification.
Lawmakers routinely summon signatories to testify about the terms of concession agreements, and proxy signings may mean those summoned cannot adequately speak to negotiations.
The timing of the flap is sensitive for the government. Just days before the signing, the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee praised Liberia for “strong progress toward a transparent, multi-user rail system under a truly independent operator framework.”
Ministries of Finance, Justice, Mines and Energy, and State have not issued comprehensive public statements beyond the Justice Minister’s comment. With legislative scrutiny and international attention likely to follow, the development is poised to become a focal point of debate over governance, concessions policy and foreign investment oversight in Liberia.
