By Patrick Tokpah
In an effort to curtail the further spread of the coronavirus, ArcelorMittal – Liberia (AML) has made available a consignment of detergents to the Administration of Bong County. The materials donated include hand washing buckets, eight barrels of chlorine and more than fifteen cartoons of tar soap.
Meant to uphold the health protocols put in place to fight the spread of the COVID-19, the donation by the company was made Tuesday, April 7, 2020 at Gbarnga Administration building office.
Making the presentation on behalf of Mr. Scott Lowe who is Chief Executive Officer of ArcelorMittal Liberia, the company’s Bong County Liaison Officer, Mrs. Albertha Dolo Dianue said, the donation was her company’s way of helping to fight COVID-19.
Madam Dianue called on authorities of the county to place a special emphasis on the fight the human killer.
The AML, a mining company, signed the Mineral Development Agreement with the Liberian government in 2005, enabling them to initiate iron ore mining project in the country.
By 2006, ArcelorMittal Liberia was the first and single largest private investor in the country since the civil wars, and their commitment to Liberia led the way in demonstrating the viability of their business in Liberia.
AML is working in closed collaboration with designated health and security authorities at all levels of the government of Liberia to ensure the safety of its staff and the communities it operates.
As a major investor in the country’s private sector, ArcelorMittal has reaffirmed its support and commitment to the government and people of Liberia in containing the further spread of the virus.
ArcelorMittal’s operation in Liberia centers on three key components, mining, railing and shipping, and the donation of the items is within the scope of its social responsibility to the people, for which the company was lauded.
Taking delivery of the materials, Bong County Superintendent, Madam Esther Walker, hailed the World steel giant for being supportive of the government’s initiatives.
She said this was not the first time for such intervention from AML; she recalled that the company did same during the Ebola outbreak of 2014 in Liberia.
Madam Walker described ArcelorMittal as “a true partner to Liberia”, and then appealed to AML to intervene as the county recruits people to create awareness about the coronavirus across the county.
Meanwhile, the Bong County superintendent warned people who continue to deny the existence of the virus in the country.