Africa-Press – Liberia. Grand Gedeh County District #3 Representative and Rule of Law Caucus Chairman, Jacob Cheategba Debee, has called on the Legislature, through its Committees on Lands, Mines, Energy, Natural Resources & Environment, and Public Accounts, to launch a full scale investigation into the legality, fiscal impact, and policy implications of the Liberia Petroleum Refining Corporation’s (LPRC) recent reduction of terminal fees and its decision to set storage prices for petroleum products.
The controversy stems from a September 3, 2025, directive by President Joseph Boakai, which introduced a revised petroleum pricing structure aimed at making fuel more affordable while securing funds for critical infrastructure, particularly the Road Fund.
Under the new structure, fees include: Storage Fees (all terminals) US$0.05 per gallon; Road Fund (LRA) US$0.30 per gallon; Counties’ Road Equipment Support (LRA) US$0.09 per gallon; Government Social Program US$0.02 per gallon; Inspectorate & Maintenance Fee (LPRC) US$0.06 per gallon; Vessel Discharge Fees (LPRC) US$0.08 per gallon; Testing & Handling Fees (LPRC) US$0.07 per gallon; Importers’ Margin US$0.14 per gallon; Retailers’ Margin US$0.20 per gallon; and Distributors’ Margin US$0.05 per gallon.
Following the directive, LPRC Managing Director Amos Tweah instructed importers and storage tank owners to remit these fees directly to the LPRC, emphasizing that responsibility for inspectorate, vessel discharge, testing, handling, and adjusted storage fees lies with importers.
The decision, however, has sparked strong reactions for lawmaker in the country, recently, Senator Moye, Chairman of the Senate’s Joint Committee on Ways, Means, Finance & Budget; Judiciary; Public Corporations; Trade & Industry; and Hydrocarbons, defended the reform, saying it was a collective decision aimed at benefiting the public, reducing inefficiencies, and ensuring equitable distribution of petroleum sector revenues.
Despite this, Representative Musa Bility condemned the government’s move, arguing that it diverts funds from Liberian terminal operators to LPRC, risking the viability of Liberian-owned terminals and concentrating power in a few hands.
Also speaking at a September 10 news conference on Capitol Hill in Monrovia, Representative Jacob Cheategba Debee echoed these concerns, warning that the LPRC’s actions undermine legislative oversight and threaten fiscal accountability.
He noted that the 1989 LPRC Establishment Act grants LPRC exclusive rights to import, sell, and distribute petroleum products, but does not authorize unilateral fee setting or price fixation, which require legislative scrutiny.
Debee also cited the Public Financial Management (PFM) Act of 2009 (as amended in 2019), which governs the management of public finances, including revenue collection by state-owned enterprises like LPRC, and mandates submission of budgets to the Ministry of Finance and Legislature.
“LPRC’s unilateral reduction of terminal fees bypasses legislated revenue frameworks,” Debee said. “This threatens accountability and transparency, and without proper budgeting and reporting, there is no way to verify if this benefits the people or deprives the State of critical receipts.”
He further warned that unchecked actions by LPRC could encourage other state-owned enterprises to exceed their legal authority, eroding financial governance across Liberia.
Debee called on the LPRC Board and management to suspend the measures and provide the Legislature with a detailed account of their rationale, projected fiscal impact, and legal justification.
He urged the legislative committees on Lands, Mines, Energy, Natural Resources & Environment, as well as Public Accounts, to investigate the matter thoroughly, stressing that executive agencies must operate within statutory limits.
“This situation reveals a dangerous overreach by LPRC that challenges both the 1989 Act and the fiscal governance mechanisms of the PFM Law,” Debee said.
Inclosing, he noted that no government entity is above the law, especially when public finances and national interests are at stake. “We will uphold transparency, safeguard revenue streams, and preserve democratic oversight today and always.
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