By Gabriel Sagacious Birr
Residents of Tiama Town, located within the Putu Mountain concession in Grand Gedeh County, are demanding meaningful inclusion as the Liberian government accelerates efforts to reopen operations at one of the nation’s most prized mineral deposits.
During a visit by the Spoon Network team led by Deputy Manager and Senior Reporter Diamond Slanger, locals described Putu Mountain as a “blessing” that has yet to reach the people living closest to it. “The mountain is a blessing, but we are not benefiting from the blessing. Different people are eating the money, but the people here are not seeing anything,” one resident lamented.
Residents pointed to worsening living conditions, citing the absence of public healthcare. They alleged that although a health facility exists within the concession, it is reserved exclusively for company staff, leaving locals without access to essential services. Education challenges also persist, with children forced to walk more than an hour to reach the nearest secondary school.
With renewed national interest in reopening the Putu operations, residents say they support any company that prioritizes their welfare. “Any company that will come, our people in Putu should first be prioritized. That will make us understand that we are getting our fair benefits,” another resident emphasized.
Putu Mountain is considered one of the world’s largest untapped iron ore deposits, with exploration teams estimating between 2.37 billion and 4.5 billion tons of ore. The two primary peaks—Gee, the highest and most mineral-rich, and Metro—were mapped during earlier geological surveys. The deposit consists largely of magnetite with an average grade of 34.1% iron, including a surface layer of higher-grade ore.
Despite its potential, the current holder of the Mineral Development Agreement (MDA), Putu Iron Ore Mining Inc.—previously linked to Russian steel giant Severstal—has been unable to operate for years. Financial constraints, corporate restructuring, and failure to meet obligations under the MDA left the concession dormant and communities without expected benefits. This non-performance prompted the government to seek a new operator.
Vice President Jeremiah Koung chairs the committee tasked with selecting a new company to take over the Putu Mountain range. Two firms are reportedly in the lead: AMR, owned by Liberian businessman Sherrif Abdullah, and Planet One, a multinational conglomerate represented by Walter McCarthy and Dew Manson. The selection process is now in its final stages.
While discussions continue in Monrovia, project-affected communities remain wary of being sidelined once operations resume.
The Unity Party government views the Putu project as a potential catalyst for economic growth in Grand Gedeh, the wider southeast, and Liberia as a whole. Estimates suggest the project could create up to 2,000 direct jobs, with additional informal employment and ripple effects across the economy.
For Tiama and surrounding communities, however, the message is clear: the mountain may be a blessing, but only if its wealth finally reaches the people who have waited the longest.
