ArcelorMittal Hires Eight Fenceline Residents as Rail Patrol Officers

Published: September 18, 2026

GBARNGA, Bong County – ArcelorMittal Liberia has hired eight residents of fenceline communities along its railway as short-term rail patrol officers. The recruits will watch the line for hazards and conditions that could lead to accidents or derailments.

The recruits come from communities on the rail corridor. They completed a safety induction at Greenhill Quarry on Friday and are expected to begin patrols along the line. Besides spotting hazards and monitoring sections of track, they are expected to improve communication between the company and the communities the railway passes through.

“I was selected by my community for hire to ArcelorMittal Liberia. I just want to take this time to appreciate the company because the transformation they promised, initiatives like this, are what we have been yearning for,” said Josiah Z. Topoe of Kilometer 96, one of the recruits.

Topoe urged young people in affected communities to protect the relationship with the company.

“My advice, especially to young people in the fenceline communities, is that we should be peaceful and not carry out violence on AML’s property,” he said. “We should be calm because these opportunities come every time.”

The railway runs from AML’s mines in Nimba County through Bong County to the Port of Buchanan in Grand Bassa County, carrying iron ore to the coast. For communities along it, jobs are among the most direct benefits of the company’s operations.

AML says the benefits of its operations should reach the people living closest to them. The company also points to its support for education, health, infrastructure and community development. Hiring patrol officers from the corridor gives the company people who know the terrain and gives residents a direct stake in the line’s safety.

Some of the recruits are returning to the company.

“It is not my first time; I worked with ArcelorMittal before and I am called back today for another opportunity,” said Isaac D. Zomlah of Kilometer 149 in Greenhill Quarry. “I encourage other young people from affected communities to be patient and wait for the best time for opportunities. ArcelorMittal is not forgetting about people.”

Tarnue Roland Dahn of Kilometer 134 Level Crossing in Dahn’s Town said being rehired showed he had kept a clean record.

“Calling me back proves to me that I did not do wrong or violate the company’s policy, like being caught under the influence of alcohol, which is one of the most vital working policies of ArcelorMittal Liberia, and also I did not steal,” Dahn said. “This made them call me back, and I am very happy because I know I am a good citizen.”