By: James Myking Suah
Barclayville, April 6, 2026 – Golden Veroleum Liberia (GVL) has firmly dispelled circulating rumors and categorically refuted allegations suggesting that it intends to terminate the employment of over ninety security personnel in Grand Kru County. Mark Threason, the company’s Communications Officer, stated in a weekend telephone interview with the Liberia News Agency that the information currently trending on social media and reported by certain news outlets is entirely false and misleading.
Mr. Threason clarified that dismissal letters will be issued to only three security personnel for administrative reasons and alleged violations of GVL policy, in strict compliance with Liberia’s labor laws. He identified the individuals facing immediate administrative action as Bestman Nyan, Jacob Sieh, and Bestman Siedee, who are alleged to have authored and escalated the misinformation on social platforms. He added that the specific administrative grounds for these actions will be detailed in their respective letters at the appropriate time during regular muster sessions across the various estates. Threason emphasized that the dissemination of such reports without prior consultation with management appears to be a calculated attempt to tarnish the company’s reputation.
The controversy stems from recent claims made by Bestman Nyan, a security supervisor, who accused the multi-million-dollar oil palm company of planning to suspend or dismiss over ninety security personnel, including several supervisors. In a defiant tone, Nyan asserted that the security department is prepared to challenge any such decision through all available legal channels. He explained that the security team has long complained about a lack of essential protective gear, such as pepper spray, batons, handcuffs, and adequate uniforms, as well as the non-payment of allowances stipulated in their Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA).
According to Nyan, these grievances were initially brought to the attention of the former Human Resources Officer, Bandu Parsco Weeks, but remained unresolved. The matter was eventually forwarded to the Labor Court in Grand Kru County, where the former Labor Commissioner ruled that the company was engaged in bad labor practices. Following an appeal by GVL to the 12th Judicial Circuit Court, Resident Judge Peter W. Gbeneweleh reportedly upheld the ruling in favor of the workers.
Nyan further asserted that the legal battle reached the Supreme Court of Liberia in September of last year. He claimed that the high court ruled that GVL management must pay three hundred and thirty thousand United States dollars to the security department, a mandate he alleges the company has failed to honor. He concluded by suggesting that the rumored dismissals are a direct retaliatory response to the security personnel’s successful legal actions against the management.