LIBA Wants US$10M for Liberian-owned Businesses

The chairman of Commerce and Trade of the Liberia Business Association (LIBA), Dominic Nimely, has called on President George Weah to provide US$10 million for Liberian businesses as a way of supporting his 2018 statement “Liberians will not be spectators in their economy.”

Nimely, who is also the chairman of the Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL), indicated that the President does not need to say things without doing anything about it, especially issues affecting businesses.

“The President said he does not want us to be spectators, which means he saw things for which the statement was made. We want the President to revisit his thinking closet and provide at least US$5 to US$10 million through the budget every year for Liberian businesses,” Mr. Nimely said.  

Mr. Nimely, however, said he does not blame the President alone, as Liberia’s problems are also the responsibility of the Legislature. “The Legislature needs to come out with some powers too, to support Liberian businesses.”

“We want to meet the President now and tell him about our problems. We have many issues as business people and believe that he will go to the Legislature to ask them to support Liberian businesses,” Mr. Nimely said.    

According to him, Liberia is having a security crisis every day, as foreigners who are importing gas and rice continue to create artificial shortages of these essential goods.

“During the first lockdown of the Coronavirus in 2020, people closed their stores and shops, claiming that there was no rice in the country. Minister of Commerce and Industry [at the time], Wilson T. Tarpeh, had to go from store to store to open stores for citizens to buy rice and gas,” he said. 

He said if Liberians own the space and seat to do these businesses, Liberia will not be experiencing these shortages, especially when the President provides money for businesses, stating, “We will make the necessary changes in the business sector of Liberia.”

Nimely said Liberian businesses will appreciate if the money is given as loans because, as business people, they do not want free money from the national government.

According to him, on the last two occasions they met the President, many burning issues were discussed and the meeting helped them to present key concerns to him.

Mr. Nimely lauded the Liberian Senate for its quick inquiries days after PATEL raised concerns about the abrupt increase in tariff for clearing containers at the National Port Authority (NPA).

He also lauded the Liberia Revenue Authority and President Weah for dropping the recent increase in tariff.

The Patriotic Entrepreneurs of Liberia (PATEL) recently threatened to shut down businesses if the government fails to drop the new fees.

Barely two days after the threat, the government reconsidered its decision to drop the hike in fees for clearing containers at the National Port Authority.