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Nathan Kollie
Gbarnga, Bong County – The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI), in partnership with the Miners Industry of Liberia and with support from GIZ, on Wednesday concluded a day-long stakeholder dialogue with citizens in Gbarnga, Bong County.
The forum brought together community members, women’s groups, civil society organizations, and local leaders to discuss Liberia’s mining laws and the role of the Multi-Stakeholder Platform (MSP) in promoting transparency and accountability in the extractive sector.
Speaking to journalists after the event, the President of the Miners Industry of Liberia, Abraham B. Gappie, said the dialogue was organized to deepen citizens’ understanding of the mining law and to encourage greater participation in discussions around energy and climate change.
“This community dialogue will provide wider knowledge to citizens, women-led groups, civil society networks, county leadership, and other stakeholders,” Gappie said. “LEITI and its partners will continue to educate citizens about the Multi-Stakeholder Platform and their role in ensuring transparency.”
Gappie also noted that most of the benefits from Liberia’s mining sector currently go to foreign investors, leaving communities with little or no compensation. He stressed the need for a more inclusive process that ensures ordinary Liberians benefit from the country’s natural resources.
The partnership between LEITI, the Miners Industry of Liberia, and GIZ, he said, is focused on empowering citizens with knowledge of the mining laws and their rights, while creating a fairer and more sustainable sector.
Participants, including civil society leader Mulbah Howard, commended the organizers for engaging communities and called for more support to local organizations to conduct awareness campaigns on mining laws and citizens’ rights.
The Gbarnga dialogue marks the beginning of a series of nationwide consultations planned to engage citizens on extractive governance and transparency.
