As a means to ensure constant and steady supply of rice in Liberia, President Joseph N. Boakai has officially commissioned his Rice Committee set up few weeks ago.
The Committee consists of fifteen members including twelve Government and non-Government entities and three individuals. Ambassador Charles A. Minor will chair the committee.
The twelve entities are the Ministries of Agriculture, Commerce and Industry, Finance and Development Planning, State for Presidential Affairs, while others include the National Port Authority, the Liberia Bankers’ Association, the National Civil Society Council of Liberia, the National Transport Union of Liberia, the Liberia Business Association, the Liberia Marketing Association, the Rural Women Organization of Liberia and private business entity, Fauta Corporation.
The Committee will be responsible to formulate policies to ensure constant and steady supplies of rice and ensure that Liberians participate in the importation and distribution of rice throughout the country.
They will also collect and operate a database on rice – rice producing countries, exports, importing and consuming Countries, grades and quality of rice, the groundings for prices and their build-up, price comparison and other related data on the commodity of rice while formulating policies on the effective reactivation and management of the rice stabilization fund for accelerating local production of rice and for local substitution.
Speaking Thursday, June 13, 2024 after the commissioning process at the Executive Mansion in Monrovia, President Boakai encouraged the committee members to give their fullest attention to what he described as a national embarrassment.
“I charge you with the responsibility to ensuring that we have this precious commodity of ours on the market,” the President said. The Liberian leader urged members to make sure that the country’s staple food is available and ensure that the market is kept supreme with support from the bankers to avoid another rice riot. President Boakai wants the Committee members to work together in the interest of the country.
For his part, Committee Chairperson, Ambassador Charles A. Minor pledged commitment to keep the public informed of what is happening in the domestic and foreign markets and try to ease the fears of consumers as to the availability of rice in the period ahead. Minor narrated that the committee will support a free market economy and at the same time work with those already in the trade- the importers, distributors and retailers, not to get rid of others but make room for Liberian businesses to also participate in the over US$200,000,000 annual trade, the second largest commodity being traded in Liberia.
The Chairperson of the Rice Committee stated that he and his colleagues will not only devote all their time to the commercial prong of the president’s mandate,but will focus on the second prong with vigor.
He promised to target strategies that will help people to substitute imported rice with locally produced rice which will be of prominent concern and attract concerted efforts. Amb. Minor used the occasion to call for patience, understanding and support as the committee ventures into the assignment given to them by the President.
