Caution Ahead Oranto Petroleum Deal -Sen. Konneh Alarms, Says ‘Liberia Can’t Afford to Get it Wrong’

MONROVIA – Senator Amara Konneh, representing Gbarpolu County, has expressed serious concerns over the Oranto Petroleum Production Sharing Contract submitted for ratification.

In a social media post, Senator Konneh cited questions about the company’s history and practices on the continent.

While welcoming the TotalEnergies deal, Senator Konneh emphasized the need for rigorous due diligence on the Oranto deal to ensure transparency and accountability.

“I am committed to supporting President Boakai’s investment agenda, but I will demand that Chairman Snowe and the members of the Senate Joint Committee conduct professional, comprehensive, and rigorous due diligence on the Oranto deal,” Senator Konneh said.

He explained: “I spent Saturday reviewing the Oranto Petroleum and TotalEnergies Production Sharing Contracts submitted for ratification for the second time. This coincides with the World Bank’s Liberia Economic Update, released on October 29. It shows Liberia’s growth has slowed or declined despite macroeconomic improvements like fiscal consolidation, inflation control, and external rebalancing. However, job-rich growth is needed to tackle unemployment.”

According to him the Liberian people’s future depends on making informed, decisive actions, with “no room for uncertainty, complacency, or repeating past mistakes with the same actors.”

Senator Konneh highlighted Oranto’s pattern of securing licenses and failing to explore or develop them, citing examples in Uganda, Senegal, and Equatorial Guinea.

He also noted that Oranto previously sold blocks to major companies like Chevron for profit without exploration or benefits.

The Senator emphasized the need for quality investments that benefit Liberia, saying, “We want quality investments!”

He assured the public that he would keep them informed about the progress of the contract review.