-But the country the company is coming from is unknown
By Mark N. Mengonfia mmenginfia@gmail.com
President George Weah has submitted a 15-year Investment Incentive Agreement to the House of Representatives for ratification in the amount of over US$41 million.
President Weah in his communication addressed to that body through its Speaker, Dr. Bhofal Chambers indicated that the agreement is reached between the Liberian government and the Star Cement Corporation, though the President didn’t say which country is this corporation based.
The President told members of the 54th legislature that the Star Corporation has promised to create over five thousand jobs during the construction stage and over hundred direct jobs during the operations of the plant that will produce the cement.
The Liberian leader went on to say that the investor intends to administer a grant of twenty thousand USD in awarding scholarship as social obligation within its environment of operations.
“Honorable Speaker, this Agreement is support of the Government’s Pro-poor agenda leading to rebuilding our nation,” President Weah added.
President Weah further indicated that the Star Cement Corporation has the capacity to produce 600,000 tons per year.
“This Plant with an investment of over fifty One Thousand United States Dollars during its term is expected to produce and market cement products on the Liberian market and other Mano River Union Countries,” he stressed in the communication.
Before the communication was sent to House of Rep. Committees on Ways, Means, Finance and Development Planning, Investment and Lands & Mines,Lofa County Representative Mariamu Fofana raised the issue of environmental as it relates to the where the plant is expected to be constructed.
She advised the committees to take into serious considerations health and environmental impact of such an industry.
However, Rep. Acarous Moses Gray motion captured all of the issues raised by his colleagues and the committees were given two weeks to report findings of the plenary of the House of Representatives.
Liberia currently has one cement production company, CEMENCO, which was opened in January 1968.