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Who Chopped the Chevron $10.5M USD

Chevron Social Development Funds in the order of US $10.5 million were ostensibly put into community projects around the country. SDI has documented how these funds have not been properly accounted for and in some instances may have been appropriated.
Published : July 28, 2017 | Updated: September 25, 2017

Audit documents obtained from the General Auditing Commission (GAC) point to gross misspending of Chevron social development funds by the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and the Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation. According to audits obtained by the Sustainable Development Institute (SDI), US $10.5 million was allegedly injected into tax-deductible community development projects across Liberia between 2011-2014. The funds established through the Chevron-Liberia Economic Development Initiative (C-LED) were to deliver 80 projects focused on enterprise development, health and education across 15 counties for social and economic benefits for women, children, and youth.

Despite protocols, Chevron funding did not go through the Ministry of Finance and Development, but instead was handled through NOCAL (which the President’s son Robert chaired for at least part of the time), and the President's son's private foundation, the Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation. 

Unable to obtain documentation on how and for what the $10.5 million were expended, agencies like Liberia Institute of Public Integrity have been vocal about their concerns stating that the President’s decision to inform Chevron not to give social contributions to the Ministry of Finance and Development demonstrates her lack of confidence in Liberia’s treasury. 

The Ministry contends no signed agreement exists between any oil company and the country for the payment of social development funds. 

Though President Sirleaf has been outspoken about why the funding went through her son's foundation, Robert Sirleaf served as Chairman of the Board of Directors at NOCAL and presided over lucrative blocks 13 and 14 at the time of the Chevron deal. And given that Mr. Sirleaf also served as the President’s senior advisor despite Article 90 (a) of the constitution, many questioned his role at NOCAL; especially with respect to the Chevron deal. 

This is not the first-time gross misspending and bribery has clouded Chevron's presence in Liberia. Documents released by the GAC in 2010 point to hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes paid to the legislators and their staff. Despite repeated documentation of back-door dealings in the oil and gas sector, Chevron was welcomed into Liberia with open arms

The Production Sharing Contract (PSC) between the Liberian government and Chevron granted 70% interest and ownership to Chevron for the right to drill, granted tax exemptions to Chevron and reduced government equity and royalties to 5 and 10% respectively despite the 5% royalty fee and 30% yearly income tax required.

Now for the first time, audit documents obtained by SDI shed light on what these missteps have cost in terms of community development, and specifically on the types of projects that the general public missed out on because of misspending by NOCAL and the Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation. Upon GAC’s request for an audit of C-LED funds, NOCAL provided the commission with a list of 79 projects covering several counties. A detailed list of projects is available in the TIMBY reports of the GAC documents published below:

Primary Source
Audit Request Report Chevron US$10.5M

This is allegedly correspondence from NOCAL to the General Auditing Commission (GAC), responding to a GAC request for an audit of Chevron’s $10.5 million social development fund.

Instead of going into government coffers, the social development funding was handled by NOCAL and the Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation.

This correspondence updates the GAC on several projects. According to the document, projects that benefitted from the funding include the below.

(note there isn’t a specific tally of costs that add up to $10.5M on this document).

NOCAL projects include:

  • Johnsonville: latrines and water well hand pump (US $500,000)
  • Logan Town: cyber cafe with computers, cable TV network facility (US $700,000)
  • Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa: 10 low-cost housing units (US $2.3M)
  • Monrovia: 3 buses for National Housing Authority (US $1.5M)
  • Vai Town: construction of city park (US $2 M)

Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation:

  • 79 projects: latrines, water pumps, mini stadiums in Lakpazee, Old Road, Brewersville-Virginia, New Georgia, WestPoint, Slipway, PHP, Buzzie Quarter, Sonewiene, Clara Town, Doe Community, New Kru Town, Logan Town, Jacob Town, Barnesville, Chicken Soup Factory

Other beneficiaries listed in the document:

  • Redemption Hospital
  • JFK Hospital
  • HEARTT
  • Carter Center
  • Mercy Corps
  • LACE
  • Booker Washington Institute
  • recreational centers
  • stadiums
  • Monrovia Vocational Training School
  • Stella Maris Polytechnic
  • beach clean ups
  • parking lots
  • washing centers
  • pilot recycling center
  • city trash bins

The final budget document itemizes a NOCAL budget for 2011-2013 valued at nearly USD $29M.

View full report
Primary Source

Audit Request Report Chevron US$10.5M

This is allegedly correspondence from NOCAL to the General Auditing Commission (GAC), responding to a GAC request for an audit of Chevron’s $10.5 million social development fund.

Instead of going into government coffers, the social development funding was handled by NOCAL and the Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation.

This correspondence updates the GAC on several projects. According to the document, projects that benefitted from the funding include the below.

(note there isn’t a specific tally of costs that add up to $10.5M on this document).

NOCAL projects include:

  • Johnsonville: latrines and water well hand pump (US $500,000)
  • Logan Town: cyber cafe with computers, cable TV network facility (US $700,000)
  • Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa: 10 low-cost housing units (US $2.3M)
  • Monrovia: 3 buses for National Housing Authority (US $1.5M)
  • Vai Town: construction of city park (US $2 M)

Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation:

  • 79 projects: latrines, water pumps, mini stadiums in Lakpazee, Old Road, Brewersville-Virginia, New Georgia, WestPoint, Slipway, PHP, Buzzie Quarter, Sonewiene, Clara Town, Doe Community, New Kru Town, Logan Town, Jacob Town, Barnesville, Chicken Soup Factory

Other beneficiaries listed in the document:

  • Redemption Hospital
  • JFK Hospital
  • HEARTT
  • Carter Center
  • Mercy Corps
  • LACE
  • Booker Washington Institute
  • recreational centers
  • stadiums
  • Monrovia Vocational Training School
  • Stella Maris Polytechnic
  • beach clean ups
  • parking lots
  • washing centers
  • pilot recycling center
  • city trash bins

The final budget document itemizes a NOCAL budget for 2011-2013 valued at nearly USD $29M.

Primary Source
Audit Report Document Chevron US $10.5M 2016

This is allegedly correspondence from the NOCAL Corporate Social Unit to account for the US $10.5M in social development funding received by NOCAL and the Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation. 

The date of the document is in question, as the letter is dated March 2016, but the reception signatures suggest the document is from 2013. This needs to be independently confirmed/authenticated.

According to the document, the following companies/organizations carried out the following projects.

  • Buchanan (SPARK Liberia): SME development program, establishment of entrepreneurship center at Grand Bassa Community College (GBCC). (US $3M) – NOCAL
  • Cece United Football Academy (US$150,000) – NOCAL
  • Monrovia (Redemption & JFK Hospitals): medical supplies (US$500,000) – NOCAL
  • Slipway: Slipway sports stadium (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • Clara Town: Doe community stadium (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • PHP: Barrack Young Controllers (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • West Point: West Point stadium (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • New Kru: New Kru town stadium (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa: housing units (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation

The document includes some photographs. 

It’s unclear how this document relates to the other audit document, especially because of the discrepancies in dates.

View full report
Primary Source

Audit Report Document Chevron US $10.5M 2016

This is allegedly correspondence from the NOCAL Corporate Social Unit to account for the US $10.5M in social development funding received by NOCAL and the Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation. 

The date of the document is in question, as the letter is dated March 2016, but the reception signatures suggest the document is from 2013. This needs to be independently confirmed/authenticated.

According to the document, the following companies/organizations carried out the following projects.

  • Buchanan (SPARK Liberia): SME development program, establishment of entrepreneurship center at Grand Bassa Community College (GBCC). (US $3M) – NOCAL
  • Cece United Football Academy (US$150,000) – NOCAL
  • Monrovia (Redemption & JFK Hospitals): medical supplies (US$500,000) – NOCAL
  • Slipway: Slipway sports stadium (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • Clara Town: Doe community stadium (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • PHP: Barrack Young Controllers (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • West Point: West Point stadium (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • New Kru: New Kru town stadium (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation
  • Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa: housing units (no monetary value stated) – Robert Sirleaf Foundation

The document includes some photographs. 

It’s unclear how this document relates to the other audit document, especially because of the discrepancies in dates.

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Over the last few months, TIMBY reporters from SDI visited several of the alleged projects ostensibly implemented by NOCAL and the Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation using Chevron funding. Based on witness reports and testimonials, a number of the projects don’t exist, have not been started, or have otherwise been poorly executed under obscure circumstances. 

“Robert A. Sirleaf and the Robert A. Sirleaf Foundation must be held accountable and give an accurate account of what could have contributed to the infrastructure development of Liberia,” says James G. Otto of the Sustainable Development Institute. “Liberia must develop the culture of holding individuals and institutions entrusted with public funds to account in such a way that contributes to the governance process of the state.” 

The three main projects TIMBY reporters from SDI investigated were the Youth Community Centre in Logan Town, the Chevron Central Park in Vai Town and the low-income housing units in Buchanan, Grand Bassa, and Sanniquellie, Nimba County.

The team first visited Logan Town, which according to audit documents would house a well-equipped youth centre furnished with a cyber cafe, computers and a cable TV network facility valued at US$700,000. Except for a few chairs, there was no evidence of computers, television or internet connection at the time of the visit. 

Also, while the center was labelled, signs leading to the area were misleading. A UNICEF sign was propped up in front of an older NOCAL sign, with the same description of the youth center. Residents from the area said they were unaware of other youth centers in the area.

Primary Source
Logan Town Community Youth Center - 1st Visit

SDI-TIMBY pay a visit to the Logan Town Community Youth Center.  It was an empty hall.

According to documents seen by SDI, this project allegedly had a budget of $700,000 USD.

This project was allegedly part of a $10.5 million  donation from Chevron’s social development fund, and was to be a well-equiped cyber cafe with computers and a cable TV network facility.

According to local residents and journalists, the project was promised by the President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf during her 2011 campaign.

View full report
Primary Source

Logan Town Community Youth Center - 1st Visit

SDI-TIMBY pay a visit to the Logan Town Community Youth Center.  It was an empty hall.

According to documents seen by SDI, this project allegedly had a budget of $700,000 USD.

This project was allegedly part of a $10.5 million  donation from Chevron’s social development fund, and was to be a well-equiped cyber cafe with computers and a cable TV network facility.

According to local residents and journalists, the project was promised by the President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf during her 2011 campaign.

Detail of a sign right outside the Logan Town Community Youth Center
Detail of signs right outside the Logan Town Community Youth Center.
Detail of one side of the Logan Town Community Youth Center.
View of the DSTV dish. Residents say the subscription has expired and/or that it does not work anymore.
The front of the Logan Town Community Youth Center with the NOCAL label in top left hand corner.
Primary Source
Logan Town Community Youth Center - Misleading Signs

At the intersection leading into Logan Town off UN Drive there is a sign for a ‘Youth Development Center’ that is sponsored by UNICEF and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This sign also claims that the center provides access to information and educational materials, skills training in conflict resolution and peace building, sports and recreational development, computer training etc.

During our investigation with the Logan Town Community members on November 11, 13 & 14, 2016 – the community members said that there is only ONE ‘Youth Center’ in Logan Towns. Interestingly enough, the community members claimed to have no knowledge that this was ever a cafe or training center. Instead, the center serves as a hall people can rent for their programs (receptions, parties etc) or NGO’s rent the hall to conduct training programs.

View full report
Primary Source

Logan Town Community Youth Center - Misleading Signs

At the intersection leading into Logan Town off UN Drive there is a sign for a ‘Youth Development Center’ that is sponsored by UNICEF and the Ministry of Youth and Sports. This sign also claims that the center provides access to information and educational materials, skills training in conflict resolution and peace building, sports and recreational development, computer training etc.

During our investigation with the Logan Town Community members on November 11, 13 & 14, 2016 – the community members said that there is only ONE ‘Youth Center’ in Logan Towns. Interestingly enough, the community members claimed to have no knowledge that this was ever a cafe or training center. Instead, the center serves as a hall people can rent for their programs (receptions, parties etc) or NGO’s rent the hall to conduct training programs.

According to residents around the area, the hall can be rented out for functions or by NGOs. The rental fees ranged from 50-150 dollars, depending on the resident and what they wanted to use it for. Upon a second visit, some signage for the youth center had been uprooted.

Primary Source
Logan Town Community Youth Center - 2nd Visit

SDI-TIMBY made a second trip to the Logan Town Community Youth Center on Sunday, November 13th and we noticed that one of the signs in front of the building had been removed since Friday November 11th. That seemed a bit unusual so we took pictures of the missing sign. Please compare this to the signs from the report: "Logan Town Community Youth Center – 1st Visit)

Note: One sign with ‘Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women Business Development and Life Skills Training’ for a World Bank, Sida & EDU Care program/project has been removed two days after we first visited and started asking questions. It would be interesting to find out if there’s a correlation between our first visit and the removal of the sign.

During this visit, a lot of the community members seemed more reluctant to speak to SDI. It seemed as though someone have asked them not to speak.

View full report
Primary Source

Logan Town Community Youth Center - 2nd Visit

SDI-TIMBY made a second trip to the Logan Town Community Youth Center on Sunday, November 13th and we noticed that one of the signs in front of the building had been removed since Friday November 11th. That seemed a bit unusual so we took pictures of the missing sign. Please compare this to the signs from the report: "Logan Town Community Youth Center – 1st Visit)

Note: One sign with ‘Economic Empowerment of Adolescent Girls and Young Women Business Development and Life Skills Training’ for a World Bank, Sida & EDU Care program/project has been removed two days after we first visited and started asking questions. It would be interesting to find out if there’s a correlation between our first visit and the removal of the sign.

During this visit, a lot of the community members seemed more reluctant to speak to SDI. It seemed as though someone have asked them not to speak.

Reporters also visited the Chevron Central Park in Vai Town, which according to the audit document was valued at US $ 2 million. With only four main structures – the entrance, an unfinished bathroom, a palava hut and a restaurant block – the Park does not host much activity.

Primary Source
Chevron Central Park

A variety of images around the Chevron Central Park. The Chevron Monrovia Central Park (according to the placard at the opening of the park) was opened on February 15, 2014.

According to documents obtained, the initiative for the park (in Vai Town) was reportedly worth $2,000,000 million under the name the Monrovia Greenspace Initiative.
There seem to be only four main structures in the park, including the entrance block (seen in the photos), an unfinished bathroom block, a palava hut and a restaurant block.
Journalists have mentioned that the main restaurant block may have been built by the Chinese, while building the road. The entire area was formerly a park (there is still a remnant old kids slide) and was then a police station, according to journalists.  This last information (history) needs to be corroborated. 

View full report
Primary Source

Chevron Central Park

A variety of images around the Chevron Central Park. The Chevron Monrovia Central Park (according to the placard at the opening of the park) was opened on February 15, 2014.

According to documents obtained, the initiative for the park (in Vai Town) was reportedly worth $2,000,000 million under the name the Monrovia Greenspace Initiative.
There seem to be only four main structures in the park, including the entrance block (seen in the photos), an unfinished bathroom block, a palava hut and a restaurant block.
Journalists have mentioned that the main restaurant block may have been built by the Chinese, while building the road. The entire area was formerly a park (there is still a remnant old kids slide) and was then a police station, according to journalists.  This last information (history) needs to be corroborated. 

The gate of Chevron Central Park
The placard at the entrance of Chevron Central Park
The entrance way of Chevron Central Park
A jungle gym structure which is part of the renovation of the park.
An overview of the majority of the Chevron Central Park
A short video of Chevron Central Park from one of the few structures on the compound.

According to journalists’ familiar with the park, the space used to be a Police Station and some of the major structures now in the park may have been built by the Chinese, during the construction of the nearby bridge.

The last project visited were the housing development units in Buchanan, Grand Bassa County and Sanniquellie, Nimba County. According to the audit, 10 low-income housing units valued at US $ 2.3 million were built in Lofa, Nimba and Grand Bassa. 

According to a Buchanan tenant: “the houses are substandard…the prices were too high…and there are no internal facilities.” Images captured from the visit show the conditions of the housing units.

Primary Source
Low Cost Housing - Interview with Buchanan Tenant

This is a continuation of SDI’s ongoing investigation of the audit report from NOCAL on how Chevron’s $10.5 million social development fund was spent in Liberia. This is an interview with one tenant in Buchanan during a visit to the low income housing units that were built using part of the $10.5 million.

On how long she had been a tenant at the housing facility and what the process was to get in she explains below:

**The interview is longer but these are responses to key questions**

"It’s just been a year….the process is like we apply to National Housing Authority. Apply to them telling them that you’re interested in the units. And when you apply, they will invite you, when you go there; they will request that you carry – because they want to know if you’re working permanently – carry uh – your HR should write a letter stating that you’r working."

00:40 "…when you carry it to housing now then housing will in turn come and give you the unit they want to give you. Because that’s what they did. We didn’t get what we wanted, it was that house we wanted – the three bedroom. Right on the road there…"

*** James Otto explains to the tenant, again, that we’re recording video and asks to get closer and she continues explaining about how her family got the two, two bedroom units they’re in albeit they wanted a three bedroom unit.

James Otto: "Do you know how much you paid? You are supposed to pay in total?"

"…first, when we came newly, they said. To be frank they houses are substandard. Because according to how they were giving them to us. First they told us to pay $11,000 USD – for this dirt block, two bedroom house. That’s what they told us first."

James Otto: "For the two houses combined?"

"One! That man you see over there paid $14,000 for that house. For the three bedroom up there. He was the very first that came. At least we were lucky they brought it down small. He was the very first that came. We came and they said $11,000 for the two bedroom; we went on and on and on they brought it down to $9,000. We said OK, and three bedrooms would be $11,000…"

03:15: "…we paid certain amount to LBDI and then they were going to be cutting the balance from the salary every month. That’s how we started the process, my husband went and deposited a certain amount to LBDI."

"Right after that then, I think it was some part of this same year or the ending of last year…they came again. Because at that time 1, 2, 3, 4 units behind there were empty."

"…the marketing manager at the time came with his secretary…they noticed that people weren’t taking the houses because the prices were too high. SO then they came back and said OK, they decided to bring the prices down. But they way they brought it down, it would have to be cash down – no more mortgage payment arrangements."

"…They said now the two bedroom houses were four thousand, three something and three bedroom was five thousand plus. But you had to pay cash down. They came down now, so other people got interested…"

James Otto: "You talked about the house being dirt bricks and substandard…what are the facilities inside?"

"What facility? Nothing! Everything inside there, we got to put it there. The house just like this…even in the bathroom, we got to put our own tiles. If we want tiles in the house, we got to put tile in the house. This house you see with that iron door, it was not built by them. The people who got, EPA – Environmental Protection Agency – they got it for their office. They put the steel door, they put the iron bars there. Any other thing you want to do you do it yourself…they built it just like this and leave it with you. Any other work…"

James Otto: "Like painting?"

"No, they painted, window glasses were there…the doors yeah..OK."

James Otto: "But internally nothing."

"Nothing."

View full report
Primary Source

Low Cost Housing - Interview with Buchanan Tenant

This is a continuation of SDI’s ongoing investigation of the audit report from NOCAL on how Chevron’s $10.5 million social development fund was spent in Liberia. This is an interview with one tenant in Buchanan during a visit to the low income housing units that were built using part of the $10.5 million.

On how long she had been a tenant at the housing facility and what the process was to get in she explains below:

**The interview is longer but these are responses to key questions**

"It’s just been a year….the process is like we apply to National Housing Authority. Apply to them telling them that you’re interested in the units. And when you apply, they will invite you, when you go there; they will request that you carry – because they want to know if you’re working permanently – carry uh – your HR should write a letter stating that you’r working."

00:40 "…when you carry it to housing now then housing will in turn come and give you the unit they want to give you. Because that’s what they did. We didn’t get what we wanted, it was that house we wanted – the three bedroom. Right on the road there…"

*** James Otto explains to the tenant, again, that we’re recording video and asks to get closer and she continues explaining about how her family got the two, two bedroom units they’re in albeit they wanted a three bedroom unit.

James Otto: "Do you know how much you paid? You are supposed to pay in total?"

"…first, when we came newly, they said. To be frank they houses are substandard. Because according to how they were giving them to us. First they told us to pay $11,000 USD – for this dirt block, two bedroom house. That’s what they told us first."

James Otto: "For the two houses combined?"

"One! That man you see over there paid $14,000 for that house. For the three bedroom up there. He was the very first that came. At least we were lucky they brought it down small. He was the very first that came. We came and they said $11,000 for the two bedroom; we went on and on and on they brought it down to $9,000. We said OK, and three bedrooms would be $11,000…"

03:15: "…we paid certain amount to LBDI and then they were going to be cutting the balance from the salary every month. That’s how we started the process, my husband went and deposited a certain amount to LBDI."

"Right after that then, I think it was some part of this same year or the ending of last year…they came again. Because at that time 1, 2, 3, 4 units behind there were empty."

"…the marketing manager at the time came with his secretary…they noticed that people weren’t taking the houses because the prices were too high. SO then they came back and said OK, they decided to bring the prices down. But they way they brought it down, it would have to be cash down – no more mortgage payment arrangements."

"…They said now the two bedroom houses were four thousand, three something and three bedroom was five thousand plus. But you had to pay cash down. They came down now, so other people got interested…"

James Otto: "You talked about the house being dirt bricks and substandard…what are the facilities inside?"

"What facility? Nothing! Everything inside there, we got to put it there. The house just like this…even in the bathroom, we got to put our own tiles. If we want tiles in the house, we got to put tile in the house. This house you see with that iron door, it was not built by them. The people who got, EPA – Environmental Protection Agency – they got it for their office. They put the steel door, they put the iron bars there. Any other thing you want to do you do it yourself…they built it just like this and leave it with you. Any other work…"

James Otto: "Like painting?"

"No, they painted, window glasses were there…the doors yeah..OK."

James Otto: "But internally nothing."

"Nothing."

Primary Source
Low Cost Housing Images - Buchanan, Grand Bassa

This is a continuation of SDI’s ongoing investigation of the audit report from NOCAL on how Chevron’s $10.5 million social development fund was spent in Liberia. These are images captured in Buchanan during a visit to the low income housing units that were built using part of the $10.5 million.

There was a list of projects included as part of the 10.5 million; NOCAL projects include:

Johnsonville: latrines and water well hand pump (US $500,000)

Logan Town: cyber cafe with computers, cable TV network facility (US $700,000)

Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa: 10 low-cost housing units (US $2.3M)

Monrovia: 3 buses for National Housing Authority (US $1.5M)

Vai Town: construction of city park (US $2 M)

** Note there isn’t a specific tally of costs that add up to $10.5M on the audit document.

View full report
Primary Source

Low Cost Housing Images - Buchanan, Grand Bassa

This is a continuation of SDI’s ongoing investigation of the audit report from NOCAL on how Chevron’s $10.5 million social development fund was spent in Liberia. These are images captured in Buchanan during a visit to the low income housing units that were built using part of the $10.5 million.

There was a list of projects included as part of the 10.5 million; NOCAL projects include:

Johnsonville: latrines and water well hand pump (US $500,000)

Logan Town: cyber cafe with computers, cable TV network facility (US $700,000)

Lofa, Nimba, Grand Bassa: 10 low-cost housing units (US $2.3M)

Monrovia: 3 buses for National Housing Authority (US $1.5M)

Vai Town: construction of city park (US $2 M)

** Note there isn’t a specific tally of costs that add up to $10.5M on the audit document.

Primary Source
MISSING IMAGE-Sanniquellie Low Income Houses: Images
This is a continuation of SDI’s ongoing investigation of the audit report from NOCAL on how Chevron’s $10.5 million social development fund was spent in Liberia. These are images taken during a visit to the low income housing units that were built using part of the $10.5 million.

Visit to the low income housing units in Sanniquellie, Nimba County. Seemingly uninhabited. Spoke with an attendant at the Nimba County Service Center and he tells me that the County Health Team is scheduled to move into​a couple of the units very soon. The units seem as if no individuals have moved in. The yard is full of grass and a few windows have been broken.

Not very many people in Sanniquellie seem to know where these units are, neither do they know about them being low income housing. Of about 9 persons we spoke with, only 2 persons knew of the houses – one random person we asked at the parking and the attendant at the Nimba County Service Center.

View full report
Primary Source

MISSING IMAGE-Sanniquellie Low Income Houses: Images

This is a continuation of SDI’s ongoing investigation of the audit report from NOCAL on how Chevron’s $10.5 million social development fund was spent in Liberia. These are images taken during a visit to the low income housing units that were built using part of the $10.5 million.

Visit to the low income housing units in Sanniquellie, Nimba County. Seemingly uninhabited. Spoke with an attendant at the Nimba County Service Center and he tells me that the County Health Team is scheduled to move into​a couple of the units very soon. The units seem as if no individuals have moved in. The yard is full of grass and a few windows have been broken.

Not very many people in Sanniquellie seem to know where these units are, neither do they know about them being low income housing. Of about 9 persons we spoke with, only 2 persons knew of the houses – one random person we asked at the parking and the attendant at the Nimba County Service Center.

Water tower behind the one unit with signs of being owned.
Iron window bars on one unit
Probably purchased but not inhabited yet, iron bars and curtains have been installed.
Damaged window
another damaged winow

After several months of silence, Chevron's spokesperson Isabel Ordonez responded, "Chevron Liberia Limited (CLL) and its co-venturers committed a total of $10.5 million in social development funds over five years starting in 2010 to support Liberia’s recovery from the effects of the civil war." Ordonez did not respond to questions such about whether Chevron funded the Robert Sirleaf Foundation nor the legal implication of violating the US's Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) through alleged bribery and corruption. Meanwhile, recipients listed in the audit document including the Carter Center and Mercy Corps confirmed that no monies had been received from the Foundation. The Carter Center confirmed Chevron directly contributed monies. But Ordonez denied this saying, "There is no basis for your suggestions that there were unreported duplicate payments or that CLL’s charitable giving violated any law."

Timby reporters tried unsuccessfully to get in contact with RSF and their listed number was no longer in function.

While President Sirleaf accepted her son's resignation from NOCAL and as Senior Advisor in 2013, and NOCAL filed for bankruptcy shortly after, the individuals, authorities, and companies responsible for the misappropriation of social development funds have yet to be charged. Robert Sirleaf ran for the Montserrado County Senate seat in 2014, and lost.