By Archie Boan
The Secretary General of the opposition Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), Jefferson T. Koijee, has accused President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and the ruling Unity Party (UP) of engaging in what he described as “economic terrorism” against political opponents and the Liberian people.
In a strongly worded statement issued , Koijee alleged that the Liberia Petroleum Refining Company (LPRC), under the leadership of Managing Director Amos Tweh, is being used as a political weapon to undermine private sector operators, with opposition figure Musa Hassan Bility singled out for targeting.
Koijee drew parallels between what he called “politically motivated intimidation” in Liberia and tactics allegedly used in the United States. “What Joe Biden’s FBI did in America to intimidate political opponents like Charlie Kirk is the same exact playbook Joseph Nyuma Boakai and his brutal Unity Party regime are using here in Liberia,” the CDC Secretary General said.
Alleged Constitutional and Legal Violations
Koijee accused Tweh of breaching Article 34(d) of the Constitution by securing a US$9 million loan from Ecobank without legislative approval. He further claimed that Tweh has violated the Public Procurement and Concessions Commission (PPCC) Act by allowing LPRC to act as both regulator and importer of petroleum products, creating what he described as a “conflict of interest that erodes transparency.”
He also criticized LPRC’s new pricing policy, which reduces storage fees for private importers from US$0.35 to US$0.20 per gallon while exempting LPRC’s own imports. According to Koijee, the move represents predatory pricing intended to force private operators out of business.
“This is not stabilization; this is domination. It is predatory pricing, condemned by economists who warned that such practices destroy fair competition,” he stated.
Professional Warnings “Ignored”
The CDC Secretary General said experienced petroleum professionals including Gweh Gaye Tarwo and Alieu Fuad Nei had already warned against such measures, but that the Unity Party government had ignored their advice.
Koijee argued that these actions contradict President Boakai’s ARREST Agenda, which promised to prioritize private sector-led growth. “How can the private sector thrive when the government itself acts as both referee and player, suffocating competition through state monopoly?” he asked.
Call for Action
Koijee urged Liberians to resist what he termed the weaponization of state institutions and police brutality against students of the University of Liberia. He called on the government to separate LPRC’s regulatory and commercial functions, citing examples from Namibia and South Africa.
“This fight is not only about Musa Bility. It is about every Liberian entrepreneur struggling to survive, every young student brutalized for daring to speak, and every family praying for relief from hunger, high prices, and joblessness,” he declared.
The Unity Party and the LPRC are yet to respond to Koijee’s allegations.
