Liberia: Top Petrol Dealers Risk House’s Wrath
— They are to appear on Thursday with Justice Minister Musah Dean
The failure of top petroleum importers to appear, after being summoned by the House of Representatives, has put them at risk of being slammed with contempt charges.
As part of its oversight responsibility, the Lower House unanimously summoned 10 petroleum importers on allegation of reneging on remittance of taxation on petroleum products collected or taxation being withheld by petroleum importers in the tune of millions of dollars.
Also summoned to provide clarity were authorities of the Liberia Revenue Authority (LRA) and the National Road Fund (NRF).
The failure of the petroleum dealers to appear puts them at risk of being held in contempt by the House of Representatives if they fail to appear on Thursday, February 9 , to answer why "they should not be held in contempt."
On Tuesday, during the 7th Day Sitting, only two petroleum importers (Petro Trade and West Oil) were present, while Conex (Total) wrote a formal excuse for deferment.
The representation of the LRA, through its Deputy Commissioner General for Technical Services, Mr. Gabriel Montgomery, was not accepted by the House's Plenary in Tuesday's session on grounds that Commissioner General Thomas Doe Nah should have communicated his absence and proxy to the August Body.
Through a motion proffered by Lofa County District #1 Representative, Francis Sakila Nyumalin, members of the House of Representatives voted to re-summon the petroleum importers including Srimex, Kailando, Aminata, SP, National Petroleum (NP) MOTC, West Oil, Petro Trade and others, as well as authorities of LRA and NRF to appear Thursday, February 9, 2023 at 10:00am.
The Minister of Justice, Cllr. Frank Musah Dean, will be cited to accompany the petroleum importers and authorities of LRA and NRF.
The House of Representatives will also be grilling them on the tax rates on petroleum products with consonance of the Act that established the National Road Fund.
It may be recalled, on Tuesday, January 31, Nimba County District 2 Representative, Prince O. S. Tokpah, complained that the National Road Fund is not meeting up to its task for which it was established by an Act of the Legislature in 2006 to ensure, among other things, that road assets are sustained and that sufficient funds for both periodic and routine maintenance are allocated for the purpose and secured.