Former Minister Wilmot Paye Alleges Controversial EBK Mining License in Disputed Makona River Brought Liberia and Guinea to Brink of Armed Conflict
MONROVIA – Former Minister of Mines and Energy Wilmot Paye have broken his silence on the Liberia-Guinea border tensions, revealing that a mining license granted to a company identified as EBK in the disputed Makona River area was the flashpoint that nearly pushed both countries to conflict.
Speaking Tuesday on Spoon Talk, Paye linked the near-confrontation directly to licensing decisions in the border region.
“You know why we almost went to war with Guinea?
A mining license was issued to a company called EBK to mine in the Makona River,” Paye stated.
The Makona River forms part of the international boundary between Liberia and Guinea in Lofa County.
Disputes over jurisdiction and resource rights in the area have long fueled tensions between border communities.
Paye specifically accused the Boakai administration of issuing the license to the EBK Company.
The Liberia-Guinea border dispute was formally resolved and demarcation affirmed by the government on June 23, 2026, with both countries now observing the agreed boundary line.
Meanwhile, Information Minister Jerolinmek Piah announced that security agencies from both nations are coordinating to maintain peace and facilitate cross-border trade.