YEKEPA-50 (fifty) local farmland owners near Yekepa, Nimba County were the latest batch of joyful recipients of over USD $138,188 (One hundred thirty-eight thousand one hundred eighty-eight United States Dollars) in resettlement compensations from ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML).
The resettlement program is continuing to be implemented successfully. Tuesday saw farmers whose tree crop and other farm properties were counted and verified within the 500 meter buffer zone near Mount Yuelliton. They received their respective payments at Area-B School in Yekepa.
Lugbeyee is home of 50 farmers who are now eligible for the latest round of compensation.
According to AML Community Relations, the company has already paid more than USD 18 million in resettlement compensation for farmers. It is expected that this amount will continue to rise.
ArcelorMittal Liberia’s resettlement program follows both the Government of Liberia’s (GOL) laws and international best practices. The Resettlement Program is focused on compensating affected farmers and evaluating assets in areas where ArcelorMittal Liberia has operations.
ArcelorMittal’s hallmarks include sustainable mining, preservation of cultural heritage, building and maintaining strong relationships with local communities, and operating in an environmentally-friendly manner.
A previous batch of 50 farmers, whose crops were also in the 500-meter buffer zone at Mount Yuelliton, received a total of USD $139.907.01.39. (One hundred thirty nine thousand nine hundred seven dollars) The single highest-paid recipient received USD $10,000 (Ten Thousand United States Dollars).
ArcelorMittal Liberia paid US$137.717 to 23 farmers who were counted within the buffer zone at Yuelliton. The highest-paid farmer took home $11,210.98 and the second in rank $10,313.50.
ArcelorMittal Liberia focuses on the proper resettlement and rehabilitation of owners of farmlands within the designated areas near its mining operations.
Local farmers in communities close to ArcelorMittal Liberia’s operations are key stakeholders and a primary beneficiary group for many of the company’s sustainable agriculture and livelihood programs like the Conversation Agriculture program which helps farmers reduce the practice of shifting cultivation through the introduction of low technology improvement to ensure food security.
Source: New republic liberia
