Published: December 17, 2025
By Blamo N. Toe
CAPITOL HILL, Monrovia — The Liberian Senate’s handling of the Ivanhoe Atlantic Inc. (HPX) concession hearing has triggered fresh public debate over consistency, accountability and transparency, after lawmakers appeared to reverse an earlier hardline stance without explanation.
Only days after abruptly postponing a high-profile public hearing to protest what senators described as the “improper” representation of the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, the same Senate quietly proceeded with the process—this time accepting the very junior official it had previously rejected.
The reversal has left observers questioning the basis of the Senate’s decision and whether political convenience, rather than principle, ultimately guided the process.
Hearing Abruptly Halted
The controversy traces back to Monday, Dec. 8, when the Senate Joint Committee on Transport and Concession postponed its long-anticipated public hearing on the HPX concession agreement.
Lawmakers objected when the Ministry of Finance appeared through Assistant Minister for Revenue and Tax Policy Andrew Ngollie instead of a senior official.
The hearing, convened in the Senate’s main chamber and chaired by Montserrado County Sen. Saah H. Joseph, had already sworn in witnesses from the Liberia Revenue Authority, the National Investment Commission, and the Ministries of Finance, Justice and Transport when tensions erupted.
Nimba County Sen. Samuel G. Kogar led the objections, insisting the Senate had formally summoned senior officials, specifically the deputy minister for fiscal affairs.
“This is a very serious legislative matter,” Kogar said. “If some of you are giving credence to that, I’m not. The Senate formally invited senior government officials — deputy ministers or ministers proper.
The Ministry of Finance sent a junior minister to come and sit here?”
Maryland County Sen. J. Gbleh-bo Brown pressed for clarity on Ngollie’s authority, prompting the assistant minister to explain that he was standing in for Deputy Minister Anthony Myers, who he said was absent due to “abrupt illness.” Ngollie also said he had written authorization to represent the ministry.
That explanation failed to satisfy several senators.
Grand Kru County Sen. Numene T. H. Bartekwa, co-chair of the committee, said he was “deeply disappointed” by the absence of a senior finance official, arguing that only decision-makers should appear for a matter of national consequence.
Grand Gedeh County Sen. Thomas Yaya Nimely echoed that view, pointing to the concession document itself.
“This document from the IMCC does not have the initial or signature of any assistant minister,” Nimely said. “We are looking for people who have read and signed this document. If they’re not here, I don’t see the reason why we should proceed.”
As objections mounted, Montserrado County Sen. Abraham Darius Dillon called for a recess. When the committee reconvened, Sen. Joseph announced the postponement.
“The minister is supposed to be here, so on that note, the body has agreed to postpone the hearing to Thursday, Dec. 11,” Joseph said.
Dillon further instructed Transport Minister Sirleaf Tyler to submit 30 copies of all relevant documents before the rescheduled hearing.
Quiet Reversal
The postponement was widely praised by members of the public as a rare show of legislative assertiveness in defense of due process. That praise, however, quickly turned to confusion when the hearing resumed.
When the joint committee reconvened on Monday, December15, witnesses from the relevant ministries returned—and so did Ngollie, once again representing the Ministry of Finance. This time, there were no objections.
Ngollie introduced himself, took the oath and participated fully in the hearing, fielding questions alongside other witnesses. Senators who had earlier objected to his presence, including Kogar and Dillon, raised no procedural concerns.
Committee Chair Saah H. Joseph opened the session, set the rules and allowed proceedings to move forward without addressing the earlier dispute over representation.
The silence marked a sharp contrast to the Senate’s previous position that the HPX agreement was too critical to entertain testimony from anyone other than senior finance officials.
Public Trust at Stake
Critics say the unexplained shift undermines public confidence in the Senate’s oversight role.
“The failure of the Senate to inform citizens on what basis it accepted the same junior minister it had earlier rejected is unfair to the people,” one observer said. “It weakens accountability, transparency and good governance.”
With the HPX concession regarded as one of Liberia’s most consequential investment agreements, the Senate’s apparent inconsistency has only intensified scrutiny of both the legislature and the executive’s handling of the deal.
As the ratification process continues, many Liberians are now asking whether the Senate’s initial stand was a matter of principle—or merely a momentary posture that quickly gave way behind closed doors.
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