By Sidiki Fofana / Truth in Ink
Liberia woke up this week to yet another political storm. Senator Nya D. Twayen Jr. of Nimba County took to social media to lash out at a group of fellow senators who had journeyed to ArcelorMittal Liberia’s (AML) concession area in Yekepa. His charge was as blunt as it was damning; this was not legislative oversight, it was a “luxury trip.”
Within hours, the Joint Legislative Committee on Mineral Development Agreements (MDA) Compliance fired back. Their defense was simple, this was not a junket, but a legitimate inspection meant to verify AML’s claims and see the company’s operations first-hand. And just like that, Liberia’s uneasy dance with its biggest iron ore investor is back in the public spotlight.
Oversight or Optics?
Nya’s claim is much bigger than”, it is whether AML is living up to its Mineral Development Agreement.
Under the MDA, AML must contribute US$3 million annually to the County Social Development Fund shared by Nimba, Grand Bassa, and Bong. Twenty percent of that is earmarked for “fence-line” communities, those most directly impacted by mining. A controversial amended MDA would raise this contribution to US$3.5 million and expand community participation.
But critics, led by Senator Twayen, say the benefits on the ground remain invisible. Nimba’s towns still lack basic infrastructure, the process for selecting projects is opaque, and questions persist about AML’s massive concentrator project, now churning out 20 million metric tons per year, and whether it is meeting environmental and social obligations. The committee claims that this trip was precisely to get those answers, on-site, with engineers and local stakeholders.
The Law Is Clear, But So Is Public Perception
Liberia’s Constitution gives lawmakers wide latitude to conduct investigations and oversee natural resource concessions. Article 34 gives the Legislature power to legislate and scrutinize concessions. Article 38 allows committees to carry out those duties.
But Article 90, the conflict-of-interest clause, and the Code of Conduct draw a sharp line: lawmakers must not accept favors or benefits that compromise their independence. That is why optics matter as much as legality.
For this trip to pass the public smell test, three things must be true:
- Authorization – The trip must have plenary approval and a clearly stated mandate.
- Transparency – The Legislature, not AML, must foot the bill, publish the itinerary, and release a full report.
- Inclusion – Local leaders and affected citizens must have a seat at the table.
Anything less turns a constitutional duty into a public relations nightmare and fuels the perception that this was a pleasure ride dressed up as oversight.
Truth in Ink’s Verdict
Legislative oversight is not a favor to the people; it is the job. Liberia’s resource wealth has too often been wasted in backroom deals and selfish compromises that leave mining communities worse off. If this Senate mission was truly about holding AML accountable, the proof must be public- photos, minutes, findings, and next steps.
Otherwise, this “inspection” will be remembered as a vacation masquerading as verification. Liberia cannot afford lawmakers who swap the watchdog’s bark for the lapdog’s silence the moment they leave Capitol Hill. Oversight must happen in the open, not behind closed doors, and certainly not on a company’s tab.
