Liberia: Bomi Acting Superintendent Calls for Transparency in Mining Sector

What the report says

Bomi County Acting Superintendent Alphonso Sherman used a Government Town Hall Meeting in Tubmanburg City, Bomi County, to urge greater transparency, accountability and community participation in Liberia’s mining sector. The remarks, reported by The New Republic and distributed by AllAfrica, focused on how the country’s mineral wealth should produce visible benefits for host communities rather than remain limited to extraction and revenue collection.

Sherman said mining proceeds should be reflected in public services and infrastructure such as roads, schools, clinics and hospitals. He also argued that the Ministry of Mines and Energy should do more to help formalize informal mining so workers can operate legally and more safely while contributing to government revenue. The acting superintendent said cooperation among local officials, national agencies and mining companies is needed to address challenges facing people in the sector.

The meeting, held in Tubmanburg, was the fourth edition of the Government Town Hall Meeting and centered on the extractive industry’s role in national revenue, economic growth and Liberia’s broader transformation agenda. Sherman also pressed companies to explain clearly what they have promised to host communities and whether those commitments are being met, saying residents should understand their rights in straightforward language.

He further called attention to environmental concerns linked to mining, including possible effects on water sources and surrounding families. His comments reflect a broader policy debate in mineral-producing countries about how to balance investment, regulation, community benefits and environmental protection.