-Revokes 4 Foreign Nationals’ Work Permits
By: G. Bennie Bravo Johnson, I
BONG MINES, Bong County – The Liberian government has delivered a twin blow to operations at the China Union concession, revoking the work permits of four Chinese nationals caught illegally performing manual labor and issuing a 30-day ultimatum to address severe deficiencies in employee welfare and safety standards.
The decisive moves came during an unannounced inspection on Friday, November 14, 2025, by Labour Minister Cooper W. Kruah, who confronted a scene of blatant labor law violations and systemic neglect at the site operated by Bangli, a Chinese mining company.
The visit took a dramatic turn when Minister Kruah and his team discovered four Chinese employees—Li Shuat Hua, Zhang Hong Wei, Zhang Wei Chai, and an unidentified compatriot—actively engaged in carpwork, nailing zincs to a makeshift structure. The sight confirmed longstanding complaints of foreign nationals taking jobs reserved for Liberians.
In a swift on-the-spot response, Minister Kruah immediately ordered the revocation of the quartet’s work permits. “I have with immediate effect revoked the work permits of the four individuals,” he declared. The three apprehended workers will be formally served their revocation letters, while the company was ordered to produce the name of the fourth, who fled the scene, or face fines for “harboring non-permit workers.”
Beyond the permit revocations, Minister Kruah laid down a strict, time-bound mandate for Bangli to rectify what he described as unacceptable working conditions. The company now faces a multi-point compliance deadline:
Within 30 Days: Construct a fully functional clinic with ambulance services and hire a Liberian nurse or doctor to staff it.
Within 2 Weeks: Procure and distribute essential personal protective equipment (PPE)—including helmets, boots, and gloves—to all employees.
Within 60 Days: Build adequate toilet facilities and a borehole to supply water for sanitation purposes.
The Minister also demanded immediate transparency in the company’s method of deducting Social Security contributions, a key grievance raised by the workers’ union.
The government’s crackdown follows a recent strike by Liberian employees, highlighting simmering tensions over labor practices. While the company’s General Manager, Lyu Wen Ying, claimed during the meeting that a clinic with a Chinese doctor already exists and that five toilets are under construction, these assertions were clearly deemed insufficient by the Minister, who insisted on compliant facilities and the employment of Liberian medical professionals.
In a tense exchange, Minister Kruah admonished Bangli executives, stating that while President Joseph Nyumah Boakai welcomes foreign investment, it must not come at the expense of respecting Liberian law and the dignity of its workforce.
The 30-day countdown for China Union and Bangli has begun, placing the company’s future operations in Liberia squarely on its ability to swiftly transition from promises to tangible, on-the-ground improvements for its Liberian employees.
