By Amos Harris
Yekepa, Liberia – ArcelorMittal Liberia, a dominant industrial employer in the nation, is facing severe accusations of labor abuse, neglect, and an alleged cover-up following a devastating workplace accident that left a long-time employee permanently injured and fighting for justice.
Aquila Kwennah, who dedicated over a decade to the company, is now enduring chronic pain, unable to work, and without the salary that once supported his family. “I am not fit to work. I am unwell. I am in pain. I cannot go back to work. ArcelorMittal is mistreating me. I am a victim of bad labor practices. I need justice,” Kwennah lamented.
The ordeal began in 2022 when Kwennah, operating a company locomotive on the Yekepa railway, reportedly collided with an unattended stationary train. The crash resulted in severe injuries, necessitating urgent medical attention. ArcelorMittal transported him to Senegal for treatment, but his recovery has since stalled. Medical experts have advised that he avoid lifting anything over 25 kilograms, unequivocally indicating his inability to safely return to his previous role.
However, instead of receiving support, Kwennah claims the company has exacerbated his suffering by discontinuing his salary for nearly a year, all without issuing any formal suspension or dismissal notice. The Gongloe Law Firm, representing Kwennah, has filed a formal complaint against ArcelorMittal at the Labor Court within the EJS Ministerial Complex. The lawsuit accuses the steel giant of unfair labor practices, wage theft, and failure to ensure adequate follow-up medical care.
Progress on the legal front has been notably slow and has raised suspicions. Both legal teams – ArcelorMittal’s and Gongloe Law Firm – have reportedly missed multiple court sessions. These delays have triggered concerns of potential foul play or internal compromise.
In a troubling development, the medical board organized by NASSCORP to assess Kwennah’s health was allegedly led by Dr. Lawuobah Gbozee, the same surgeon who performed the initial bone surgery on the injured worker – an operation now identified as a major source of his ongoing health complications. Kwennah’s brother, William Cole, has vehemently criticized this arrangement as a blatant conflict of interest. “How can the same doctor who operated on him and possibly contributed to his condition now be the one to determine whether he’s fit for duty?” he questioned.
Despite the board declaring Kwennah fit for duty, his legal team maintains he is unfit and alleges that ArcelorMittal is exploiting the board’s report to justify the suspension of his wages. “This is a clear attempt to dodge responsibility,” argued Cllr. Tiawon Gongloe.
Attempts by this paper to contact ArcelorMittal’s external counsel, Cllr. Stephen Dunbar of Dunbar & Dunbar Law Offices, via WhatsApp messages and calls went unanswered. In a letter dated December 11, 2023, the Dunbar firm denied the allegations and proposed a meeting after December 18, 2023, for an out-of-court settlement – an offer many observers view as a tactic to delay justice.
As Aquila Kwennah continues to suffer, his case casts a stark light on how multinational corporations may be leveraging legal and medical systems to suppress the rights of injured workers. The protracted delays and apparent cover-up threaten to erode trust in Liberia’s labor protections and send a chilling message to workers across the nation’s industrial sector. Labor rights groups and civil society organizations are now being urged to intervene as public pressure mounts for transparency, fair compensation, and accountability.