MARKET DEVELOPMENT
Liberia: Palm Company Threatens Pull Out
Liberia: Palm Company Threatens Pull Out
16/08/2013 (AllAfrica.com) - Information gathered from District #4 in Grand Bassa County has revealed that Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO), one of several concession companies in the county is about to pull out.
A source hinted that the pull out is a result of land dispute between the citizens and the company.
Recently, the citizens halted attempts by EPO to resurvey the remnant of 34,500 acres of land inherited from LIBINCO. The citizens through their spokesperson Charles Chedegar said they were instructed by the Grand Bassa Legislative Caucus not to allow the EPO to proceed with the survey.
As a result of the locals' anti-action towards the company, over 250 employees, according to our source, have been laid off. An investigation conducted during the weekend reveals that EPO's operation is currently experiencing setbacks owing to the instruction by the Legislative Caucus to the citizens.
EPO anticipates the resurvey of the remaining portion of the land so as to ascertain the actual quantity of land available to its disposal for the extension of its operation.
A mass meeting held during the weekend in the district which was attended by Representative Robertson Siaway, representatives of Superintendent Etweda Cooper's office, traditional leaders, women groups, youth leaders and Mr. Sabato Moore - EPO Liason to the district, the citizens said they will not allow the company to conduct the resurvey until the Caucus instructs them to do so.
In 1965, LIBINCO entered a concession agreement with the Government of Liberia (GOL) to develop 34,500 acres of land in Grand Bassa into Oil Palm plantation. LIBINCO operated in district #4 until 1989 when the civil war erupted. Following the war in 2003, EPO inherited the concession from LIBINCO.
EPO, otherwise known as Palm Bay, secured a Government of Liberia ratified agreement enacted into law for an operation period of 50 years with a rehabilitation period of seven years and a regular term of 40 years beginning May 2008.
According to the Concession Agreement, the rehabilitation begins May 2008 to May 2015, as the regular period is expected to follow thereafter. The concession area covers 34,500 acres of land within the New Cess, Kpogbahn administrative district #4, Grand Bassa County.
As part of its strategy to fully develop the concession area given it by GOL, the company opened mass nurseries and embarked upon the replanting of new oil palms. The management of EPO was able to replant a total of 3,000 hectares of land, with an outstanding of 1,500 which is part of a little over 9,000 acres of the 34,5000 targeted in phase one of its operation.
A source hinted that the pull out is a result of land dispute between the citizens and the company.
Recently, the citizens halted attempts by EPO to resurvey the remnant of 34,500 acres of land inherited from LIBINCO. The citizens through their spokesperson Charles Chedegar said they were instructed by the Grand Bassa Legislative Caucus not to allow the EPO to proceed with the survey.
As a result of the locals' anti-action towards the company, over 250 employees, according to our source, have been laid off. An investigation conducted during the weekend reveals that EPO's operation is currently experiencing setbacks owing to the instruction by the Legislative Caucus to the citizens.
EPO anticipates the resurvey of the remaining portion of the land so as to ascertain the actual quantity of land available to its disposal for the extension of its operation.
A mass meeting held during the weekend in the district which was attended by Representative Robertson Siaway, representatives of Superintendent Etweda Cooper's office, traditional leaders, women groups, youth leaders and Mr. Sabato Moore - EPO Liason to the district, the citizens said they will not allow the company to conduct the resurvey until the Caucus instructs them to do so.
In 1965, LIBINCO entered a concession agreement with the Government of Liberia (GOL) to develop 34,500 acres of land in Grand Bassa into Oil Palm plantation. LIBINCO operated in district #4 until 1989 when the civil war erupted. Following the war in 2003, EPO inherited the concession from LIBINCO.
EPO, otherwise known as Palm Bay, secured a Government of Liberia ratified agreement enacted into law for an operation period of 50 years with a rehabilitation period of seven years and a regular term of 40 years beginning May 2008.
According to the Concession Agreement, the rehabilitation begins May 2008 to May 2015, as the regular period is expected to follow thereafter. The concession area covers 34,500 acres of land within the New Cess, Kpogbahn administrative district #4, Grand Bassa County.
As part of its strategy to fully develop the concession area given it by GOL, the company opened mass nurseries and embarked upon the replanting of new oil palms. The management of EPO was able to replant a total of 3,000 hectares of land, with an outstanding of 1,500 which is part of a little over 9,000 acres of the 34,5000 targeted in phase one of its operation.