MONROVIA – It looks like the ghost of the “secret signing” of the controversial agreement with Ivanhoe Liberia Ltd. continues to haunt the Government of Liberia, as hardly a day passes by without one citizen group after the other calling out leaders of the Boakai administration over the matter. Three other prominent national civil society groups have also just strongly raised their voices, calling the move troubling and unacceptable. The Analyst reports.
Four Liberian high profile civil society group has expressed consternation over the reported signing of a $1.8 billion Concession and Access Agreement between the Government of Liberia and Ivanhoe Liberia Ltd. (formerly HPX), stating that the Liberian public remains in the dark.
Coalition for Transparent Development (CTD), Center for Public Accountability (CPA), Liberia Civil Rights Network (LCRN), and Partnership for Equitable Resource Governance (PERG) said in a statement that it is a troubling development to have heard that it was not the Government of Liberia but rather the United States Embassy that first informed the Liberian people of this historic deal via a press release.
As a coalition of concerned civil society actors committed to transparency, accountability, and the public’s right to know, the four citizen groups noted, “We find it deeply disturbing that such a monumental agreement—purportedly the largest in Liberia’s recent history—was signed in the deal of night, on a Sunday, July 6th, without any prior consultation or immediate official statement from the Government”.
To date, they said, there has been no public briefing, no press conference, no publication of the full agreement, and no effort to explain what is truly included in this $1.8 billion valuation.
“We ask, with due respect,” the civil society groups quipped: “What exactly constitutes the $1.8 billion figure? Is it a future projection? A combination of capital expenditure, assumed mineral value, or infrastructure development? The Ivanhoe press release mentions $10 million and $15 million in staged payments—but where is the rest?
“Why was the agreement signed on a Sunday night, just before President Boakai’s trip to the United States? Is there any connection between this signing and the planned meetings in Washington? Was this deal part of a broader geopolitical negotiation? Why is the United States Embassy the only institution that has released a public statement on the agreement? Why has the Government of Liberia remained conspicuously silent?”
The further asked: “Is the granting of 30 mtpa rail capacity to move Guinean iron ore consistent with the 2019 request from Guinea? The October 2019 letter from Guinea indicated a 5 mtpa capacity to be moved through Liberia? Has any rail capacity study being conducted to determine the total potential capacity on the single track rail?”
The group said granting of massive capacity without knowing whether such capacity exist might be recipe for confusion, asking: “With the Granting of such capacity leave room for other third parties and small Liberian ore miners? If all the reaming capacity on the rail is given to a company looking to transport Guinea iron ore then small Liberia deposits will have no chance of becoming operational.
“Did the President of Liberia personally sign the agreement in the middle of the night or early Monday morning? If so, under what circumstances? What is the Government expecting in return from the US or Ivanhoe through this agreement? When will the full agreement be made available for public scrutiny?”
The Groups said such a pattern of secrecy raises serious red flags, as a deal of such magnitude is one that could alter Liberia’s mineral economy, infrastructure framework, and strategic positioning for decades that cannot be hidden behind closed doors.
The people of Liberia are the ultimate shareholders of the nation’s natural resources. They deserve to know what has been negotiated in their name, the say, adding: “We also note with alarm that the agreement proposes a twenty-five-year framework with major implications for rail and port infrastructure, community development funding, job creation, and Liberia’s long-term concession landscape. Yet, no public consultations were held, and no independent economic or environmental impact assessments have been shared with the public.”
In the interest of democracy and good governance, the groups call on President Joseph N. Boakai to immediately disclose the full text of the Ivanhoe agreement.
They also called on the National Investment Commission and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to hold a public press conference to explain the rationale, terms, and anticipated outcomes of this deal.
“The Liberian Legislature to ensure full legislative scrutiny before any ratification is considered.
The international community to encourage transparency in all investments and concession agreements made in partnership with Liberia,” said the group. “Liberia cannot afford to return to a past where backroom deals and midnight signatures robbed the country of its future. Transparency is not a privilege—it is a right. The people deserve better.”