Published: September 18, 2025
MONROVIA — Lofa County Sen. Momo T. Cyrus, chairman of the Senate Committee on National Defense, Security, and Veteran Affairs, has denounced a government-backed plan to unionize private security firms, calling it a “grave threat to national security” and accusing the Liberia Labor Congress (LLC) of singling out his company, SEGAL, which provides security for ArcelorMittal Liberia.
Cyrus, a veteran security professional and owner of one of Liberia’s largest private security companies, made the remarks Wednesday during a press conference at the Capitol Building.
“The issue about private security being unionized—we haven’t seen it before in this country since private security started in the 1950s,” he said. “Private securities are hired by institutions to provide coverage. Their sole responsibility is to protect those institutions. We cannot allow them to function as a union.”
Cyrus accused the LLC, working through the Ministry of Labor, of pursuing unionization primarily to disrupt SEGAL’s operations at ArcelorMittal, while leaving other major concessions untouched.
“How do you unionize one private security at a particular institution and leave out the others?” he asked. “This is why we are going to stop that until the private security sector can become a formal sector following major stakeholder dialogue.”
He warned that selective enforcement could destabilize operations at critical concessions, including mining companies central to Liberia’s economy.
The senator argued that the Ministry of Justice — not the Ministry of Labor — has regulatory authority over the sector and called for policy dialogue between the two ministries before any unionization effort.
“Just as the Liberia National Police, Liberia Immigration Service, and Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency cannot be unionized because their work is tied to the protection of life and property, the same applies to private security institutions,” he said.
Cyrus added that without government classification of pay rates and industry standards, the sector remains informal and unprepared for unionization.
Critics, however, questioned whether Cyrus’s strong opposition is motivated by his dual role as senator and security firm owner. Some argued that his stance may be self-serving, aimed at protecting SEGAL’s interests rather than the broader security industry.
They contend that if the government pursues unionization, the policy will likely be applied across all firms, not just SEGAL.
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