The Government of Liberia says it is making tangible progress in responding to the daily economic pressures confronting citizens, commonly referred to as the nation’s “bread and butter issues,” through improvements in transportation, electricity access, domestic production, and job creation.
Assistant Minister for Planning at the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning, Wellington Barchue, made the assertions during the launch of the United Nations Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) 2026–2030, a roadmap designed to support a “peaceful, inclusive, and resilient Liberia.” Barchue highlighted what he called one of the most visible indicators of progress: the dramatic reduction in transport fares from the southeastern counties to Monrovia, driven primarily by ongoing national road construction.
Transport fares from Maryland County to Monrovia, once as high as L$13,000, have dropped to approximately L$5,000, representing a more than 60% reduction.
“When citizens from Maryland County no longer pay thirteen thousand Liberian Dollars to come to Monrovia, but instead five thousand, the difference is being used to address the bread-and-butter issues at home,” Barchue said. The Minister argues that the reduced travel cost is directly improving household disposable income across rural Liberia.
The Assistant Minister also reported an increase in national electricity access from 33% to 39% of the population, one of the largest single-period expansions since the end of the civil conflict. He described improved power availability as a “game changer” for small businesses, markets, and low-income communities.
“Expanding power access means families spend less on generators and businesses stay open longer. These are critical shifts in people’s everyday lives”, he added. International development indicators consistently show that every 10% increase in electricity access correlates with measurable gains in productivity and household stability. Barchue emphasized that many ongoing road projects are being implemented by Liberian-owned companies, creating income opportunities for engineers, machine operators, traders, and local laborers.
“Liberians working on road projects are earning incomes to feed their families. This contributes directly to economic stability,” he noted. Barchue estimates that thousands of workers are currently employed through government and donor-supported infrastructure schemes, also citing price trends in major commercial centers such as Red Light and Duala, where he says an increase in locally produced goods has helped stabilize or reduce market prices.
Accordingly, he indicates that the cost of key commodities, including vegetables, cassava, palm products, and the nation’s staple food, rice, has shown improvement compared to the same period last year. “Today, at our major markets, you see more domestically produced commodities at lower prices. Even the price of rice has seen reductions in several areas,” Barchue said.
Independent market data shows that increases in local food supply often reduce reliance on imports and help buffer communities against global price shocks. While opposition groups argue that the government has failed to provide meaningful relief to struggling households, Barchue insisted that the evidence contradicts those claims.
“Though we are not where we want to be, we are not where we used to be when this government took over,” he stated. He pointed to the broader development strategy under the UNSDCF 2026–2030, crafted with UN agencies and international partners as proof of the administration’s long-term commitment to economic stabilization.
