Ex-Speaker Calls for ‘Fearless’ Review of MOPP, Cavalla Operations | News

Former Speaker of the 54th National Legislature, Dr. Bhofal Chambers, has challenged the Government of Liberia to conduct a fearless, impartial and comprehensive review of the operations and concession commitments of the Maryland Oil Palm Plantation (MOPP) and Cavalla Rubber Corporation, warning that the credibility of the exercise will depend on whether government officials can work without fear, favor or political influence.

Dr. Chambers said the ongoing government-led assessment in Maryland County must determine, based on evidence and direct engagement with affected communities, whether the two concessionaires have fulfilled the obligations contained in their respective concession agreements with the Government of Liberia.

He emphasized that the exercise should not become a routine administrative inspection or an assessment based solely on documents submitted by the companies. Instead, he wants the government to verify conditions on the ground, engage workers and residents, consult community leaders and physically inspect projects reportedly promised under the agreements.

A government team comprising officials of the Inter-Ministerial Concessions Committee (IMCC), National Investment Commission (NIC) and Ministry of Agriculture is currently in Maryland County reviewing the implementation of commitments reportedly made by MOPP and Cavalla Rubber Corporation.

The review has renewed public discussion about the responsibilities of concessionaires operating on Liberia’s natural resources and whether communities hosting major investments are receiving meaningful benefits from those investments.

For Dr. Chambers, the current exercise represents an important opportunity for the Government of Liberia to establish whether commitments made by concession companies have actually translated into tangible development for the Liberian people.

Speaking in an interview, the former Speaker urged members of the review team to conduct their assignment “without fear or favor,” stressing that national interest must remain the guiding principle throughout the process.

He said government officials must resist pressure from concessionaires, political actors or any other individuals with interests in the outcome of the review.

According to Chambers, the review team should establish three basic facts: what the companies committed to do, what they have actually done and what obligations remain outstanding.

He cautioned that relying exclusively on reports and documents provided by concessionaires could undermine the credibility of the assessment.

The former lawmaker wants the team to physically verify projects, speak directly with workers and residents, consult community leaders and examine conditions in communities affected by the operations of the two companies.

He said such an approach would enable the government to determine whether the commitments contained in the concession agreements are being honored in practice rather than merely reported on paper.

Dr. Chambers also raised concerns over reports that members of the government review team may have been hosted by the companies or by the current Representative of the district, Hon. Anthony Williams.

He stressed that he was not presenting the reports as established facts, but warned that such arrangements could create an appearance of conflict of interest and undermine public confidence in the process.

The former Speaker said that if officials assigned to review the compliance of a concessionaire are hosted by the same company whose operations they are reviewing, questions could naturally arise about the independence of the exercise.

He therefore urged the officials to maintain professional distance from all parties with a direct interest in the outcome of the review.

For Chambers, the issue goes beyond whether government officials have actually been influenced. He said the process must also be structured in a manner that prevents even the appearance of improper influence.

He maintained that the final report must be credible enough to command the confidence of the Liberian people and, particularly, residents of communities directly affected by MOPP and Cavalla’s operations.

The current review also comes against the backdrop of Chambers’ longstanding advocacy for stronger legislative oversight of concessionaires.

The former Speaker, who served as a Representative for 12 years during the administration of former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf before becoming Speaker of the 54th National Legislature, said his legislative career included efforts to ensure that companies operating under concession agreements honored their commitments to the Government of Liberia and affected communities.

He recalled supporting an initiative during his tenure that sought to have a concession company appear before the plenary of the House of Representatives to explain why it had allegedly failed to comply with obligations contained in its agreement with the government.

According to Chambers, the initiative was later undermined by some government officials and ultimately failed to materialize.

He said that experience reinforced his belief that stronger coordination among government institutions is necessary if Liberia is to effectively enforce concession agreements entered into on behalf of the Liberian people.

Chambers also recalled legislative trips to Grand Gedeh County and other concession-affected areas, which he said allowed lawmakers to observe firsthand the activities of concessionaires and the conditions of communities hosting their operations.

He said the visits provided legislators with an opportunity to assess whether commitments relating to infrastructure, education, healthcare, employment, workers’ welfare and community development were actually being implemented.

According to him, such field-level oversight is essential because the realities in concession-affected communities cannot always be adequately reflected in reports prepared in Monrovia.

Among the issues he wants the current review team to examine is the provision of vocational and technical training.

Chambers said vocational institutions are stipulated or enshrined in the concession agreements and should therefore be treated as contractual responsibilities rather than voluntary contributions by the companies.

He argued that vocational and technical institutions could provide workers’ children and other young people in affected communities with practical skills that could improve their prospects for employment and economic independence.

According to him, academic education alone may not be enough to prepare young people for sustainable livelihoods.

He identified mechanics, electrical work, welding, carpentry, agriculture, construction and other technical disciplines as areas in which young people could be trained to develop practical skills and alternative pathways to employment.

Chambers maintained that concessionaires should fulfill such obligations because they reportedly formed part of the commitments made when the agreements were negotiated and signed with the Government of Liberia.

He also expressed concern that communities affected by concession operations are not benefiting sufficiently from the exploitation of Liberia’s natural resources.

According to the former Speaker, concession companies appear to be receiving substantial benefits from their operations while many residents in host communities continue to struggle with poverty and inadequate access to basic services.

He argued that concession agreements should create a fair balance between the interests of investors and the development needs of communities where natural resources are being exploited.

“Natural resources must benefit the people,” is the central argument behind Chambers’ call for stronger government enforcement of concession commitments.

He specifically called on MOPP to provide essential infrastructure, including a hospital or health facility, schools, vocational institutions and housing units for workers.

According to Chambers, since the signing of the concession agreement between the Government of Liberia and MOPP, the company has, in his assessment, failed to adequately provide some of these facilities.

He expressed particular concern about educational infrastructure, saying the lack of adequate company-supported schools has forced many children of workers to depend on private and faith-based schools.

He said that situation places additional financial pressure on workers because private and faith-based schools may increase tuition and other charges from one academic year to another.

The former Speaker also questioned the housing arrangements involving workers of concession companies.

He criticized the practice of companies paying rent for employees instead of constructing permanent housing units within their plantation areas.

According to Chambers, corporate payment of rent can contribute to rising rental costs because landlords may increase prices when they know that companies have greater financial capacity to pay.

He said the resulting pressure does not affect only company employees but can also burden ordinary residents who have no connection to the companies and may struggle to cope with increasing rental prices.

Chambers therefore wants the companies to prioritize the construction of permanent housing units for their workers.

He is also calling for adequate funding and implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) commitments associated with the companies’ operations.

The former Speaker said CSR should not be reduced to occasional donations, ceremonies or public-relations activities.

Instead, he wants meaningful investments in education, healthcare, vocational training, housing, roads, water, sanitation and other development programs that directly improve the lives of residents in concession-affected communities.

According to Chambers, the Government of Liberia has a responsibility to ensure that such commitments are properly implemented and monitored as part of the obligations associated with the concession agreements.

Beyond community development, Chambers is calling for clearer separation of responsibilities within the management structures of MOPP and Cavalla Rubber Corporation.

He wants the companies to maintain distinct positions for the Human Resources Director, Chief Financial Officer, Public Relations Officer, Deputy Managing Director and Managing Director.

According to him, clearly defined positions would strengthen accountability, transparency and internal controls while reducing the excessive concentration of institutional responsibilities.

Chambers said his current position is consistent with his longstanding advocacy during his 12 years as a Representative and later as Speaker.

He maintained that his legislative work focused, among other things, on ensuring that communities affected by concession operations received meaningful benefits through infrastructure, education, healthcare, employment and other development initiatives.

He is now urging the current administration to strengthen that oversight by ensuring that concession agreements are actively monitored and enforced.

Chambers has also called on the Government of Liberia to consider stronger measures, including the possibility of shutting down MOPP and Cavalla Rubber Corporation, if the companies are found to be persistently violating their concession obligations.

He emphasized, however, that such a decision should only follow a credible and evidence-based review establishing that violations have occurred.

According to him, once violations are established, the relevant provisions of the concession agreements and Liberian law should be enforced.

He maintained that Liberia cannot continue granting companies access to the country’s natural resources while failing to ensure compliance with the obligations attached to those concessions.

The ongoing government review could therefore become an important test of Liberia’s concession oversight system and the administration’s willingness to enforce agreements involving the country’s natural resources.

Chambers wants the IMCC, National Investment Commission and Ministry of Agriculture to establish through documentary evidence, physical inspections and direct engagement with affected communities whether MOPP and Cavalla have fulfilled the promises contained in their respective agreements.

He said the review should examine not only what the companies report but what residents, workers and communities can actually see and experience on the ground.

The companies and relevant government authorities have yet to provide detailed public responses to Chambers’ allegations and demands.

Similarly, the reports concerning the alleged hosting of government officials by the companies or political actors have not been independently established and remain allegations pending verification.

A definitive determination will require examination of the concession agreements, government records, company reports, physical infrastructure and testimony from workers and affected communities.

For Chambers, however, the central question remains whether Liberia’s natural resources are producing tangible benefits for the Liberian people.

He argued that companies that benefit from Liberia’s natural resources must also meet the obligations they accepted in exchange for access to those resources.

As the government review continues, the former Speaker is urging the assessment team to remain independent, professional and fearless, insisting that the final findings must reflect facts established on the ground rather than the interests of any company, individual or political actor.

For Dr. Chambers, the credibility of the review will ultimately be measured not by the officials conducting it, but by whether their findings accurately determine what was promised, what was delivered and what remains owed to the people of Liberia.