IPNEWS: Grand Kru County Senator Numene T. H. Bartekwa has formally petitioned the Plenary of the Liberian Senate to deratify the Mineral Development Agreement between the Government of Liberia and Hummingbird Resources Liberia Inc., citing the company’s failure to commence operations since acquiring the concession in 2019.
In a communication addressed to Senate President Pro-Tempore Nyonnblee Karnga-Lawrence and members of the Senate in session, Senator Bartekwa accused Hummingbird Resources Liberia Inc. of misleading the Government of Liberia about its operational capacity and abandoning its obligations under the agreement.
According to the letter dated December 16, 2025, the concession covers Sinoe, Grand Kru, and River Gee counties. Senator Bartekwa said residents of the three counties welcomed the company with high expectations, believing its arrival would bring jobs, economic activity, and development to their communities.
However, he stated that shortly after the agreement was signed in 2019, the company left Liberia and has since only made occasional visits, leaving both the government and citizens uncertain about the future of the concession.
“This company entered into a Mineral Development Agreement with the government of Liberia when it did not have the capacity to carry out mineral exploration and mining,” the Senator wrote, describing the company’s conduct as deceitful and unwarranted.
Senator Bartekwa further argued that the continued existence of the agreement has effectively locked out other potential investors who may be capable of developing the mineral resources in the affected counties. He said no other company can venture into those areas because Hummingbird Resources Liberia Inc. still holds the concession without active operations.
In a related request, the Grand Kru County lawmaker asked the Senate to empower its relevant committees, including the Committees on Lands, Mines and Natural Resources, Concessions and Investment, and Judiciary, Human Rights and Petitions, to summon key government officials for inquiry.
Those officials include the Minister of Mines and Energy, the Chairman of the National Investment Commission, and the Director General of the National Bureau of Concessions. Senator Bartekwa wants the officials to explain why the company has not begun operations despite the concession being published into handbills on April 10, 2019.
He also called on the Senate to determine whether there is any justifiable reason for the company’s prolonged inactivity. If no valid explanation is provided, he urged that the agreement be formally deratified to allow other interested investors to partner with the government for the benefit of the affected counties.
Senator Bartekwa currently serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Concessions and Investment. His petition places renewed focus on dormant concession agreements and the broader question of accountability and performance in Liberia’s extractive sector.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no public response from Hummingbird Resources Liberia Inc. or the institutions named in the petition.
