by Martin K. N. Kollie, Youth Activist
One of Liberia?s prominent youth activists and foremost young writer has slammed the past and present management teams of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) as wicked, heartless, and corrupt.
In his usual interaction with newsmen, Mr. Martin K. N. Kollie said since Madam Sirleaf came to power as President of Liberia in January 2006, NOCAL has been characterized by rampant corruption, fiscal indiscipline, greed, mismanagement and patronage. ?It is an undisputed fact that this entity is a cartel of economic criminals?, he said.
Activist Kollie further stated that ?the nation is crumbling very fast under this self-seeking, unpatriotic, and insensitive regime. It is frustrating to live in a country where economic migrants and high-profile pillagers have taken hostage of the State. How can Dr. Randall McClain and his cohort of micro-crooks be telling us that NOCAL is experiencing insolvency when all of our 17 deepwater and lucrative oil blocks are under contract to multi-million oil companies?
The youth activist further averred that Dr. McClain needs to stop spreading falsehood about ongoing bankruptcy at NOCAL. ?I think his administration and previous managements need to account for of our hydrocarbon resources. They must be held liable for compromising our interest and looting our resources. This is another opportunity for Madam Sirleaf to exhibit a strong political will by prosecuting Dr. McClain, Robert Sirleaf, and all others who intentional led NOCAL into such financial quagmire. However, it will not be a surprise to many of us if these pillagers are not brought to justice for perpetrating corruption and cruelty against the Liberian people. Judging from existing realities, Madam Sirleaf is a facilitator of corruption and ill-transiency?, activist Kollie further said.
?The ?bankruptcy? of NOCAL is a big joke and it really sounds unpleasant to our ears, because NOCAL is a non-exploration and non-manufacturing oil company. It does not have huge expenses to make. This institution only regulates our hydrocarbon sector. Furthermore, the annual intake of NOCAL from signatures fees, bidding processes, sale of seismic data, social development payments, and surface rental hugely supersedes its current workforce and operations. Public servants need to honest to themselves and the people they serve. The real fact the public needs to know is that NOCAL has been swallowed by fiscal indiscipline, greed, self-enrichment, and entrenched corruption?, Activist Kollie noted.
The renowned and fearless activist further said that ?the price of oil started to reasonably decline in October 2014. However, the price of oil as of today (July 3, 2015) is $US 56.96 per barrel. This means oil price is gradually shifting upward as compared to past months. We understand that there are global forces and market variables influencing the price of oil, but this situation has only been ongoing for less than 8 months now. Is the management of NOCAL telling us that the entity is experiencing financial crisis just within a period of 7 to 8 months? This is a big black lie! I thought the first core value of NOCAL is transparency?, Activist Kollie averred.
?It will interest you to know that from July 1, 2012 to June 20, 2013, NOCAL spent $US28, 976,980. The expenditure of this fiscal year (2012/2013) is far beyond NOCAL?s capacity in terms of administrative and operational cost. The annual budget of NOCAL is higher two times than the budget of the University of Liberia that has over 36,000 students. This is unfair and cruel! How can a company like NOCAL spend $US 6,393,670.00 for training and social development? Who did they train and where are the social developments? Let me give you few expenditure lines of NOCAL?s 2012/2013 fiscal budget?, Kollie said.
Board Expenditure: $US1, 462,000.00
Travel & Consultancy Expenditure: $US1, 766,000.00
Allowances & Benefits: $US2, 366,709.00
Manpower Training, Capacity Building, & Social Development: $US6, 393,670.00
?In addition, from July 1, 2013 to June 1, 2014, NOCAL spent $US28, 542,685.60. I am wondering why will Dr. McClain, Robert Sirleaf, and other past and present officials of NOCAL treat Liberians in such a heartless manner. During 2013/2014 fiscal period, few of the expenses NOCAL made are:
Board Expenditure: $US1, 372, 000.00
Travel and Consultancy Expenditure: $US3, 234, 482.00
Allowances & Benefits: $US2, 703, 805.24
Manpower Training, Capacity Building, & Social Development: $US8, 029,848.00
Youth Activist Kollie further noted that it is senseless and heartless for NOCAL to use $US 3,234,482.00 just for travel and consultancy, while millions of Liberians live in abject poverty and acute misery. It makes no to me for an entity like NOCAL to spend $US1,372,000.00 just for Board sitting and $US2,703,805.24 just for allowances and benefits. What is the essence of Chevron, ExxonMobil, Anadarko, Respol, DuPont, and other global oil companies operating in Liberia when our people still lack access to quality education, safe drinking water, better health care, housing, employment, improved sanitation, and electricity??
?The regime of Madam Sirleaf has miserably failed and it is time to boot it out. Our people have had enough under this cartel of economic migrants and vultures. As Takun-J said ?they lied to us, screwed us, and later abused us?. Liberians are in total mess. It is time for citizens from all 15 political subdivisions to rise up and act. We are ready to mobilize our people to put this nonsense to an end. Thousands of our people are dying every year from poverty while a handful of high-profile criminals continue to cruelly pocket millions of illicit dollars. It is time for our people to wake-up and chart a new course. Liberia belongs to everybody!?, Activist Kollie said in a loud and stronger tone.
