Direct negotiations over Liberia’s offshore oil blocks demand transparency, not political assurances. The Liberian people cannot afford another chapter of controversy in the management of their national resources.
The Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA) has launched a direct-negotiation licensing round for 15 offshore oil blocks in the Liberia and Harper basins. While attracting credible investors is important, the decision to pursue direct negotiations rather than competitive bidding raises legitimate questions about transparency, legal compliance, and the protection of Liberia’s national interests.
Liberia’s petroleum history under former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf remains a warning about the controversies that can surround the management of national resources. President Joseph Boakai served as Vice President throughout that administration. Today, under a second Unity Party government, Liberians have every reason to demand that the mistakes and controversies of the past are not repeated.
This is not a declaration that the current licensing process is corrupt. It is a demand that the LPRA demonstrate, with documentary evidence, that its actions comply with the law and serve the best interests of the Liberian people.
Direct negotiations are not automatically illegal under Liberia’s petroleum framework. However, the LPRA must explain the legal basis for its decision, demonstrate that all applicable requirements have been satisfied, and disclose the safeguards in place to protect the country from unfavourable agreements.
Why was direct negotiation selected for these 15 blocks? Were the relevant legal conditions and approval requirements satisfied? How will the government ensure that Liberia receives the best possible economic return from any agreement?
These questions deserve clear answers.
Liberia’s oil belongs to its people, not to the President, the LPRA, or any political party. No public official has the right to treat the country’s petroleum resources as a political asset or a private bargaining instrument. Every agreement must protect national revenue, promote accountability, safeguard the environment, and deliver tangible benefits to Liberians.
SMART NEWS WILL NOT LOOK AWAY
Smart News Liberia will closely monitor the LPRA’s activities, the negotiations surrounding the offshore blocks, and any resulting petroleum agreements. We will examine available records, question decisions that require explanation, and report developments in the public interest.
Where credible evidence raises suspicions of corruption, abuse of authority, or violations of petroleum laws, we will seek answers from the relevant authorities and give those implicated a fair opportunity to respond.
Where serious concerns remain unresolved and the Liberian government or responsible oversight institutions fail to take appropriate action, Smart News Liberia will bring the documented findings to the attention of the international community and call for appropriate scrutiny and action through relevant international institutions and partners.
Our commitment is to accountability, not political persecution; to evidence, not rumours; and to the public interest, not the protection of powerful individuals.
The management of Liberia’s oil and gas resources must never become another closed-door arrangement at the expense of ordinary citizens. Those entrusted with these resources must understand that their decisions will be scrutinized, their agreements examined, and their conduct questioned whenever credible evidence warrants it.
If the process is lawful and beneficial to Liberia, the evidence should demonstrate that. If legitimate concerns arise, the public deserves to know.
Liberia must not surrender its petroleum future to a process it cannot adequately explain. The oil belongs to the people, and protecting it is a national responsibility.
