MONROVIA-Residents of Gbapa have reassured ArcelorMittal Liberia of their commitment to a peaceful approach to issues without any obstruction to the company’s operations.
The residents represented by their opinion and traditional leaders made the commitment in a formal communication addressed to the company.
In a letter signed by Town Chief Belleh Gbarto, Women’s head Rebecca Yarzue, Youth Chairman Ferllington Weanquoi, and Poro Chairman Fredrick Messah, the people of Gbapa distanced themselves from speculations that they were planning to protest against the company’s operations in Nimba.
“We the youths, elders, women, and chiefs of the aforesaid address wish to use this medium to sincerely apologize for the information from Mr. Quee Weanquoi, a son of Gbapa that our mothers are planning a traditional action to jeopardize ArcelorMittal operations because the Poro Master had failed to get the affected farmers’ benefits from AML,” the letter read.
The residents of Gbapa earlier this year made a commitment in the presence of Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf promising never to use violent means to seek redress, but that they would remain peaceful and continue to dialogue on issues. The relationship between AML (and the local community) has remained cordial.
Recently, the company provided an additional US$35,000 for the clinic project in Gbapa, amounting to a total donation of $85,000 in contribution to construct a clinic in the town.
Delivering the communication at AML’s main office in Yekepa on behalf of Gbapa were five persons, including a female, Rebecca Yarzue. They, in separate remarks, emphasized that Weanquoi’s speculation does not represent them, as it is false and misleading.
“Weanquoi’s statement is a lie. We didn’t hold any such meeting. Instead, 590 women from the Sande Society gathered together to protest ArcelorMittal. The women say we should beg you; he is damaging the character of the people of the town,” Yarzue said.
In addition to the content of the letter and views shared by the delegation, Fredrick Messah, Poro Chairman of Yarmein Administrative District, also reiterated through a telephone call that the people of Gbapa remain committed to their promise to do away with violence and continuously dialogue.
According to Messah, their Poro Master and Zoes are there to support the enforcement of community order and social control and not to promote violence.
Responding to their position statement, AML Community Relations Manager, Vaanii Kiazolu said the company values the partnership it has with the people of Gbapa.
He said Gbapa has demonstrated its commitment to peaceful coexistence. Speaking earlier, Edmond Gbah, Community Relations Supervisor who also hails from Gbapa, said he was happy that people of the community are celebrating the benefits of the cordial relationship between them and ArcelorMittal.
Liberia to Benefit from President Biden’s Announcement of Feed the Future Expansion
At the G7 Leaders’ Summit in Germany, President Biden announced that the United States is expanding to directly address and mitigate the impacts of recent shocks to global food security and nutrition.
Countries already reeling from increased poverty, hunger and malnutrition as a result of COVID-19, climatic shocks, severe drought in the Horn of Africa, and protracted conflict now face further suffering from Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.
Today’s crisis calls for an expansion of our efforts through Feed the Future. The United States government has announced that Feed the Future will be expanded to eight new countries: the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Liberia, Madagascar Malawi, Mozambique Malawi, Mozambique Rwanda, Tanzania, and Zambia.
These countries were prioritized based on a combination of underlying food insecurity, poverty and malnutrition, including impacts from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, as well as the opportunity – and each government’s commitment – to tackle these deep-rooted issues in partnership with us. These countries have a coordinated approach by the U.S. government to their investments. This allows for additional resources and investments from other actors such as the private sector and donors.
Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative, to reach
This expands Feed the Future’s global footprint from 12 to 20 target countries and delivers on President Biden’s commitment in September 2021 of $5billion over five years to end global hunger and malnutrition and build sustainable, resilient food systems. Feed the Future programming responds to each country’s level of need and harnesses the power of agriculture to drive economic growth and transform food systems in the country and the region.
Feed the Future is focusing its efforts on four major areas to address the global food security crises. This includes: mitigating the global fertilizer scarcity, increasing investments in agricultural resilience and capacity, cushioning the macroeconomic shocks and impact on poor people and maintaining high-level international political engagement. As a new Feed the Future country, the U.S Embassy through USAID/Liberia contributes to these efforts by:
- Providing technical assistance and policy support to strengthen its coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture.
- Expanding programming to address key drivers of food insecurity. Building household resilience to shocks or stressors, improving agricultural practices and supporting access to and use of agricultural inputs.
- Establishing opportunities for agricultural businesses by co-investing in promising enterprises, strengthening business services, and investing in promising entrepreneurs and initiatives to address Liberia’s food security challenges; and
- Investing in the next generation of entrepreneurs and farmers by expanding school-feeding programs in coordination with Ministry of Education and encouraging agricultural training in schools.
Feed the Future, which is funded at over $1billion per annum, has the technical expertise, programs, partners, and partnerships in more than 35 countries. These are being leveraged to reduce the impact of the global shock and address the root causes and consequences of hunger, poverty, and malnutrition.
Source: New republic liberia
