MONROVIA — Senator Nya D. Twayen Jr., lead campaigner for concession compliance, has delivered a firm ultimatum to major mining and petroleum concessionaires operating in Liberia: comply fully with Liberian law — or risk legislative rejection. In a press release issued Monday, December 8, his office disclosed the results of a detailed review of three major concessions — Ivanhoe Liberia Ltd., ORANTO Petroleum Limited and ArcelorMittal Liberia (AML) — setting a minimum compliance standard of 85 percent for approval, and reaffirming a long-standing insistence on accountability and community rights.
Ivanhoe, ORANTO Fall Short — Concessions Likely Blocked Unless Terms Improved
In its assessment, Senator Twayen’s office rated the Ivanhoe Concession Access Agreement at 77% compliance — below the 85% threshold necessary for legislative support. The release outlines several conditions that must be met before ratification:
- The iron-ore transport road from Nimba to the Guinea border must be paved; a dusty corridor is unacceptable.
- The Government of Liberia should be shielded from any potential repayment of US$37 million advanced under previous administrations if ratification is delayed.
- A clear railway operations arrangement must be presented — involving the Government, Ivanhoe, and AML — before ratification.
- The community development fund must be clearly defined, with transparent timeframes and with implementation authority vested fully in government and communities, not the company.
Similarly, the ORANTO Petroleum agreement was rated at just 72% compliance and will only be considered if several conditions are satisfied — including proof of fresh seismic data acquisition (as opposed to reliance on a decade-old data set), evidence of active operations elsewhere, and a guarantee that Liberia’s 25% equity stake does not depend on the uncertain mobilization of a joint investment fund.
In his statement, Twayen emphasized that under no circumstances would he support a concession agreement that fails to meet the compliance threshold.
ArcelorMittal Remains in the Spotlight: No New Agreement Until Violations Rectified
On AML — Liberia’s largest iron-ore concessionaire — the senator’s statement was particularly scathing. Twayen’s office said that for seven months it has documented “major areas of non-compliance and serious violations” under the company’s current Mineral Development Agreement (MDA). These findings have been formally submitted to the President and shared with the Nimba Legislative Caucus, as well as relevant Senate committees.
The release notes that no new agreement has yet been submitted by AML. Twayen reiterated that full compliance with all existing commitments — including retroactive implementation of obligations already violated — must be a binding condition before any new agreement can proceed.
This hardline posture echoes earlier public statements by Twayen, who in mid-2025 declared he would not be deterred by “international sanctions” in pressing for AML’s contract termination if breaches persist.
Amid internal Senate debate, some lawmakers have attempted to proceed with renewal or amendment of AML’s concession. But under Twayen’s leadership, the Nimba County Caucus, backed by several colleagues, has blocked any advancement until their conditions are addressed.
Why Twayen’s Stand Matters — and What It Signals for Liberia’s Concession Future
Twayen’s release comes at a critical moment for Liberia’s resource sector. Earlier this year, the government signed a new Concession and Access Agreement with Ivanhoe Liberia Ltd., granting rights for rail-port access to handle Guinean ore exports — a development that has sparked controversy because it overlaps with AML’s legacy rail and port infrastructure.
Critics of the deal warn that it threatens to create a dual-rail system, entrench monopoly control, and undermine the planned establishment of an independent multi-user rail authority — a key plank of national infrastructure reform under the current government.
By insisting on strict compliance, transparency, and community control over development funds, Twayen is signaling that any future concession deal must align with Liberia’s legal framework, the Constitution, and the broader goals of national sovereignty, equitable development, and environmental protection.
In doing so, Twayen is likely to win support from civil-society groups, environmental advocates, and communities in resource-rich counties who have long complained of unmet promises and neglect under previous concession regimes.
What’s Next: Senate Oversight and Public Pressure
According to insiders, the Senate’s Committees on Concessions Compliance and Mines stand ready to receive new agreements — but only after AML and other companies meet the conditions set by Twayen and allied legislators. The House Joint Committee on Concessions has already confirmed that an on-site assessment of AML’s operations will be conducted, indicating that oversight is active and inspection imminent.
Meanwhile, Twayen’s vocal stance and readiness to oppose powerful foreign firms — even amid pressure and warnings of sanctions — suggest a new era of more assertive legislative oversight in Liberia’s mineral and natural-resource sector.
