CONSTRUCTION OF 500 HOUSING UNIT TO BEGIN IN LIBERIA

The Management of Solway Mining Incorporated has disclosed plans for the construction of over 500 housing units in Sanniquellie, the capital of Nimba County ahead of its full operations in Liberia.

The Administrative Assistant of the Company, Bill Murphy said when he met with several persons who crops got affected as a result of the opening of roads to the company site in Zulowee, Nimba County, he assured owners of those crops that the company was willing and ready to pay for their damaged crops.

Addressing the press over the weekend in Sanniquellie, Mr. Murphy said the company has reached the plan and is about to kick start the project and called on the citizens to ensure that there is transparency in the process to avoid illegal people benefiting from the project.

“I want to assure you that the company has begun the process of settlement of everybody who crops got destroyed by the company. It was not our intention but it was the only option,” Mr. Murphy said.

“The company is here to work in the interest of Nimbaians and Liberians in general, and will not engage in anything that is not in the interest of citizens and the development of the County and Country.”

Mr. Murphy assured Liberians that the Solway Mining Company is here to stay and is not intending to sell to any other company or individual, as it is being widely speculated in some quarters within Nimba County and the Country at large.

On behalf of the company’s management, he lauded the government of President George Weah for the smooth working relationship during the company’s exploration phase in Nimba Country; terming the relationship as evidence of the President’s statement that Liberia is open for business and that Liberians will not be spectators in their economy.

According to him, though the company is still ensuring the signing of its Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) with the Government of Liberia, the company is expected to begin the construction of the 500 housing units which will be used by its employees when it begins full operation in the Country.

Responding to reports that the company is intending to leave the Country, he denied any information of the company departing Liberia; terming it as the work of detractors that must not be taken seriously.

He said: “We want to assure you, people, that Solway has come to set an example and make sure that Liberians benefit from their resources and as such, there is no intention by the company to sell out to anyone or leave Liberia as being speculated.”

When asked on reports that the company has redundant several of its contractors, he refuted the report and noted that the company, despite the completion of its exploration phase, will continue to pay off all of its contractors, as the Management works to ensure that it reaches a Mineral Development Agreement with the Government of Liberia.

According to him, the only action of the company is that all of its contractors will have to stay home and be called by their respective supervisors when needed, as a way of reducing the huge spending on the provision of food and transportation for workers who normally go on the camp of the company.

He assured all current contractors of the company that the company is not intending to redundant any of its contractors as they push for the MDA, and that any plan to do so will be done by the Ministry of Labor and in line with the Labor Laws of Liberia, emphasizing that the Management of Solway Mining Incorporated don’t intend to put any Liberian out of job.

Solway mining Inc. is a Liberian-owned mining company that was given an exploration license to do explore mounts Blie and Mount Delton in Nimba County. The company’s CEO is a Liberian Business man-call Alford B. Morgan who has several companies around Africa. The company has spent millions of dollars empowering young Liberian professionals and 78 percent of its employees are from the affected communities that host its operations.

The company is moving into its MDA stage now which will see over 2000 employment opportunities for Liberians. The vision of the company is to build a multimillion-dollar steel processing plant right in Liberia, by using 30% of its raw materials for said purpose and shipping about 70% out of the country.