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By Bridgett Milton
Monrovia, Liberia, July 9, 2026: The House of Representatives Joint Committees on Mines, Energy and Natural Resources, Environment and Judiciary have concluded the second phase of public hearings on proposed reforms to Liberia’s Mining and Minerals Law.
The hearings brought together representatives of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the Central Bank of Liberia, the Governance Commission, the Law Reform Commission and the Liberia Chamber of Mines.
The discussions focused on strengthening governance, promoting sustainable investment and modernizing Liberia’s mining sector.
Opening the session, Joint Committee Chairman Rep. Jeremiah Gawo Sokan said the review is necessary because of emerging developments in the sector, including climate change, environmental protection, technological advancement and the discovery of new strategic minerals.
Sokan said the committee wants Liberia to develop a modern legal framework that addresses current realities, sets a clear implementation timeline and identifies the financial resources needed for the reform process.
Deputy Mines and Energy Minister for Operations William Hines told the committee that the ministry has completed a technical assessment of the current law.
According to Hines, the assessment found that piecemeal amendments would not adequately address the sector’s evolving needs, making a complete overhaul of the law more appropriate.
He said the ministry has already begun discussions with partners on developing a new legal framework, adding that proposed amendments represent only a small part of the broader reforms needed to modernize the sector.
Deputy Finance Minister Anthony Myers also supported a comprehensive review, saying the process should begin with the development of a national mining policy to set broad policy direction before new legislation is drafted.
Representing the private sector, Liberia Chamber of Mines President Amara Kamara urged lawmakers to avoid isolated amendments to the current Mining and Minerals Law.
Instead, Kamara called for a comprehensive, holistic and forward-looking review of the legal and regulatory framework governing the mining sector.
He also urged lawmakers to harmonize any reforms with ongoing discussions involving international development partners, including the World Bank and the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
The Chamber recommended that the committee suspend consideration of isolated amendments relating only to Class B mining and instead initiate a national review involving government institutions, the Legislature, mining companies, artisanal miners, host communities, civil society groups, development partners and investors.
Participants agreed that the review process should run between now and 2027, with the Ministry of Finance expected to consider budgetary support for the reform effort.
The Joint Committee is expected to consolidate the views presented during the hearings and submit a report to Plenary for legislative consideration and action.
