GoL on Musa Bility’s Back -Could it be Reprisal for His ‘Biting Role’ in Politics?  

MONROVIA – The political leader of the Citizens Movement for Change (CMC), Nimba County District #7 representative Musa Hassan Bility, has come face with face with the intrigues of politics – the vendetta that a businessperson sometime faces when they mix business and politics.

The Boakai administration is currently reportedly pestering a business partner of the lawmaker to quickly retrieve from him a storage tank that his company, Srimex Oil & Gas (Srimex), was using congruent to a formal agreement between him and the partner.

The two companies entered into agreement, tagged “SRIMEX / China Union Storage Tank Management Agreement” in May 7, 2024 and they have been enjoying each other’s confidence since, while the government was watching from the sideline seemingly patronizingly.

But that is when Bility was not “a torn in the flesh” of the establishment; the intractable House of Representatives power imbroglio had not come about, and when Bility was yet to be part of the pro-Koffa bloc, and a chief strategist giving government tough time.

Boom, a commanding letter flew into the hands of China China Union; perhaps it became a time to clip the wings of Bility. 

Bility and the Unity Party, now the ruling establishment, have had a long history of political fight down the road, which particularly became prominent when he was in political collaboration with the party from his side of the Liberty Party forming the Collaborating Political Parties – in opposition to the then ruling Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC).

During that particular CPP feud, Bility was the front-liner, outstandingly ferocious, in his preemptive and reactive strikes that kept the Unity Party continually on the dark side of history, and even in the courts where it repeated got bloody noise.

As if it is a payback time, the Government has now descended on the back of Bility as if to break his economic, as well as political, bones.

GoL Instruction to China Union

Government wrote Bility’s partner, China Union, a letter officially signed by three, not one, of the party’s hardliners in whose governmental domain he has fallen prostrate.    

Justice Minister Cllr N. Oswald Tweh, Mines and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye, and LRPC Managing Director Amost Tweh jointly released this letter – signed by all three.

“It has come to the attention of the Ministry of Justice that two petroleum storage tanks imported/constructed by your company, China-Union Investment (Liberia) Bong Mines Company Limited (China-Union), as part of your concession operations in Liberia, are currently in use by Srimex Oil & Gas (Srimex).

“The use of the petroleum storage tanks by Srimex which was singularly authorized by China-Union is of concern to the Government of Liberia as it constitutes a transfer of China-Union’s property to Srimex, which, in keeping with Section 22.1 (c) of the 2009 Mineral Development Agreement (MDA) between the Government of Liberia and China-Union, must be done with the written consent of the government. For your ease of reference, the supra-mentioned provision states that: ‘no transfers by the Concessionaire or the operating Company other than in the ordinary course of renewal and replacement of its properties of any interest in any Non-Goma Mines, Goma Mines, Mining Plant, or Infrastructure to any Person is valid unless it has received the prior written consent of the Government …’

“Wherefore and in view of the foregoing, I hereby invite you to a meeting with the government of Liberia represented by Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Mines and Energy and the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company, to look into the circumstances surrounding the use of the said petroleum storage tanks by Srimex and how we can ensure that the provisions, spirit and intent of the MDA are complied with in the process.

“The meeting will be held on Monday, February 3, 2025, at the Ministry of Justice at the hour of 1:00 PM. You may come along with your legal counsel.”

China Union Fulfils GoL’s Desire

Obviously and understandably, the foreign concessionaire succumbed. Having no choice, Bai Peng Chief Executive Officer (CEO) China Union Investment (Liberia), Bong Mine Co. LTD, in turn, wrote this to Bility:

“I am pleased to present my compliments and write to you regarding the SRIMEX / China Union Storage Tank Management Agreement made and entered into on May 7, 2024. As you are aware, the term of the Agreement is for a one-year period, with the option to renew annually. Unfortunately, we regret to inform you that we will not be able to renew the Agreement and, as a result, the Agreement will expire on May 6, 2025 and the tanks will immediately revert to the Government of Liberia (GOL).

“As we are providing you more than one month’s notice, we are confident that you will have enough time to make other arrangements to ensure that the tanks are empty of all products prior to May 6, 2025 in order to facilitate a seamless turn over to the GOL. Additionally, please be informed that the government of Liberia has instructed the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC) and the National Port Authority (NPA) to monitor the tanks and ensure that SRIMEX does not load new petroleum products into the tanks in such a quantity that is determined to result in the tanks not being emptied within the aforementioned timeframe.

“Thank you for your compliance and commitment to ensuring that a seamless takes place on May 6, 2025”.