The Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC) has publicly rejected claims that it collects and mismanages government taxes on imported petroleum products, saying the allegations are false and reflect a misunderstanding of Liberia's revenue framework.
"We categorically and unequivocally state that LPRC does not collect government taxes on petroleum products," Managing Director Amos B. Tweh told reporters during an impromptu press briefing.
Tweh made clear on Wednesday, February 25, that LPRC's mandate is limited to operating terminal facilities and charging non-statutory service fees to sustain its operations.
Tweh described the importation process step by step to clarify where LPRC's role begins and ends. Importers first submit a request to LPRC specifying product type -- PMS, AGO or JET -- the volume and the expected arrival date. Upon arrival, products are discharged into LPRC or private storage terminals, reconciled against shipping manifests and measured in metric tons and U.S. gallons for accuracy. Importers then initiate stock movements through transfer orders to authorized distributors.
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Throughout the process, Tweh emphasized, the Liberia Revenue Authority maintains on-site oversight at the Petroleum Storage Terminal and exercises exclusive authority over tax assessment and collection.
"It is the Liberia Revenue Authority that assesses and collects customs duties, surcharges, input levies, sales tax and other statutory levies as defined by law," he said. "Importers remit tax payments directly to the LRA. LPRC does not accept, hold or disburse tax revenue on behalf of the government."
Tweh also highlighted the practical safeguards LRA enforces to ensure taxes are paid before products are released. "Even where LPRC service fees have been settled, lifting cannot occur unless government taxes have been fully paid to the Liberia Revenue Authority," he said, noting that the LRA's presence at the terminal includes operational controls that can prevent lifting when taxes remain unpaid.
Addressing accusations that LPRC systems had facilitated revenue leakages, Tweh called the claims "baseless" and urged the media and the public to seek details from the LRA.
He framed the controversy as part of a broader, sometimes "toxic political environment" in which unverified statements can spread quickly. "Public discourses on such matters must be guided by facts, institutional clarity, and responsible engagement," he said.
Tweh insisted that while no institution is perfect, LPRC has worked with relevant government institutions to strengthen systems that reduce leakages and improve revenue collection. "For the last two years... we have worked with relevant authorities to make sure the government's taxes on petroleum products even increase compared to the last years," he said, inviting journalists to consult official records for verification.
To back LPRC's transparency claims, Tweh pointed reporters to the company's quarterly activity reports, which he said contain financials, volumes handled and details of non-statutory fees. "We have our financials, you have the different volume of people that came for the particular quarter," he said. "We have those reports all around the place. The media, if you want it, you can read. We'll give it to you."
Tweh clarified the nature of fees LPRC collects. "LPRC collects non-statutory fees -- vessel discharge fees, testing and handling. Those are the non-statutory fees that we collect," he said, adding that these operational charges are distinct from statutory taxes assessed and collected by the LRA.
"It is the Liberia Revenue Authority that assesses and collects customs duties, surcharges, input levies, sales tax and other statutory levies as defined by law," Tweh said, reiterating the legal separation between LPRC's operational role and the LRA's tax mandate.
He added that importers remit statutory tax payments directly to the LRA and that LPRC neither accepts nor disburses government tax revenue.
Tweh also noted the LRA's operational presence at the Petroleum Storage Terminal (PST) and the authority it exercises over product lifting: "Even where LPRC service fees have been settled, lifting cannot occur unless government taxes have been fully paid to the Liberia Revenue Authority."
Responding to social media claims and public speculation that LPRC personnel had been collecting government taxes and diverting funds, Tweh called the allegations "baseless" and urged the media and public to verify tax-related questions with the LRA.
He emphasized that LPRC collects only non-statutory fees -- vessel discharge fees, testing and handling charges and similar operational levies -- pointing reporters to the company's quarterly activity reports for details on volumes handled and fees collected.
"We have our financials, you have the different volume of people that came for the particular quarter," Tweh said, offering transparency and access to documentation: "We have those reports all around the place. The media, if you want it, you can read. We'll give it to you."
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Deputy managing directors and senior managers who joined Tweh at the briefing underscored his message, acknowledging that no institution is without challenges but insisting that LPRC is not the collector of government taxes. One deputy said the current management has introduced systems and reforms that, in their view, have reduced leakages and helped increase legitimate revenue collection by responsible agencies.
Tweh framed the controversy against what he described as a "toxic political environment" in which unverified claims can gain traction. He urged responsible engagement from media houses and civil society and called on the public to seek clarification from the proper authorities rather than relying on speculation.
"We are here to serve and to support the government's legitimate revenue collection," Tweh said, reiterating LPRC's cooperative stance and urging journalists, civil society and the public to direct tax-related inquiries to the Liberia Revenue Authority. He warned against conflating LPRC's operational reforms and service fees with government tax collection and called for responsible reporting.
The LPRC boss also emphasized its ongoing operational priorities, including expanding and modernizing storage capacity and maintaining testing facilities to ensure the quality and availability of petroleum products in Liberia.
