Gabon: the government denies rumours of the liquidation of GOC and Sogara.
Gabonese Minister of Oil, Gas and Hydrocarbons denies allegations of liquidation of Gabon Oil Company and Gabonese Refining Corporation by the International Monetary Fund.
In this city quick to « kongossa » (the term used locally to designate gossip, gossip) that is Libreville, rumour has struck again. On a visit to the Gabonese capital from 24 to 30 April, an International Monetary Fund delegation was accused of wanting to liquidate Gabon Oil Company (GOC) and the Gabonese Refining Company (Sogara), presented as financial pits. (False) information widely relayed on social networks and which, like a powder trail, spread during the IMF mission.
Tired of these rumours, the government, through the Minister of Oil, Gas and Hydrocarbons, Pascal Houangni Ambouroue, cut short them on May 2, the latter reminding that « there was no question for the IMF to give any injunction to the Gabonese government to liquidate the National Hydrocarbon Company or Sogara ». Consequently, « the rumours relayed about an alleged liquidation of the GOC and Sogara do not fall within the scope of the IMF’s specifications. In other words, these allegations simply constitute intoxication relayed on social networks, » said Pascal Houangni Ambouroue. The day before, it was the head of the IMF delegation in Libreville himself who had to deny these allegations. « There seems to be a lot of power given to the IMF, among those that are not its responsibility. The IMF does not have the power to liquidate companies owned by sovereign states, » said Boileau Yeyinou Loko. Of which act.
Created in November 1964, the Gabonese refining company (SOGARA) is the only refinery in Gabon. As for the national company, the Gabon Oil Company, launched in 2011, its objective is to « strengthen the role of the State in the strategic field of hydrocarbons ». In addition to upstream, it is also active in the marketing and distribution of refined products.