Published: May 6, 2026
WASHINGTON — A former leader of the Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas is welcoming President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s decision to pause the transfer of the Putu Mountain iron ore concession, calling it a critical opportunity to correct years of flawed negotiations that have left one of Liberia’s most significant mineral deposits untapped.
Henry K. Glay, former president of the Grand Gedeh Association in the Americas, said the intervention opens the door to a more credible process after a long history of stalled promises tied to the concession.
“This decision must mark a departure from past practices where concession agreements were negotiated without adequate consultation,” Glay said. “We now have a chance to build a transparent, inclusive, and accountable framework.”
The Boakai administration recently paused the transfer of the Putu concession to a new investor amid competing claims and due process concerns. The move places ongoing arrangements under review without terminating the concession outright.
The Putu Mountain deposit, believed to hold significant iron ore reserves, gained prominence in the late 2000s when the government awarded a concession to Severstal, one of Russia’s largest steel producers. The company committed to investing billions in infrastructure, including rail and port development. Progress never matched projections. Declining global iron ore prices, financing constraints and logistical challenges slowed the project, and by 2016 Severstal announced its withdrawal, citing unfavorable market conditions.
What followed was a prolonged period of uncertainty marked by disputes over ownership rights and successive failed attempts to attract new investors. No active mining is taking place at Putu today, and the concession remains in limbo.
Glay said that history must inform whatever comes next. “This cannot be another cycle of promises without delivery,” he said. “We must build a framework that ensures transparency, accountability and real benefits for the people.”
He called for broad stakeholder engagement, urging the government to involve local communities, the Grand Gedeh Legislative Caucus, traditional leaders, youth and women’s groups, and diaspora organizations in any renegotiation process. He also flagged the environmental sensitivity of the Putu region, pressing for comprehensive environmental and social impact assessments before any agreement is finalized.
Glay renewed calls for an independent, multi-sectoral committee to evaluate the concession’s economic potential, environmental risks and social implications, and urged authorities to prioritize employment and skills development for young people in Grand Gedeh County so they are positioned to benefit if the project eventually moves forward.
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