GBALAWIN TOWN, Rivercess — Following the termination of its commercial use contract with Mandra Forestry Liberia Limited due to unfulfilled commitments, SEWACAJUA authorized community forest has signed a new five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Dept Limited. This Liberian logging company, believed to be owned by Mr. Nathaniel N. Natt, will harvest logs and, in return, provide community benefits through basic social services outlined in the agreement.
This recently signed MoU marks another milestone for forest-dependent communities who claim they have been exploited by Mandra Forestry Liberia Limited. After harvesting and exporting a large consignment of logs valued at millions of United States dollars, Mandra was unable to fulfill the social benefits agreed upon in a fifteen-year MoU signed in 2015 in accordance with the Community Forest Management Agreement (CFMA).
Speaking at the signing ceremony over the weekend in Gbalawin Town, Wacaba Statutory District in Sinoe County, SEWACAJUA Community Forest Management Body Officer Oliver C. Clarke said the signing of a new forest agreement with a different company has restored hope. He added that the agreement will not only boost social livelihood services for the forest communities but also tasks them with sustainably managing the forest resources.
“We are very pleased to have signed this contract with Dept Limited. This agreement will not only bring much-needed revenue to our community, but will also help us manage our forest resources sustainably,” Clarke noted.
Clarke further explained that prior to the signing of the agreement, the community forest management advertised the forest after a court ruling in Monrovia canceled the business with Mandra Forestry Liberia Limited, at which time Dept Logging applied, expressing interest in operating within the community forest.
In Blue Is Oliver C. Ckarke- CFMB Officer SEWACAJUA Forest
“We, the officials of the forest management team, are truly impressed with the professionalism and integrity shown by Dept Limited throughout the negotiation process. We strongly believe this partnership will benefit both the community and the company,” Oliver Clarke told the gathering.
According to the signed MoU, Dept Limited will provide SEWACAJUA forest with the construction of four feeder roads, one clinic, the completion of two high schools, and annual financial support of one thousand United States dollars to four clinics for forest dependents. As part of the agreement, the company commits to also provide ten thousand United States dollars annually as a scholarship fund for high school and university students, pay into the community forest account two United States dollars per cubic meter as fees for each log harvested in keeping with the Commercial Use Contract (CUC), and provide three thousand United States dollars annually to hire an independent forest guard who will monitor, engage, and verify the company’s production records on behalf of the community. The agreement also includes providing employment opportunities for citizens, especially those residents affected by the operations.
Meanwhile, several residents expressed delight over the signing, stating that it marks a new chapter in the development of their communities. They are hopeful that this partnership will bring economic benefits and improve their livelihoods.
Participants at the MoU Signing Ceremony in GBALAWIN Town
However, other community dwellers expressed concerns about the potential environmental impacts of logging and have urged Dept Limited to implement sustainable practices.
For his part, Dept Limited’s General Manager, Nathaniel N. Natt, pledged his company’s commitment to living up to its promises and ensuring that the logging activities are carried out in an environmentally sustainable manner.
“We are honored to have been chosen by the SEWACAJUA authorized forest. We will do everything in our power to ensure that our operations are conducted responsibly and in line with the forestry and environmental laws of Liberia,” Natt expressed.
The signing ceremony brought together dozens of community residents surrounding the forest, civil society organizations, and officials from the Forest Development Authority. The event was held on Sunday, September 29, 2024.
SEWACAJUA, in keeping with the Community Rights Law of 2009, gained authorized community forest status in May 2017, covering a total area of 31,936 hectares. The CRL aims to empower communities to engage in the sustainable management of forest land. The law also gives communities the right to obtain a Community Forest Management Agreement (CFMA) for areas between 5,000 and 50,000 hectares.
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