LAC’s General Manager Mr. Naveen Madan
By: Trokon Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
LAC, Grand Bassa County – The Liberian Agricultural Company (LAC) has refuted allegations of bad labor practices, corruption, and nepotism, which the company’s former Factory Manager, Mr. Shaju Vijaya, claims are allegedly being carried out by the top management.
In a social media attack on the company, some documents and written communications leaked by Mr. Vijaya allege that the company is engaged in unfair labor practices, corruption, and unsafe industrial practices.
But in response, LAC’s General Manager (GM), Mr. Naveen Madan, described the allegations as unfounded, baseless, and intended to impugn the reputation of the company.
“Firstly, all the issues he raised are baseless, and I completely deny them from the first to the last allegation,” he said.
“First of all, the former manager making the allegations was here. He stayed here for three years. He didn’t raise any of those issues at the time. He was working happily — he was singing and dancing,” GM Naveen said.
Operating from the Wee Statutory District in Grand Bassa County, LAC is the second-largest rubber company in Liberia, with thousands of workers in its employ.
According to the rubber plantation, its operations are guided by strict principles and policies from its parent company, Socfin, and at no point will it engage in practices that could bring the group’s reputation into question.
“We have a robust system here at LAC. The company is not a sole proprietorship where one or two persons can decide to run the company the way they want. We are part of a big group, and anything we do here has an impact on the group. We are operating in ten countries, so any company of that structure cannot operate without policies,” the LAC General Manager told a group of journalists on Saturday, December 6, 2025.
Importing Toxic Chemicals?
In another allegation, the former Factory Manager claimed that the Liberian Agricultural Company is importing harmful chemicals without the approval of the authorities.
Mr. Shaju Vijaya challenged the company to prove him wrong and claimed that the chemicals being imported by the rubber plantation are from India and are very harmful.
In response, the company’s General Manager denied the accusation and noted that all chemicals imported by the company are in line with what is prescribed by the Liberia Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
“In the last one year, we have not bought any chemicals from India, and for the last eight to nine years, it’s a lie. The process for chemical ordering is that we first go to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and request what we want to input. Once the EPA approves, then we make a purchase request for our company.”
He said the management only allows the use of chemicals approved by the EPA and not based on unilateral decisions by management, as claimed by the former Factory Manager.
