In Summary:
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ANC Political Leader, Alexander Cummings, has claimed that the Bea Mountain Mining Corporation extracted 1.2 million kilograms of gold from Liberia in 2023, amounting to between $650 – $700 million.
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We have verified this claim by reviewing the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative 16th Report for FY2023 and found his claim about the 1.2 million kilograms of gold extraction by the company to be incorrect.
On April 16, 2026, Alexander B. Cummings, political leader of the Alternative National Congress, claimed in a video that in 2023, Bea Mountain Mining Corporation extracted 1.2 million kilograms of gold from Liberia, valued between $650 and $700 million.
Mr. Cummings made this claim while discussing Liberia’s concession regime and how the country can get value for its natural resources, citing the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) report as the source of the data he provided.
The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative is a member of the EITI – a global Standard to promote the open and accountable management of extractive resources. LEITI works through a Secretariat, guided by a multi-stakeholder arrangement comprising the Government, Civil Society Organizations, and Private companies, to improve the governance of the Extractive sector in Liberia.
The Claim
His exact words were: “If we look at historical numbers around 2023, the ELITI suggested that there was 1.2 million kilograms of gold extracted and exported from Liberia, valued at around $650 -700 million dollars.”
Rating Justification
To verify this claim, we reviewed the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative’s 16th report for FY2023.
The LEITI 16th Report FY2023 is the latest comprehensive disclosure by the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, covering activities in Liberia’s extractive sector for the 2023 fiscal year.
We found that the total gold production in Liberia for FY2023 was 12,379 kilograms, with Bea Mountain alone accounting for 12,146 kilograms, valued at $653 million
Conclusion
We conclude, based on these findings, that the claim made by Mr. Alexander B. Cummings that Bea Mountain Mining Corporation extracted 1.2 million kilograms of gold from Liberia in 2023 is incorrect.
According to the LEITI 16th Report for FY2023, gold extracted and exported by Bea Mountain Mining Corporation in 2023 amounted to 12,146 kilograms valued at
about US $653.6 million
However, he is correct that the company generated between $650 million and $700 million from gold production that year. According to the LEITI report, the 12,146 kilograms of gold extracted by Bea Mountain Mining Corporation in 2023 were valued at US$653.60 million.
Clarifying the Bea Mountain Statement Attributed to Alexander Cummings
The recent fact-check by Local Voices Liberia regarding Mr. Alexander Cummings’ statement on Bea Mountain Mining Corporation provides an important opportunity for clarification—one that ultimately reinforces, rather than undermines, the core issue he raised.
Let begin with what the data clearly shows.
According to the Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) 2023 report:
* Bea Mountain exported approximately 12.1–12.5 metric tonnes of gold
* With an estimated value between US$654 million and US$691 million
On this central point, Mr. Cummings’ statement was substantively accurate. His valuation of the company’s gold output aligns closely with the official figures reported by both the company and government agencies.
Where the discrepancy occurred was in the expression of quantity. The reference to “1.2 million kilograms” was clearly a numerical misstatement. The correct figure, as reflected in LEITI data, is approximately 12,000 kilograms (12 tonnes).
This type of numerical slip—particularly when dealing with large-scale extractive data—is not uncommon in public discourse. Importantly, it does not change the substance of the argument, which was centered on the scale of value being generated from Liberia’s natural resources.
To put it plainly:
Mr. Cummings was right about the value.
The misstatement was in the unit—not in the economic reality he highlighted.
A Word on the Fact-Check
Mr. Cummings appreciates the work of Local Voices Liberia. In an environment where misinformation can easily distort public understanding, their role is both necessary and commendable.
At the same time, public discourse benefits most when context and proportionality are applied. While the numerical error deserved correction, the broader accuracy of the valuation—and the policy concern it supports—also merits recognition.
The Bigger Issue Remains
Beyond the numbers, the central concern raised by Mr. Cummings stands firm:
Liberia continues to generate hundreds of millions of dollars in extractive wealth, yet the benefits to ordinary Liberians remain disproportionately low.
This is not a question of kilograms versus tonnes.
It is a question of value versus national benefit.
And that is the conversation that must remain at the forefront.
Conclusion
In summary:
* The valuation cited by Mr. Cummings is consistent with LEITI data
* The quantity reference contained a correctable numerical error
* The underlying policy concern remains valid and urgent
Constructive engagement—including fact-checking and clarification—should ultimately serve a shared goal: ensuring that Liberia’s natural resource wealth translates into tangible national development.