Monrovia — The controversy surrounding Liberia's recent oil exploration agreements deepened on Wednesday when Sinoe County Senator Crayton O. Duncan threatened to file a lawsuit against the Government of Liberia if the National Legislature goes ahead to ratify the Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) recently signed with Atlas/Oranto Petroleum and TotalEnergies.
His warning followed strong objections raised a day earlier by former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and Nimba County lawmaker Musa Hassan Bility, who described the Atlas Oranto deal as corrupt, risky, and unfit for ratification.
Senator Duncan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Autonomous Commissions and Agencies, delivered his statement while speaking at a ceremony marking the induction of newly elected officials of the Legislative Press Pool (LEGISPOOL) held at the headquarters of the Press Union of Liberia in Sinkor, Monrovia.
The senator accused the government of attempting to hand over Liberia's oil resources to foreign interests through agreements that he said provide little or no benefit to the Liberian people.
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"Sinoe County will sue the Liberian Government if the government allows this mineral agreement to continue to go through. If the National Legislature vote and passes it because of the majority votes, we, in the minority, will sue them for exploitation and collaboration. This is what you must flag out. This is what you must fight for. Let the oil remain if we don't know how to get it out. This country is not just for you and me. It's for those that are not yet born," Senator Duncan declared.
The senator's threat comes in response to the government's decision to sign four Production Sharing Contracts with Atlas/Oranto Petroleum for offshore blocks LB-15, LB-16, LB-22, and LB-24.
The deal, which includes a US$12 million signature bonus and an estimated investment value of US$200 million per block, was presented to lawmakers alongside a similar agreement with TotalEnergies for blocks LB-6, LB-11, LB-17, and LB-29. Both agreements have been submitted as a single package to the National Legislature for ratification.
Senator Duncan described the deals as exploitative concessions rather than genuine exploration agreements, insisting that they provide inadequate returns to the country.
"We are about to look at a concession that incorporates eight oil blocks. One block talks about phase one to four exploration, which is basically on exporting what quantity of oil that has been discovered. When that one leaves the National Legislature, nothing comes back. This is a concession, not exploration. The same way we are excited that ArcelorMittal is in Nimba exporting iron ore in our country, what is it doing for us? It is the stealing of what we have that God gave us naturally that is affecting our way of life," he said.
He explained that the agreements only guarantee Liberia a 10% royalty payment for oil drilled below 1,500 feet and a mere 5% for oil extracted beyond that depth. "These terms," Duncan said, "would make Liberians poorer in their own country." He called on his colleagues not to rush into ratifying any deal that fails to guarantee long-term national benefits. "This country is not a one-day country; it doesn't begin 2025 and end 2029. This country should be a continuity of the existence of the Liberian people. We should not rush in making decisions because we want to profit from it as soon as possible within our lifetime. This country is not poor," he said.
The senator also criticized the widespread mismanagement of Liberia's natural resources, arguing that corruption only accounts for a small part of the problem compared to poor leadership and policy missteps.
"Corruption contributes about 20% to the suffering of the Liberian people, but the remaining 80% is caused by the mismanagement of the country's resources," he explained. "If we can face the 80% that is being used through corruption, you will be so happy enjoying your life and will forget that 20% of stealing from you will be like nothing to you. But when 80% is being stolen, trust me, I don't care what you do, you will always run after the 20%."
Senator Duncan called on Liberians to unite against what he termed "exploiters" who disguise their interests under international best practices. He urged citizens and journalists alike to hold the government accountable for decisions that could jeopardize Liberia's future.
"Your life will never change as long as what we are doing continues to be the same. We should fight them collectively," he said. "As journalists, your role and our role make no difference. We are elected to advocate for our people; you too are selected to advocate for the Liberian people."
Senator Duncan's declaration echoes the concerns expressed by ex-Speaker Koffa and Representative Bility, who have been vocal in opposing the Atlas Oranto deal. In a joint letter to the House Committees on Hydrocarbon, Investment and Concessions, and Judiciary, the two lawmakers warned that approving the Production Sharing Agreement with Atlas Oranto would amount to "a dereliction of duty" and "a betrayal of the Liberian people."
They reminded lawmakers that Oranto Petroleum, a Nigerian-owned company, was previously granted three oil blocks -- LB-11, LB-12, and LB-14 -- in 2007 under questionable circumstances.
Investigations conducted by ProPublica, Global Witness, and Forbes linked the transaction to bribery and fraud, and found that it violated the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. According to the reports, Oranto made over US$150 million by reselling those blocks to Chevron through a "straw man" company, Canadian Overseas Petroleum Ltd., without drilling a single well or making any tangible investment in Liberia.
Citing investigations such as FrontPage Africa's report "The Oil Block Flipper is Back," the lawmakers described Oranto as a "middleman" company that flips exploration rights for profit instead of developing them. "He adds no value or substance to the blocks he has been awarded. His faceless Liberian partners get to make millions while the country gains nothing," they wrote.
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Representatives Koffa and Bility also questioned why the government would engage a company with no proven record in ultra-deep-water drilling when more experienced global players such as ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, Petrobras, and Equinor could be invited to invest. "With such an enormous array of capable companies, why did the Government see the need to engage Oranto at all?" they asked.
The two lawmakers urged their colleagues to reject the deal outright and demand greater transparency and accountability in the management of Liberia's oil resources.
"Few moments in our sojourn as legislators will require us to stand up vigorously for the future of this country and the judgment of history. We are afraid one of those times is now," their letter read. "Our obligation to the Liberian people is our highest duty and calling. To give out a significant public resource to a company with no capacity to perform the contract is nothing less than a betrayal."
As the debate over the oil agreements continues to dominate national discourse, Senator Duncan's threat of legal action has further intensified the political tension. His stance, combined with the strong opposition from Representatives Koffa and Bility, sets the stage for a major confrontation in the National Legislature over what could become one of the most consequential natural resource decisions of the Boakai administration.
