STAND Deplores Boakai’s Granting Oil Blocks to NOCAL -Urges Legislature to Muster Courage, Block Overture 

MONROVIA – The national civil soceity group, STAND, has denounced what it terms as President Joseph Boakai’s unilateral action, a grave violation of Liberia’s petroleum law and the constitutional legislative roles, of granting four oil blocks to the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), and is demanding immediate attention.

According to the STAND, the president’s actions represent both office abuse and the expansion of executive power, and intended to utilize his agents at NOCAL and the Petroleum Authority, to divert Liberia’s most valuable natural assets through fake companies into his family’s possession. 

STAND said, previous administration had a comparable choice but chose to restrict Liberia’s oil blocks to companies that demonstrated competence and qualification to discover oil for Liberians rather than those who sought to acquire blocks for speculation and profit, potentially millions from Liberia.

It also indicated that the provisions outlined in Section 14 of Liberia’s 2019 petroleum law amendment explicitly deny the president the power to unilaterally grant oil blocks to NOCAL without Legislative approval.

According to Section 14(c) of the law, the Authority must award petroleum rights to NOCAL via Executive Allocation while consulting with the National Legislature.

Even the  CDC-led administration, which Boakai criticized as corrupt, never aimed to grant presidential authority to circumvent legislative approval and the mandated procedures.

The strategic tool was designed to require consultation with the National Legislature before use, ensuring complete transparency and thorough vetting of Liberia’s interests, STAND further argued, demanding the National Legislature to “demonstrate true bravery and autonomy by aligning with the citizens instead of a President who deconstructs legal frameworks to pursue his familial and political goals.”  

“This abuse of power and broad robbery is one of the many reasons Liberians are coming outside to protest on July 17, as they have decided to remain vigilant and prepared to thwart Boakai’s scheme, which aims to benefit his family by exploiting Liberia’s natural resources and undermining the well-being of its citizens,” the release noted.