MONROVIA – A push to bring transparency to Liberia’s gold trade is drawing praise from within the mining sector. SAMA Mineral Holding Incorporated has commended the Ministry of Mines and Energy for a new gold traceability and capacity-building program. The initiative targets licensed dealers, regional mining officers and other stakeholders. Its backers frame it as a catalyst for investment and a remedy for long-standing vulnerabilities in the value chain. Yet the endorsement comes from an industry participant with a direct stake in the reforms. The measure is highly hailed, signaling government intent to formalize a trade long shadowed by smuggling. THE ANALYST reports.
SAMA Mineral Holding Incorporated (SMHI) has commended the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME) for launching a gold traceability and capacity-building training program. The company said the program targets licensed gold dealers, regional mining officers and sector stakeholders across the country.
The initiative, led by the ministry under the Government of Liberia (GoL), is intended to institutionalize transparency, regulatory compliance and responsible sourcing throughout the gold value chain. Officials say it aims to build a modern framework for sustainable mineral management.
The program equips dealers, brokers and artisanal mining cooperatives with practical tools, including digital tracking. It also aligns Liberia’s trade with the OECD due-diligence guidance for responsible mineral supply chains in high-risk areas.
Company Backs Coordination
SMHI Chief Executive Officer Minepakai Dumoe spoke at the ministry’s gathering of sector players, convened to strengthen and document Liberia’s legal mineral trade. He highlighted the importance of coordination among dealers and said it would address regulatory effects and protect beneficial interests.
Dumoe stressed the value of a devolved licensing regime, arguing it would produce a smoother and more responsive business environment. He described the ministry’s measures as farsighted reforms aimed at simplifying the acquisition and renewal of mining licenses.
Ministry Cites Progress
Assistant Minister for Mines Sumo Momolu described the strengthening of legal mineral trade as a work in progress. He said the reforms were intended to deliver growth in the business climate and in mineral trade.
Momolu said the traceability training seeks to reduce the impact of illegal trade in Liberia’s minerals. He added that the training assured licensed operators they would not be undercut by illegal miners.
The assistant minister applauded Dumoe’s proposition that the effort would strengthen the bargaining power of cooperatives. Both speakers cast the program as a step toward a more orderly and investment-friendly sector.