Monrovia, Liberia – Employees of the Bao Chico Mining Company have painted a grim picture of what they describe as “total suffering” under harsh and exploitative labor conditions, accusing the company of poor wages, unsafe practices, and systemic abuse during President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s visit to the company’s shipping pier construction site.
The unhappy workers said, their daily challenges are typified by low pay, lack of basic necessities, and no job security. “We are going through a lot of challenges with this company. There is no lunch time, no food, no water, and the salary is extremely low,” one worker said.
Additionally, the workers’ spokesman, who asked to remain anonymous out of fear of harassment, said that Bao Chico has only hired workers on a daily basis for more than three years and has not offered any permanent job. “We’re all daily hires here. None of us have been hired, yet some of us have been here for three years. They send us home when it starts to rain, and tell us to come back when the rainy season ends,” the employees revealed.
However, the employees made a direct appeal to the national government to step in and work with the company’s management to address what they called “bad labor practices.” “We are calling on the government to come to our aid and address these issues with the company.”
They also cautioned that the workplace is hazardous and physically taxing, with little consideration for employee safety, putting them at risk for fatalities or severe injuries. “When injury occurs, you are only given first aid. After that, you must use your own money for medical treatment,” the worker added.
They alleged that there is neither protection nor employment, and that the corporation has also neglected to provide lodging for workers who travel long distances to the mining site. Despite their complaints, the workers expressed relief and hope during the President’s visit, seeing it as a sign that their situation could eventually be taken seriously. “Seeing the President gives us joy. We cannot be slaves in our own country,” one worker declared.
They said that the iron ore extracted by the Chinese is not replenishable. As a result, they asked, “what will become of our children’s future and that of ours?” Interestingly, they complained about having to save for up to three months to pay for their children’s tuition because their wage is so low.
