Bishop accuses Firestone Liberia of exploiting workers
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on The Liberian Investigator
Bishop Nathanyel Ben Israel accuses Firestone Liberia of exploiting its workers, saying some employees at its rubber plantation earn only $80 a month. He calls on the Liberian government to better protect citizens from foreign concessions, according to The Liberian Investigator.
Bishop Nathanyel Ben Israel, founder and leader of the religious organisation Israel United in Christ (IUIC), accuses Firestone Liberia of exploiting its workers and criticises the Liberian government for its management of concessions granted to foreign companies. At a press conference in Monrovia on Thursday, he said some employees at Firestone's rubber plantation earned as little as $80 a month, according to The Liberian Investigator.
Ben Israel said a delegation from his organisation visited the Firestone plantation on Wednesday, where it reportedly gathered the salary information. He called on Liberian authorities to negotiate concession agreements ensuring a larger share of the revenues from the country's resources for workers and the communities concerned.
The bishop also claimed that Firestone's historical practices had contributed to divisions between Liberian communities. His allegations about wages were not independently verified at the press conference, The Liberian Investigator reports.
