By: Shallon S. Gonlor |
shallonsgonlor@gmail.com
NIMBA COUNTY, Liberia — ArcelorMittal-Liberia has announced it will commence the demolition of what it refers to as “illegal structures” within its concession area of Yekepa in Nimba County on May 7, 2026.
According to an AML release, the demolition will be carried out in collaboration with the Ministry of Public Works, the Nimba County Administration, the Liberia National Police, and the Yekepa Magisterial Court.
AML said the exercise is in fulfilment of its concessionaire “rights” and “commitments” as a company and it goes in line with its ongoing commitment to improve housing, road infrastructure, and essential utilities in Yekepa. The exercise, according to an AML release, is also coming on the heels of a series of previous notices, stakeholder engagements, and enforcement measures aimed at prohibiting the construction of illegal structures in Yekepa.
The company is hereby calling on all residents and occupants to fully cooperate with authorities to ensure a smooth and orderly demolition process.
AML is at the same time calling on individuals claiming squatter rights or ownership to immediately contact its Department of Sustainability and External Relations with all relevant documents to substantiate their claims before May 7 for verification. Failure to do so, the company said, would leave it with no alternative, but to carry out the demolition exercise as planned and without further notice.
The planned demolition exercise is expected to leave several long-time residents, who have invested their lives in the concession area, homeless. Students, school-going children, single mothers, and business owners in Yekepa are among those who will be severely impacted by the demolition. The intentions of ArcelorMittal-Liberia regarding development in Yekepa are unclear as a result, citizens who have invested time and resources into the community are left uncertain about their future.
Despite operating in Yekepa for years, extracting billions in iron ore, ArcelorMittal-Liberia (AML) has failed to improve the community’s livelihood. Infrastructure is underdeveloped, with poor roads and limited access to safe drinking water. Overgrown bushes surround the concession area, posing health risks. The lack of investment has left residents questioning AML’s commitment to their well-being, sparking concerns about the planned demolition.
