MONROVIA, Sept. 25 -- Less than 24 hours after a court ordered the National Oil Company of Liberia (NOCAL) and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning closed and sealed, the two institutions changed course. On Thursday, NOCAL executives, including Vice President for Finance and Chief Financial Officer Emmanuel T. Azango, appeared before the Commercial Court alongside Finance Ministry officials and reportedly appealed for a settlement, FrontPage Africa has gathered.

By Willie Tokpah

The appearance marks a sharp turn in a dispute that had appeared headed toward harder enforcement. It followed a day of contempt proceedings in which Azango sat on the court's bench for more than two hours as the court pressed for compliance with its...