MONROVIA – Following a long-running corruption allegation saga involving the President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), Madam Rustolyn Suacoco Dennis, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr., has, with immediate effect, suspended her. But concerned Liberians are wondering why would Madam Dennis alone be targeted without the NOCAL Board of Directors who sanctioned her actions.
According to an Executive Mansion press release issued Saturday, February 8, 2025, the President’s decision follows a resolution of the Board of Directors of NOCAL recommending Madam Dennis’ suspension and an investigation into the allegations.
“Madam Dennis has been ordered to turn over all government properties in her possession to the interim team headed by Mr. Fabian Michael Lai, NOCAL’s Vice President for Operations, who will assume interim oversight of the Company’s operations.
“The Government of Liberia remains committed to transparency, accountability, and good governance in all sectors, particularly in the management of the country’s natural resources.
“An investigation of the allegations against Madam Dennis has been ordered,” the Government press release said.
Who is to Blame for NOCAL-Gate – Board or Dennis?
Meanwhile, in the wake of the government’s decision to suspend and investigate Madam Dennis, concerns are mounting over the involvement of the Board of Directors in the corruption scandal that has racked the National Oil Company.
The National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) it can be recalled has been lately trending in the news for all the wrong reasons. Apart from the compounding allegations that the president of the National Oil Company, Madam Rustonlyn Suacoco Dennis, has been reportedly entrenched in corrupt practices pointing to the illegal purchase of a company vehicle beyond the legislated threshold, Madam Dennis has also been facing backlash for unilaterally endorsing a $500K consultancy contract.
But as The Analyst has gathered, the NOCAL Board did endorse the NOCAL president’s actions in the vehicle purchase, evidenced by their allocation of US$75,000 in the 2024 NOCAL budget to purchase a vehicle for the president. Our investigation also reveals that the Public Procurement Concession Commission (PPCC) granted NOCAL a “No Objection” request to award the West Africa Geo-Services Liberia the contract for the provision of Scientific onshore data analysis.
It can be recalled that the NOCAL boss recently came under the media glare over allegations that she had purchased a company vehicle for official use at the price of US$75,0000, which contravened the budget threshold for company vehicles at $45,000.
But amid the controversies and media hoopla that occasioned the NOCAL vehicle-gate, recent disclosures have shown that the 2024 NOCAL budget which allowed the president to purchase a vehicle for $75,000 was approved by the NOCAL Board of Directors, which included former Presidential Candidate Edward W. Appleton, former Finance Minister Boima Kamara, Mines and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye, Madam Kpannah-Esther Alan, A. Kpandel Fayia, Peter Malcolm King, and Madam Lydia Whyiata Sandimannie Nimely.
Regarding the issue of NOCAL awarding of a contract to West Africa Geo-Services for the provision of scientific onshore data analysis for $500K, documents in the possession of this paper show that on NOCAL on October 17, 2024, wrote the Public Procurement Concession Commission (PPCC) requesting a “No Objection” to award the West Africa Geo-Services Liberia the contract for the provision of Scientific onshore data analysis; and that on October 29, 2024, the PPCC granted NOCAL its request for no objection, stating that the oil company had followed all procurement processes.
“The Commission, upon thorough review of your documentation submitted, reveals that your request was accompanied by adequate documentation and is in keeping with Section 31 of the PPCA 2010. Therefore, the Commission hereby grants approval to the National Oil Company of Liberia to award the contract to West Africa Geo-Services for the provision of Scientific onshore data analysis at the above-estimated cost,” the PPCC replied.
What the people say
In the wake of the unhinged media frenzy occasioned by calls for the prosecution of NOCAL president Rustonlyn Dennis, and the government’s latest decision to suspend and investigate the NOCAL boss, concerned Liberians are peeved by the way some people are targeting the NOCAL boss without knowing the background of the issues.
“You’ve seen the documents. There is no way Rustonlyn could grant a contract to any company without the involvement of the PPCC. These people just talk because they want to discredit this government,” a ranking NOCAL staff member, who preferred anonymity, said.
“I think this is a pure witch-hunt being carried out by our detractors who are pretending to be our supporters. These people have their own agenda. At the end of the day, the real story will come out,” James Semavula of Johnsonville said, noting, “the entire NOCAL Board needs to be investigated.
Meanwhile, Liberians are eagerly awaiting the outcome from the Liberia Anti-Corruption Commission (LACC) citation for Madam Dennis to appear this Monday to answer to claims of financial improprieties.
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