Monrovia, Liberia – The Honorable House of Representatives Speaker, Cllr. Fonati Koffa, has taken action, forming an Ad-hoc Intervention Committee, in response to the ongoing protest at the Bea Mountain Mining Company in Cape Mount.
The committee is charged with carrying out a comprehensive examination into the matters surrounding the demonstration, guaranteeing an unbiased and equitable probe, according to the House Press Bureau.
The parliamentary delegation, which includes three parliamentarians from Cape Mount, Hon. Yekeh Kolubah, Dixon Seboe, Eugene Kollie, Emmanuel Dahn, Foday Fahnbulleh, Edward Flomo, and other distinguished members, is currently traveling to Cape Mount. This delegation serves as a testament to the Honorable House of Representatives’ dedication to serving the interests of the people as delegates.
The Ad-hoc Intervention Committee shall meticulously gather information, consult with relevant parties, and provide an extensive report that will serve as a roadmap for future actions and decisions.
The House underscores its commitment to hearing the people’s concerns and working toward a solution that guarantees equity and justice.
The Honorable House of Representatives urges people to have faith in the inquiry process and requests composure and cooperation from all stakeholders. The persistent commitment to open governance and the welfare of the populace continues.
A resolution mandating that soldiers be removed from concession areas and brought back to the barracks was approved by the House of Representatives.
The decision was taken in response to concerns expressed by Mohammed Dosi, the representative for Grand Cape Mount County District #2, over the soldiers’ presence at Bea Mountain in Konjor, Gola Konneh District, and their alleged misbehavior against peaceful civilians. In response to local protests, George Weah’s government stationed officers of the Liberian Armed Forces in the area to safeguard the company’s assets and employees.
But on Tuesday, February 27, during its fourteenth day of session, the House plenary decided that the placing of soldiers at concessions is against the Constitution and that the Legislature can only take such action in the event of a state of emergency caused by a natural disaster, civil unrest, armed conflict, medical pandemic, epidemic, or other biosecurity risk.
The task of transmitting President Boakai’s order to recall the soldiers as Commander-in-Chief of the Army has been placed on the House leadership, which is being led by Speaker Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa.
The Specialized Committee to look into Bea Mountain in Konjor, Gola Konneh District, was also approved by House of Representatives members in light of the company’s alleged ongoing mistreatment of workers.
As stated by Speaker Koffa, the Specialized Committee will be named on Thursday, February 29, 2024, and its task will be to look into the circumstances at Bea Mountain. The resolution adopted by the plenary highlights the necessity of military troops having proper stationing and refraining from involvement in civilian affairs.