By: Trokon Wrepue – trokon1992seokin@gmail.com
MONROVIA – The owner of Srimex Oil and Gas Company Musa Bility has strongly condemned the government of Liberia’s decision to slash petroleum storage fees from thirty-five cents ($0.35) to just two cents ($0.2) per gallon, describing the move as a “harmful maneuver” aimed at undermining Liberian-owned petroleum terminals.
Mr. Bility who is also Nimba County District #7 Representative in a statement issued early Tuesday morning said the drastic cut in fees will leave terminal operators unable to sustain operations, while creating a new “technical” cost lines that channel funds directly to the Liberia Petroleum Refinery Company (LPRC).
According to him, this action effectively centralizes control in the hands of a few and threatens the survival of Liberian entrepreneur in the petroleum sector.
“The intent of Government’s action is to divert money away from Liberian terminal operators and redirect it to LPRC, with the intent to weaken Liberian ownership and silence innovation,” Bility asserted. “This decision not only threatens our energy security, but also undermines Liberian jobs and families.”
He noted that terminal operators have invested millions of dollars in infrastructure, technology, and workforce to stabilize the petroleum sector.
These investments, he said, have provided employment opportunities for Liberians, ensured product availability, and contributed significantly to the economy.
“The petroleum terminal business is one of the few sectors of our economy built and sustained exclusively by Liberians. No responsible government policy would sacrifice its own citizens’ businesses under the pretense of price relief,” he argued.
Bility warned that if the policy is implemented, Liberian-owned petroleum terminals could be forced to shut down, dealing a blow to both the economy and national energy security.
He called on the government to immediately halt the decision, engage in transparent consultations with terminal operators, and pursue reforms that genuinely support Liberian businesses rather than “political interests.”
