Goblah Clan Citizens Invite Sime Darby

-Plan To Give 2500 Hectares To The Company

By Reuben Sei Waylaun

Citizens of Goblah Clan in Klay District, Bomi County have revealed their admiration for Sime Darby Plantation Liberia (SDPL) and called on the Malaysian Oil giant company to move into the district to begin the planting of palm.

Sime Darby is currently operating in Senjeh District in Bomi County and some parts of Grand Cape Mount County, all in western Liberia as part of its 63-year-concession agreement signed with the Liberian Government 2009 for the cultivation of 220 hectares of palm.

Since then, the company continues to positively impact the lives of Liberians in the region through health, education, infrastructure and other basic social services.

As part of efforts to feel the generosity of the international company, citizens of Goblah clan in Klay district, Bomi County recently invited the General Manager of the company, Ali Kamal `

Speaking to this paper via mobile phone from Klay district in Bomi County, a prominent citizen of the clan said after carefully following the works of the company in the county for years, they have realized that the company means well for the people of the region and Liberia in general.

According to Abdullah Navoo, based on consensus, they invited the General Manager of SDPL and his team to discuss how they can move into the clan as part of extension for the company.

Navoo said during their meeting, they discussed about the out-grower scheme and the availability of over 2500 hectares of carbon free land they have agreed to give to the company.

Out-grower scheme is a contractual partnership between growers or landholders and a company for the production of commercial forest products. Out-grower schemes or partnerships vary considerably in the extent to which inputs, costs, risks and benefits are shared between growers/landholders and companies.

The Partnerships may be short or long-term and may offer growers only financial benefits or a wider range of benefits. Also, growers may act individually or as a group in partnership with a company and use private or communal land. Out-grower schemes are usually prescribed in formal contracts.

Navoo further said they don’t want to go against the company because it is important to the growth and development of the people.

“We want to work together and we say no to theft at the plantation. We know there are some citizens who usually steal from the company at its plantations, we have 2500 hectares of land that is carbon free and the government can even come and conduct assessment to verify our statements,” Navoo said.

The Bomi County prominent citizen further noted that they want to benefit from the company. “Some people only want to get money from the company. But for us, we want everybody even through this out-grower scheme we are talking about,” he added.

He said the General Manager of Sime Darby Plantation Liberia (SDPL), Ali Kamal was happy when they spoke and made their concern clear to the company.

Navoo further quoted the company’s GM as saying “we will get back to you very soon based on your request.”

It can be recalled the management of Sime Darby Plantation in Liberia (SDPL) was commended by the youth of Klay District, Bomi County. The young people of the district under the banner ‘Goblah Youth for Development and Advocacy (GOYDA) in a release said they have carefully monitored, investigated and analyzed the activities and work of Sime Darby for the past six years, and as such, the company deserves commendation.

The exuberant youth organization lauded the company for choosing to invest in Liberia particularly in Bomi and Grand Cape Mount Counties, saying the company’s investment has brought some economic improvement to the citizens in the concession areas.