By: Ernest Kpehe Moibah, Jr
A storm of controversy is sweeping through Bondi‑Mandingo Community Forest after a fresh logging concession was signed with Kisvan Timber Corporation, rekindling bitter memories of broken promises and abandoned timber from a failed deal eight years ago.
In 2018, the Bondi‑Mandingo Community Forest entered a five‑year agreement with Indo Africa Plantation Liberia Limited. The company pledged to build roads, clinics, schools, and provide scholarships and jobs. But residents say those promises evaporated.
Records reviewed by the Rural Reporters News Network show Indo Africa harvested about 7,183 logs, yet hundreds were left to rot in the forest. Community leaders claim more than US$400,000 in unpaid land rental fees, scholarships, healthcare, and harvesting obligations remain outstanding.
The dispute boiled over in 2021, sparking youth protests and pleas for intervention from the Forestry Development Authority (FDA). Eventually, the contract was cancelled, leaving behind a trail of distrust and wasted timber.
On July 24, 2026, the Community Forest Management Body (CFMB) signed a new agreement with Kisvan Timber Corporation in Farwhenta under FDA supervision. The deal promises: $25,590 annually in land rental fees, $10,000 yearly for scholarships, $7,000 annually for healthcare support, and priority employment for local residents.
But in villages such as Gbarquoista and Nyanquoi, the announcement has triggered caution rather than celebration.
Peter S. Y. Dianor insisted that abandoned logs from Indo Africa must be removed and sold before new trees are cut. Padmore Sumo Domah demanded a fairer distribution of logging activities among the six affected communities. Traditional midwife Kluba Kollie described the sight of abandoned timber as a painful reminder of unmet needs.
Youth Chairman Morris K. Talawalay linked the forestry dispute to persistent underdevelopment, citing poor roads, unsafe drinking water, inadequate sanitation, weak telecommunications, and limited economic opportunities.
In Nyanquoi, Sub‑Chief Wilton Harris said residents were unaware of a new memorandum of understanding. Village elder Timothy Crawford lamented continuing shortages of schools, healthcare, sanitation, water, and reliable roads.
Poor road access has emerged as one of the most visible grievances. Communities hosting timber resources worth millions of dollars remain difficult to reach, especially during the rainy season. Residents say this hampers farming, healthcare, schooling, emergency response, and local commerce.
CFMB Chairman Dinakina S. Gbarnto defended the new deal, arguing that the community needed another investor after Indo Africa’s contract collapsed. He said looming mining concessions also influenced the decision, suggesting that forestry revenues could help communities benefit before large‑scale mining reshapes the landscape.
Gbarnto maintained that representatives of all six communities participated in multiple meetings, though he acknowledged calls for deeper consultation.
The controversy highlights Liberia’s wider natural‑resource challenges: weak communication, limited accountability, poor infrastructure, environmental concerns, declining public trust, and questions over meaningful community participation.
For Bondi‑Mandingo, the test of the new arrangement will extend far beyond the number of trees harvested. Residents are demanding proof that forest resources can translate into better roads, functioning schools, accessible healthcare, clean water, jobs, and lasting opportunities once the timber is gone.
The 37,222‑hectare Bondi‑Mandingo forest, managed under Liberia’s Community Rights Law of 2009 through the CFMB, is shared by six communities. It is regarded as a major natural‑resource asset with the potential to generate jobs and support essential services.
Yet the scars of past failures loom large. For many residents, the forest is more than timber — it is heritage, livelihood, and identity. The abandoned logs stand as mute witnesses to broken promises, fueling skepticism about whether Kisvan Timber Corporation will deliver where Indo Africa faltered.
As Gbarpolu braces for another round of logging, the question remains: will this new deal finally bring development, or will communities once again be left with empty promises and wasted trees?
