The Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) and WE THE PEOPLE Movement, organizers of the December 17 “Lead or Leave’ protest, issues a grave warning over the reckless Production Sharing Contract recently signed between Atlas/Oranto Petroleum and the Boakai administration, through the Liberia Petroleum Regulatory Authority (LPRA), covering offshore oil blocks LB-15, LB-16, LB-22, and LB-24.
This deal is a brazen attack on Liberia’s sovereignty, a blatant abuse of public trust, and a deliberate handover of the nation’s natural wealth to a private few, threatening the country’s economic future and undermining the rights of all Liberians.
Valued at over one billion United States dollars, STAND’s investigation has uncovered that this corrupt deal was executed in secrecy, without competitive bidding, transparency, or public accountability. It represents a dangerous reversal in Liberia’s governance and natural resource management, and a blatant violation of both national and international law. STAND condemns this as a ruthless betrayal of the Liberian people — a shameless plunder by a cabal of corrupt political elites who continue to enrich themselves on the nation’s wealth while the masses languish in poverty.
A Deal that Betrays the National Interest
The Atlas/Oranto agreement, secretly negotiated and reportedly signed in Paris, France, flagrantly violates multiple Liberian laws and international transparency standards. It tramples on the principles of openness, accountability, and fair competition enshrined in the following frameworks:
- The Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Act of 2019, which mandates open, competitive bidding and public disclosure of contracts.
- The Public Procurement and Concessions Act of 2010, which requires transparent and competitive procurement processes.
- The Liberia Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (LEITI) Act of 2009, which demands publication of all natural resource contracts.
- The Environmental Protection and Management Law of 2003, which obligates environmental and social impact assessments prior to any extractive operation.
- Article 7 of the 1986 Constitution, which mandates that national resources be managed for the maximum benefit of the Liberian people.
Beyond domestic violations, the deal also contravenes Liberia’s obligations under the United Nations Convention Against Corruption (UNCAC) and the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) Global Standard, both of which require transparency, competitive licensing, and public accountability in natural resource contracts.
By willfully ignoring these legal frameworks, the Boakai administration has compromised the rule of law, mortgaged the country’s future, and mocked Liberia’s commitment to good governance. This is not investment, but exploitation.
A Pattern of Corruption and Exploitation
STAND notes with dismay that the government entered into this agreement despite Oranto Petroleum’s tainted history in Liberia. Between 2004 and 2007, Oranto acquired oil blocks LB-11, LB-12, and LB-14 through bribery and opaque negotiations, later selling them to Chevron for more than US$200 million—without drilling a single well or delivering a single benefit to Liberia.
Today’s deal follows the same path of corruption, deceit, and elite profiteering, designed to enrich a few well-connected individuals while robbing the Liberian people of their rightful inheritance.
Moreover, STAND research uncovers that Oranto Petroleum has no demonstrated financial or technical capacity to conduct deepwater exploration, which typically costs US$80–200 million per well. This raises serious doubts about the company’s ability—or intention—to conduct real exploration. The pattern suggests that Oranto’s goal, once again, is to speculate and resell Liberia’s resources for profit, leaving the nation empty-handed.
STAND’s Position and Demands
Given these egregious violations of law and trust, STAND and the December 17 “Lead or Leave – Enough is Enough” Protest Coalition call on the National Legislature to immediately reject and cancel this illegitimate and unlawful contract.
In the interest of national sovereignty, transparency, and justice, we demand the following actions:
- Immediate cancellation of the Atlas/Oranto Petroleum PSC for blocks LB-15, LB-16, LB-22, and LB-24.
- Full publication of all existing and pending Production Sharing Contracts under the LEITI framework.
- An open and competitive bidding process for all future oil blocks, in strict compliance with the Petroleum Act of 2019.
- An independent investigation into all officials and entities involved in negotiating and approving this illegal deal, with full legal accountability.
Liberia’s natural resources are the collective inheritance of its people, not a private estate for corrupt elites. They must not be bartered away through secret agreements that violate the law and betray the public trust.
Conclusion
The Oranto Oil Deal is a national disgrace and a criminal affront to the Liberian people. It represents the continuation of the corruption that has crippled Liberia’s development, impoverished its citizens, and eroded public confidence in government.
STAND and its collaborators reaffirm their commitment to mobilize citizens on December 17 in peaceful protest against corruption, bad governance, and the reckless sale of Liberia’s natural resources.
“Operation Octopus” begins December 17; and nothing will be the same. Lead or Leave.
