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Liberia: Ellen Wants Oil Deal Published
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The Inquirer (Monrovia)
5 March 2008
Posted to the web 5 March 2008
Patrick K. Wrokpoh
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf has renewed her earlier call to the management of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) to publish the oil deal that was entered into between the governments of Nigeria and Liberia in 2006.
The President said it has been her position over and over again that the controversial deal be published but contrary to the stance of the President, the LPRC management has said that no where in the world can such an agreement reached by the agreed parties be made public.
Speaking yesterday on a live phone program, "Conversation with the President," President Sirleaf said she has been informed by the LPRC management through its Managing Director Harry Greaves that he has made copies of the agreement available to some lawmakers who have raised questions over the agreement.
President Sirleaf said in addition to this, she has informed journalists seeking information on the controversial deal to feel free and go to the LPRC central offices, to look at the files of the agreement so that they can 'satisfy' themselves as it relates to their doubts over the agreement.
Addressing herself to calls made to her that she should approach the Nigerian government so as to get more oil to assist the country, in the midst of the rising increment of the commodity, President Sirleaf said she will not put her hands in what she called, "anymore oil deal."
She said the country will buy the oil the way it is sold but she will not beg anyone or government for oil, because as she put it, she does not want any problem in this regard.
Speaking further, the President said she is glad that the Auditor General, has released to her his work schedule as it relates to auditing government functionaries; stressing that it is her hope that the Auditor General can place the LPRC on what she called, "the high list," in the audit process, which she noted would include audit on the controversial oil deal so as to lay the matter to rest once and for all.
On other national issues, President Sirleaf said she at times gets frustrated herself over the slow pace of the country's development process; citing the on-going road construction as an example.
According to her, although funds has been committed to the road project but there is only one company in the country that is carrying on the work, which has brought in enough equipment that does not permit them to do several roads simultaneously.
She said the Chinese Company Chico, which is carrying on the work has problems with crushed rocks, and one paver, which means that if the company is paving one road, they have to finish it to get to the next road.
The President said her government is trying to contract another company to come and assist with the process; stressing that road construction involves equipment that are expensive and that it takes some US$300.000 to US$400.000; something which she noted is causing most companies to be unwilling to bring such equipment unless they have a large contract that will enable them to recover the cost.
She added that at the moment, the Ministry of Public Works, Chico and the World Bank, which is providing funding for the project are looking at the process, which according to her is going well but on a slow pace then expected.
President Sirleaf said her understanding of things at the moment, is that Chico is doing patching in areas where it does not have to rip off all of the roads and then it will do an over lift for the roads to look as it is from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to 18th, Street.
On the issue of electricity, the President said although it is slow but government is putting up additional poles and that the government is expected to bring in more generators next month to extend power supply to more people.
She said government is working beyond the Emergency Program and in the process several options, such as the restoration of the Mount Coffee Hydro Plant are being looked at.
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On the issue of commodity prices, President Sirleaf said increment of prices is something that is a problem all over the world. She said as a matter of fact, whether the nation is dealing with gasoline, fuel or rice, the prices in the country is lower than many of the prices in some of Liberia's neighbors.
The President said as a result of this, the country is losing some of its commodities as some business people were trying to sneak commodities across the country's borders to seek higher profits in those markets; something which according to her, needs to be monitored.
She added that the answer to the problem, lies with increasing the production of commodities that are strategic, such as rice.
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