Some two to three years ago, news of Liberia being suitable for off-shore oil exploration and drilling was widespread and several foreign oil companies landed in the country to seek permits for exploration and drilling operations. One of those companies was US oil giant Chevron.
According to several international investigations and reports, especially a more detailed report authored by the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI), Chevron is said to have given a local private foundation belonging to the son of Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirelaf US$10.5 million dollars for what it referred to as “social development fund” to help Liberia.
Mr. Robert Sirleaf (a naturalized U.S. citizen and son of President Sirleaf) was then the head of the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL), the country’s oil regulatory agency that sold Liberia’s oil blocks and issued exploration and drilling permits to foreign investors and businesses, including Chevron at the time.
Source: Globe Afrique online
