Senate Passes Mittal Steel Mineral Development Agreement

The Liberian Senate on Tuesday passed the amended Mineral Development Agreement-MDA-between the Liberian government and Arcelor Mittal.
In its Tuesday’s sitting, the House passed the amended MDA. The lower house last year passed the MDA but with many changes in it.
“Yes, the Mittal Steel amended MDA was passed by the House Tuesday, February 8, 2022. But the Senate and the lower house have set up a committee to look into some of the changes and come up with a final one; and final copy to be sent to the executive for action,” Alfred Johnson, the communication director at the Senate told this paper.
He did not say when both committee members from the senate and the House of Representatives would meet.
Over the past time, many people have complained about the previous agreement. However, following a series of negotiations with the Liberian Government, an agreed and amended version was reached; which many people, especially in the affected Counties-Nimba, Bong, and Grand Bassa said was much better.
The key point of contention has been the multi-use of the railroad. That was addressed in the amended agreement, which was passed on Tuesday.
“I am happy that this amended MDA has been passed. I would have had a bad feeling with the legislature if it was not amended. But with this amended version, I am happy,” Augustine Garrison, a resident in Yekepa, the operation area said.
Another person who expressed happiness over the passage was Mr. Robert T. Seh, a student at the University of Liberia said.
“This new amended agreement between the Liberian Government and Arcelor Mittal is much better than the one reached during the administration of former president, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.
ArcelorMittal is the world’s leading steel and mining company, with a presence in 60 countries and primary steelmaking facilities in 17 countries. In 2020, ArcelorMittal had revenues of $53.3 billion and crude steel production of 71.5 million metric tonnes, while iron ore production reached 58.0 million metric tonnes.
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