The Executive Director of the Liberia Standard Authority has informed members of the House of Representatives that the influx of substandard products on the Liberian market is due to the institution’s weak enforcement powers.
The House has appointed a specialized committee to review the Act establishing the Liberia Standards Authority (LiSA) following mounting concerns over weak regulatory enforcement and the influx of imported products labeled entirely in foreign languages.
The committee, headed by Bong County District# 6 Representative Moima Briggs Mensah, was established on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 after officials of the Authority appeared before Plenary to respond to concerns raised by lawmakers regarding consumers’ safety and regulatory oversight.
During the hearing, LiSA officials informed lawmakers that the Act creating the institution limits its enforcement powers and that the authority often operates under directives from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry.
The appearance followed a formal communication from Rep. Briggs Mensah, who questioned why fertilizers and other imported products continue to enter Liberian markets carrying instructions and warning labels written solely in foreign languages, making them inaccessible to most Liberian consumers.
Her inquiry extended beyond labeling concerns, demanding accountability reports covering fiscal years 2024 through 2026. She requested detailed records of inspections, seizures, enforcement actions, penalties, and compliance monitoring activities conducted by the authority.
Rep. Briggs Mensah attributes the weak regulatory environment to worsening public health concerns nationwide. “Today our people are suffering from kidney infection, liver infection, and different sicknesses we cannot even explain,” she told Plenary. “The chemicals meant for plants and trees are now being used on vegetables, and our people are consuming them.”
Following the establishment of the committee, Rep. Briggs Mensah lauded House Speaker Richard Nagbe Koon for treating the matter with urgency. She said the committee would work expeditiously despite reports from the authority that it remains understaffed and without official vehicles.
Other committee members include Representatives Anthony Williams, Prince K. Koinah, Johnson S.N. Williams, Bernard Blue Benson, Ernest M. Manseah Sr., and Gbessie Sonii Feika.
