NATIONAL NEWS
CAPITOL HILL – Montserrado County Senator Saah H. Joseph has expressed concern over the amended Liberia Petroleum Refining Corporation (LPRC) Act, warning that it could weaken national development efforts and place additional pressure on future government budgets.
Speaking during an emergency Senate session on 18 March at Capitol Hill, Senator Joseph said the law, as passed, does not do enough to ensure that ordinary Liberians benefit from the corporation’s operations, despite its significance to the national economy.
By: Sampson W Weah sampsonwweah7@gmail.com
“We cannot continue to pass laws that strengthen institutions without directly impacting the lives of our people,” he said. “The LPRC must not only generate revenue but must be legally required to give back to the citizens of this country.”
The senator proposed the inclusion of a provision requiring the LPRC to allocate at least 10% of its annual profits to corporate social responsibility programmes. He argued that such a measure would ensure that communities across the country benefit directly from the corporation’s activities.
“This is about accountability and fairness,” he added. “If LPRC is to benefit from national resources, then the Liberian people must see and feel those benefits in their communities.”
Mr Joseph further warned that without clear social investment requirements, the gap between the corporation’s earnings and its impact on citizens could widen, potentially undermining public trust in state-owned institutions.
He emphasised that the management of national resources must translate into visible improvements in the lives of ordinary people.
