Pleebo, Maryland County – June 9, 2025 – The National Bureau of Concessions (NBC) has initiated a comprehensive compliance and impact assessment of two significant concessionaires operating in Maryland County: Maryland Oil Palm Plantation (MOPP) and Cavalla Rubber Corporation (CRC).
Over the weekend, a team of Monitoring and Evaluation compliance officers, led by NBC Director General Theodore Momo Jr., commenced a multi-sectoral review. The assessment aims to scrutinize the companies’ adherence to their concession agreements and evaluate their socio-economic and environmental impacts on surrounding communities.
“We expect full cooperation,” stated Director Momo during a press briefing in Pleebo. “There are several areas where companies delay in compliance, but we are hopeful that MOPP and CRC will work with us fully during this process.”
The NBC team is collaborating with local representatives from the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ministry of Labour, and the Liberian National Police. Director Momo emphasized that the involvement of these institutions, many of whom possess firsthand knowledge of concession operations, will be crucial in delivering an objective and thorough evaluation.
“These institutions are represented locally and have firsthand knowledge of the operations of these concessions. Their insights are critical to the success of our assessment,” he affirmed.
The evaluation process includes meetings with company executives, labor unions, and community members. The NBC is also diligently collecting environmental data and financial records to gain a comprehensive understanding of each company’s operations and their alignment with legal and regulatory standards.
Director Momo urged affected communities to actively participate in the process, describing the review as “a new dawn” in the relationship between government, corporations, and the public.
While the NBC does not possess direct enforcement power, the Bureau will submit detailed findings and recommendations to relevant authorities. “Our job is to gather facts and provide a full report. Where necessary, recommendations will be made for appropriate government actions,” Momo clarified.
The current assessment covers the period from 2020 to 2025. However, Director Momo noted that in cases involving serious financial, environmental, or legal violations, the Bureau may extend its review back to the original concession agreements signed in 2011.
Initial meetings with stakeholders have already taken place, and NBC teams are now actively visiting field sites. According to Director Momo, the key focus areas include company financial records, environmental practices, labor conditions, and community relations.
This ongoing review is part of a broader national strategy aimed at ensuring Liberia’s concession agreements are transparent, compliant, and ultimately beneficial to the Liberian people.
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