The Consortium of Rubber Sector Actors of Liberia (CORSAL), has alarmed over their business capitals being damaged by the action of the Government of Liberia to ban the exportation of unprocessed rubber.
Speaking with reporters Tuesday, April 30, 2024, CORSAL Assistant Secretary, Clinton Kpozeh said due to the damage of their businesses, they are unable to pay the loans borrowed from banks.
“Bank loans are in default and banks are about to take our room properties and the Government of Liberia supports this highly,” he explained.
According to him, despite negotiations with the Government, they have observed that some of the officials’ only concern is to protect foreign businesses that have invested in the country.
Kpozeh stated that the rubber actors of Liberia also invested into their farms and other businesses therefore, they also deserve protection and returns on their investments.
He added “This is our country and we have nowhere to go; therefore, we must be involved with the economic activities here.”
He narrated that CORSAL is not against foreign businesses buying and selling rubber but they are against depriving Liberians the opportunity to freely choose who to sell their rubber to, a condition they will not accept.
“The rubber is our private property and the Government of Liberia cannot deny us the right to make sales decision,” the group Assistant Secretary stated.
Kpozeh alleged that the Government is misapplying the Constitution by using Article 5(c) which says “The Republic shall take steps by appropriate Legislation and Executive Orders to eliminate sectionalism and tribalism, and such abuses of power as the misuse of government resources, nepotism and all other corrupt practices” as its reliance for issuing Executive Order #124.
The group disclosed that the rubber is not for the Government of Liberia and all other conditions set in Article 5(c) are not within the rubber sector.
“Farmers must be allowed to have access to a market of their choice.
One of the most inhumane and terrible provisions of Executive Order No 124 is contained in Section 9 which reads thus: “That as of the effective date of this Executive Order, all broker activities relating to purchase, sale, or trade of unprocessed rubber in the Republic of Liberia MUST CEASE and agents of processors shall be the only persons to act on behalf of, or for a processor, or to act as intermediaries between farmers and processors in transporting the unprocessed natural rubber trade,” he indicated.
Accordingly, the group has declared the action of the government as a complete destruction of the value chain in the rubber sector that seeks to promote middle class.
