– As Company Sold USD 800M in Gold in 2024, Liberia Received Only USD 24M
MONROVIA – Sinoe County Senator Crayton Duncan has criticized former President George Weah for extending Bea Mountain Mining Corporation’s concession agreement by an additional 25 years, a move he described as deeply unfair to Liberia’s economic interests.
In a recent statement posted on his official Facebook page, Senator Duncan argued that while supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC) often portray Weah as a leader who “loves Liberia,” the decision to prolong Bea Mountain’s contract shows otherwise.
“Out of every one U.S. dollar that Bea Mountain collects, Liberia only gets three percent (3%), while the company takes 97%. Did Weah see anything wrong with this? No. He even added 25 more years just days before the 2023 elections,” the Senator wrote.
According to Duncan, Liberia’s mineral laws currently require companies mining gold and diamonds to pay just 3% of their revenues to the government. This, he argued, is outdated and must be reviewed. “If Bea Mountain makes USD 1 billion, Liberia only gets USD 30 million, while the company keeps USD 970 million. Is this love for Liberia?”
He pointed to the company’s 2024 performance, noting that Bea Mountain recorded USD 800 million in gold sales, yet Liberia received only USD 24 million in royalties. “This is a company operating in a country of 5.5 million people, but from USD 800 million, only USD 24 million came to the Liberian people. Just 3%,” Duncan lamented.
The Sinoe County lawmaker—who once supported Weah’s 2017 presidential bid under the CDC coalition—said the extension of Bea Mountain’s concession was “one of the most unwise contract decisions ever made” and a betrayal of Liberia’s economic interests.
However, critics of Senator Duncan have questioned his role as a sitting lawmaker during the ratification of the Bea Mountain agreement. They argue that he, too, bears responsibility for the concessions ratified by the Legislature.
Duncan’s criticism comes at a time when his political future appears to be shifting. Reports suggest he is preparing to establish his own political party ahead of the 2029 presidential elections, with aspirations to challenge for the nation’s highest office.
His fallout with the CDC mirrors a growing trend of defections from the former ruling party, which has already lost prominent figures such as Montserrado County Senator Saah Joseph and Deputy Speaker Thomas Fallah.
With Weah and the CDC eyeing a return to power in 2029, Duncan warned that the former president will face stiff opposition from within and outside his former base, as many believe his six-year rule fell short of the promises he made in 2017.
