By Amos Harris
As ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) marked 20 years of operations in Liberia with pomp and celebration on April 4, 2025, there are indications that some residents of Yekepa and Buchanan have little to cheer for.
For them, two decades of AML’s presence have meant nothing more than broken promises, deteriorating infrastructure and the continued suffering of employees and communities alike.
Instead of prosperity, what remains in Yekepa is a haunting image of neglect.
Workers and contractors are still being housed in rusty shipping containers far from the modern homes and dignified living conditions once envisaged.
The roads are nearly impassable, the estates are crumbling, and the local hospital has been reduced to almost nothingness, , barely functional after years of abandonment.
“We are tired of containers,” says longtime resident Mary Brownell who further adds, “AML should focus on restoring the estates they left in ruins instead of bringing in pre-fab houses that don’t benefit us.”
Despite boasting of a $3 billion investment and signing a Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) shrouded with ambitious development promises, AML has failed to uplift the host communities.
Instead, vast sums in U.S. dollars have flowed out of Liberia while little tangible progress has been made on the ground.
The Yekepa Camp, once thriving with tarred roads, schools, clean water, and health facilities during the operation of LAMCO is now sitting in decay.
“This company is only here to dig our iron ore and ship it out,” said Jerry Paye, an elder in Yekepa who further notes that AML “… don’t care about our roads, our children, or our health.”
Even recent efforts by AML, such as hiring 200 workers and initiating training programs, are being dismissed by locals as mere publicity stunts.
“Training who? For what jobs?” a frustrated resident asked. “When people have no electricity or running water, what does training even mean?” Paye questions
He hinted that AML’s monopoly over Liberia’s only functional railway from Yekepa to the port of Buchanan has also drawn intense scrutiny.
The company continues to block access to other mining companies such as Ivanhoe Liberia, threatening legal action if the government allows shared use of the infrastructure.
Yet AML’s own rail management has proven costly and inefficient. In 2023 alone, the company reported a $52.3 million loss, blamed largely on derailments and poor logistics.
Experts believe AML’s grip on the railway is stifling national growth, deterring billions in foreign investment.
A report from the Ministry of Mines and Energy in 2022 accused the company of failing to meet key obligations under its MDA.
Now, the Government of Liberia is pushing back, issuing Executive Order 136, which seeks to establish a multiuser rail system under independent management.
Then Justice Minister Frank Musah Dean defended the move, stating, “The previous Government’s decision should not be seen as an attack on AML.
It is a necessary step in protecting Liberia’s national interest and maximizing the use of public infrastructure.”
While AML continues to tout its tax contributions and job creation, citizens across the iron belt express deep frustration and betrayal.
The 20-year relationship has become a cautionary tale of unchecked corporate dominance, missed opportunities, and government inaction.
As Liberia reassesses its future, one thing is clear: the model of extract-and-ignore is no longer acceptable.
If AML wishes to remain, it must begin a new chapter thriving on accountability, investment in people, and a genuine commitment to development.
For now, the people of Yekepa and Buchanan wait not for another promise, but for long-overdue justice.
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