IPNEWS: Sinoe County Senator Crayton O. Duncan threatened to file a lawsuit against the Government of Liberia if the National Legislature goes ahead to ratify the Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) recently signed with Atlas/Oranto Petroleum and Total Energies.
His warning followed strong objections raised a day earlier by former House Speaker J. Fonati Koffa and Nimba County lawmaker Musa Hassan Bility, who described the Atlas Oranto deal as corrupt, risky, and unfit for ratification.
Senator Duncan, who chairs the Senate Committee on Autonomous Commissions and Agencies, delivered his statement while speaking at a ceremony marking the induction of newly elected officials of the Legislative Press Pool (LEGISPOOL) held at the headquarters of the Press Union of Liberia in Sinkor, Monrovia.
The senator accused the government of attempting to hand over Liberia’s oil resources to foreign interests through agreements that he said provide little or no benefit to the Liberian people.
“Sinoe County will sue the Liberian Government if the government allows this mineral agreement to continue to go through. If the National Legislature vote and passes it because of the majority votes, we, in the minority, will sue them for exploitation and collaboration.
The senator’s threat comes in response to the government’s decision to sign four Production Sharing Contracts with Atlas/Oranto Petroleum for offshore blocks LB-15, LB-16, LB-22, and LB-24.
The deal, which includes a US$12 million signature bonus and an estimated investment value of US$200 million per block, was presented to lawmakers alongside a similar agreement with TotalEnergies for blocks LB-6, LB-11, LB-17, and LB-29. Both agreements have been submitted as a single package to the National Legislature for ratification.
Senator Duncan described the deals as exploitative concessions rather than genuine exploration agreements, insisting that they provide inadequate returns to the country.
He explained that the agreements only guarantee Liberia a 10% royalty payment for oil drilled below 1,500 feet and a mere 5% for oil extracted beyond that depth.
