CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA – The Senate on Thursday, December 18, 2025, passed eight offshore oil block agreements involving TotalEnergies and Oranto Petroleum, concurring with the House of Representatives after weeks of scrutiny, consultations, and internal negotiations on Capitol Hill. The decision clears a major legislative hurdle for the Executive Branch as it advances Liberia’s offshore petroleum ambitions.
The TotalEnergies agreement was approved by a slim margin of 21 votes, while the Oranto Petroleum deal passed with 20 votes, highlighting deep divisions within the Senate over the handling, timing, and implications of the oil block concessions. The close vote counts underscored unease among lawmakers despite the ultimate approval.
Ahead of the vote, disagreements emerged over whether the Senate should proceed without extended debate. Some senators pushed for immediate voting, citing time constraints, while others urged comprehensive deliberations given the economic, environmental, and governance implications tied to offshore oil exploration.
Senate leadership ultimately resolved the impasse by agreeing that lawmakers would register their positions strictly through their votes, without floor debate. This approach followed high-level consultations involving Vice President Jeremiah Koung, Senator Albert Chie, and Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence.
Several senators voted in favor of both agreements, including Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga Lawrence, Edwin Snowe, Darius Dillon, Emmanuel Zoe Pennue, Botoe Kanneh, and Numene Bartekwa, among others. Their votes ensured the passage of both offshore oil block deals.
Notably, Gbarpolu County Senator Amara Konneh and Margibi County Senator Nathaniel McGill supported the TotalEnergies agreement but voted against the Oranto Petroleum deal, signaling a differentiated approach rather than blanket approval of all oil-related concessions before the Senate.
Meanwhile, Maryland County Senator Glebo Brown, Grand Bassa County Senator Gbehzohngar Findley, and River Cess County Senators Wellington Geevon Smith and Bill Twehway voted against the oil block agreements, maintaining firm opposition to the deals as presented.
Beyond the oil block votes, Senator Amara Konneh emerged as a central voice raising concerns about legislative procedure and the protection of Liberia’s long-term interests, particularly in relation to the ratification of the Ivanhoe Concession and Access Agreement (CAA).
In a detailed statement, Konneh disclosed that he abstained from voting on the Ivanhoe agreement due to what he described as a serious procedural flaw. He clarified that his decision was not a rejection of American investment in Liberia, but a protest against how the Senate handled the Joint Committee’s work on the agreement.
Konneh explained that the Plenary had mandated a Joint Committee, chaired by Representative Saah Joseph, to review the CAA and recommend amendments. Although the committee completed its work and prepared a report for presentation, the Plenary rejected the document on grounds that it lacked sufficient signatures, with members claiming they were not consulted after the public hearings.
According to Konneh, the dismissal of the Joint Committee’s report undermined the outcome of the public hearing process and denied the Liberian people the opportunity to strengthen the agreement. He expressed concern that such a procedural breach weakened legislative oversight and compromised the optimization of development outcomes tied to the concession.
The rejected report, Konneh noted, contained key recommendations that would have significantly strengthened Liberia’s position. These included requiring Ivanhoe to fully pave the 25-mile heavy-haul road before iron ore transport, increasing access fees to continental averages, clarifying that a US$37 million payment be treated as a non-refundable signature bonus, and safeguarding the Legislature’s authority over rail governance.
Additional recommendations sought to ensure timely construction of the rail line, protect community development through decentralization-aligned contributions, automatically terminate the agreement if Guinea failed to approve transshipment within five years, and prevent contractual liabilities linked to a non-existent National Rail Authority.
Despite the agreement’s ratification, Konneh stressed that the Senate’s responsibility does not end with approval. He reaffirmed his commitment to working with colleagues to hold both Ivanhoe and the Executive Branch accountable to the terms of the agreement, emphasizing that Liberia’s interests must remain paramount as these major resource deals move into implementation.
