The Liberian Senate’s Joint Committee on Transport, Concessions, and Investment on Monday, December 8, 2025, postponed a highly anticipated public hearing on the proposed Ivanhoe Atlantic Inc. (HPX) concession agreement due to the absence of key government officials and the unavailability of essential documents required for legislative scrutiny.
The hearing which is crucial to the Senate’s decision on the Ivanhoe concession and its impact on Liberia’s diplomatic and operational relations with Guinea—was scheduled for 12 noon in the Senate Chambers. However, committee chair Senator Sarah Joseph ruled that the proceedings could not continue without full representation from the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP), the Ministry of Justice, and other principal agencies involved in negotiating the agreement.
Senators believe the concession carries significant national implications and therefore demands full compliance of all relevant government actors. The lawmakers emphasized that any agreement negotiated on behalf of Liberia must align with domestic laws, international obligations, and the 2001 PAL (Protocol Agreement for the Lofa Railway) Treaty, which they noted carries the force of law.
The committee expressed deep concern over the failure of senior MFDP and Justice Ministry officials to appear before the Senate. While some deputies and assistant ministers were present, senators insisted that only the heads of the institutions that negotiated the agreement could adequately address lawmakers’ inquiries.
Deputy and assistant representatives attempted to explain the absences. Assistant Minister for Revenue and Tax Policy Andrew N. Goode stated that Deputy Minister for Fiscal Affairs, Mr. Myers—who represented MFDP during negotiation sessions—was suddenly hospitalized, making it impossible to issue a formal excuse letter. The Ministry of Justice, for its part, sent a deputy minister but no formal communication explaining the minister’s absence.
Senators, including several members of the joint committee, described the situation as unacceptable, citing the sensitive nature of the concession and the need for direct accountability from principal officials.
Before the postponement was announced, several executive representatives introduced themselves: Sally Farrah Tyler, Minister of Transport, Cllr. Charles D.F. Carmody, Second Deputy Minister for Economic Affairs, Ministry of Justice, Jeff Blebleh, Chairman, National Investment Commission, Andrew N. Goode, Assistant Minister for Revenue and Tax Policy, MFDP , James Dorbor Jallah, Commissioner General, Liberia Revenue Authority
Members of the Joint Committee also introduced themselves, including Senators Janga K. Z. Tyler, Cllr. Joseph Jallah, Jabo Brown, Thomas G. Emooley, Botoe Kanneh, Samuel G. Kogar, Numene Bartekwa, Saah Joseph, and Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Abraham Darius Dillon, who joined the hearing mid-session.
The committee also noted that crucial documents requested from the executive branch—necessary for reviewing legal, fiscal, and institutional components of the concession—had not been delivered. The Minister of Transport later confirmed that the documents existed in hard copy but lacked sufficient duplicates for senators.
Senator Sarah Joseph insisted that each senator receive a personal copy and that the committee be given adequate time to review the materials before reconvening. She further instructed the executive representatives to submit at least 30 hard copies to the committee by Tuesday, before the close of business.
“This is a very serious matter,” she said. “These documents must be here on or before Tuesday to give senators enough time to prepare for a thorough and transparent hearing. All relevant authorities from the executive must be present.”
After deliberation and acknowledging the significance of the agreement, the joint committee unanimously resolved to postpone the hearing to Thursday at 2:00 p.m. They emphasized that no proceedings would move forward unless principal signatories and negotiators from MFDP, Justice, Transport, the NIC, and the Liberia Revenue Authority appear in person.
The hearing will seek to determine whether the concession’s negotiation adhered to legal procedures, whether Liberia’s interests were adequately protected, and whether treaty obligations and intergovernmental protocols were properly followed.
