3 Mins Read
By Joseph Tumbey

Western Cluster has breaking silence over the ongoing saga between the Citizens of Bomi County and the Company stating that Several profound changes in circumstances made it necessary to amend the Mineral Development Agreement; and one of was that Western Clusters were not allowed access to the railway route used by NIOC from Mano River Congo to the Bomi Hills mine and the railway route used by LMC from the Bomi Hills mine to the Freeport, forcing Western Clusters to construct a new railway to transport iron ore produced by it.
Address the media on Monday January 30, 2023 in Monrovia. The head of external relations administrators analyst for Western cluster Bomi office, Mr.Samuel Browne stated that, In 2022 Western sought to resume its operations to facilitate its resumption of operations while (MOU) was executed between Western Cluster and the Liberian Government, pending the negotiation of an amendment to the Mineral Development Agreement.
“The Mineral Development Agreement provides for its amendment due to profound change in circumstances. The Amendment will therefore consider all the profound changes, which have occurred since the Mineral Development Agreement was signed in August 2011 and one of these profound changes, among others, is that Vedanta Limited now owns 100% of Western Cluster Liberia WCL”, he stated.
According to him, Since 2011, WCL has invested approximately US$300 million in the country, including payment for the concession rights; US$15.5 million payment to the Community Development Fund; construction of two major bridges – the Klay Junction Bridge and the Gui Town Bridge; upgrading and maintaining the Tubmanburg to St. Paul River Bridge Road; and several other communities and infrastructure development initiatives.
He noted that, their Memorandum of Understanding which is a temporary instrument that does not affect the Mineral Development Agreement, has been misrepresented in the public.
“What is important to note is that under no parity of reasoning could WCL resume its operations after several years of suspension without an enabling intermediate agreement with the Liberian Government. The MOU is that enabling intermediate agreement; and pursuant to the MOU, WCL has provided additional monetary contribution to upgrade and maintain the Tubmanburg to St. Paul River Bridge road, which was virtually impassable before.
Also pursuant to the MOU, another payment of US$5 million was made for community development for Cape Mount County, Gbarpolu County and Bomi County. And further pursuant to the MOU, the road permit was granted by the Ministry of Public Works and the Class A Mining License was granted by the Ministry of Mines and Energy after a second and more contemporary review of the Feasibility Study”, Western Cluster Liberia head of external relations administrators analyst for Bomi County office, Mr.Samuel Browne asserted.
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