GANTA, Nimba – Nimba citizens are alarmed after there were rumors that a letter from Justice Minister Frederick Doe Cherue has mandated the Superintendent of Nimba to allow a controversial quantity of scrap belonging to the county be sold by Sethi Brothers Incorporated.

The scraps were left by the former LAMCO Company which operated the mine prior to the civil war. They were turned over to Nimba by ArcelorMittal and put up for bidding with two Ghana-based companies competing, North Star Link and Western Steel.

Although Western Steel won both the first and second biddings, the Public Procurement and Concession Commission called for another bidding, because of complaints by North Star about irregularities in the bidding processes.

Nimba was found to be in error of the PPCC Act and North Star was allowed to sell the scrap on Nimba’s behalf.

Now, with this information emerging that another company is being inserted into the process, citizens have expressed concerns of potential improprieties.

The information about the letter, dated July 28, 2017, originating from the justice minister Superintendent D. Dorr Cooper was first brought to the spotlight by Teeko Yorlay. He was the former Nimba County assistant superintendent for development and is now a representative candidate for Nimba’s third electoral district.

“I have a letter in my hand that was sent to Sup. D. Dorr Cooper to the effect that the government of Liberia has entered into an agreement with Sethi Brothers in order to sell the scraps,” Teeko explained to Radio Kerhgeamahn reporter Joseph Kerkulah in a phone interview from Monrovia. “Now, how can Hon. D. Dorr Cooper put himself into two situations… similar to what happened to former Superintendent Fong Zuagele who signed a document on behalf of Western Steel and again for North Star?”

Suggesting that the superintendent may have been bribed, he added, “I think Superintendent D. Dorr Cooper should be man enough to not allow himself to be under the influence of brown envelope and bigger forces in Monrovia to compromise the interest of Nimba County. I think Sup. Cooper must do the right thing, or else, we will be a part of a group of young people that will take the County Administration and the Government of Liberia to court.”

Another representative candidate, Nyah G. Flomo, who is contesting in the county’s second district, said the citizens of Nimba would not sit to see what belongs to them being taken away.

“What we are saying, first of all, is that [as] Nimbaians, we are going to stand up to ensure that this scrap does not go to the government of Liberia,” Flomo said. “The scrap has been given to the people of Nimba – we think that the motive behind this is political. Nimba people, we need to stand up…and we can’t vote in this elections until the Scrap is reversed to us – we need to do that.”

In response, citizens took to the airways calling on Cooper not to compromise the interest of the county.

“We think the government of Liberia is trying the people of Nimba County,” a caller said on Radio Kerhgeamahn’s RKFM Breakfast morning show. “We want to let them know that Nimba is not a place to joke; but we are looking to our superintendent, first of all, to hear what decision he will take – if he will listen to the big, big people or the people of Nimba.”

It is barely over a year since the Supreme Court gave the right of sale to North Star, but the scrap has not yet been sold. Former Superintendent Fong G. Zuagele said the delay in selling the scrap had caused its value to drop by 60 percent.

Cooper explained that North Star had agreed to sell 25,000 metric tons of the total scrap. However, there would be some leftover and “the government came and [said] look, can we give you your 25,000 you talked about and anything that is over, for Nimba to have the free will to do anything they want to do with it – to sell it to a company of their choice?”

Cooper further clarified that the Ministry of Justice had informed North Star that it could increase the amount it could sell on behalf of NImba from 25,000 to 40,000 metric tons.

The superintendent tried to allay the fears of citizens, who largely seemed to fear a misuse of county property. He said Sethi’s only involvement is because the central government wanted Sethi to access the materials for use in its steel processing activities in the country.

Emphasizing the point made by the Cooper, Rep. Larry P. Younquoi of Nimba’s eighth district said the government was further planning to give Sethi the right to purchase scraps throughout the country.

“The government of Liberia and Sethi have signed an agreement to process steel related materials here in the country,” Younquoi said. “And the president of Liberia is expected to make this an executive order that Sethi will be entitled to buy all scraps materials in the country for its steel processing activities.”

Nimbaians largely seemed to accept the explanations provided, but citizens are closely watching the process as it unfolds as distrust in government officials is reasonably high.

Joseph Kerkulah contributed to this article. Featured photo by Jefferson Krua